517th PRCT Biannual Reunion
August 15 - 19, 2005
Details of Planned Events
“There is Something for Everyone”

Monday - August 15
Registration

Tuesday - August 16
Brief Historic Savannah City Tour

You will have a guided tour of the largest Urban National Historic Landmarks in the United States. You will
see 270 years of history, ride along cobblestone paved streets beneath moss-draped oaks and experience the
“Old South” with its many stately mansions, beautiful squares and the riverfront. You will also see the mansion
from “The Book”.
Mighty 8th
Following the above tour, you will have a police escort to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum. The Mighty 8th is
a wonderful museum and features the Combat Gallery, Memorial Gardens, an English Chapel and many
interesting exhibits. Lunch will be served in the Art Gallery.
Ghost Tour
This is something that families with children might want to do. Savannah has its share of ghost stories and was
voted “the most haunted city in America” for the year 2002. I have been told this tour is a lot of fun!!

Wednesday - August 17
Tour of the Low Country

In the morning, we will leave the hotel and take you down Victory Drive to Bonaventure Cemetery, (remember
“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), past the site of the Mulryne Plantation, see the beautiful homes on
Bluff Drive at the Isle of Hope, and past the entrance of Wormsloe, the oldest plantation in Georgia. We will
also see the beautiful site of the Bethesda Home for Boys. We will then lunch at the Johnnie Harris Restaurant.
Due to the fact that this tour takes you to many places where the limbs of the oak trees and the Spanish
Moss are so low to the ground, and some streets are very narrow, transportation will be in two 33
passenger (air-conditioned) buses, and offered to the first 66 people.
Dinner Cruise on the Savannah River Queen
Starting at 5:00, a shuttle service of trolleys will take people to the Riverfront for a 2-hour dinner cruise on the
Savannah River Queen. If we have a group of 150, we can have the entire boat of the River Queen.
Numbers less than that will have us on a deck to ourselves. This tour will take you by old Fr. Jackson. Upon
arrival back to the dock, the trolley shuttle will take you back to the DeSoto Hilton. Dress is casual.

Thursday - August 18
Ladies’ and Men’s Luncheons.

Lunch will be at 12:00 with the ladies in the Harborview Room overlooking the skyline of Savannah. After
lunch, there will be a Trunk Showing of purses, totes, baby & children’s items and jewelry. The Men’s
Luncheon will be in the South Ballroom.
Patriotic Musical Program - Irish Dancers
You will want to be in the Atrium at 5:00 for a Patriotic Musical Program presented for you by the St. James
Children’s Choir and the St. James Middle School Choir under the direction of Helen Beddow. World War II
music will also be presented with guest soloists Del DeMauro and Dr. George O’Neill. Following the Patriotic
Program, competition Irish Dancers will give you a dazzling program of the level of Irish Dancing in this city.
This program will end at 6:00………but wait……….it leads you to the evening entertainment for those that
want to venture out.
Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub
You will be on your own for dinner. For those that want to go to Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub, a shuttle will start
picking up people at 6:15 p.m. and will run continuously from the DeSoto to Kevin Barry’s to the Savannah
Theater until 11:30 p.m. At Kevin Barry’s, you may go for drinks with the Irish music starting at 8:30. Dinner
may be ordered from the menu. The cover charge for all Paratroopers and their families has been waived.
Several of you have asked that this be included as one of the events………so here it is!!
Jukebox Journey
For those that want to go to Jukebox Journey, you will have 2 ½ hours of singing and dancing. This event
takes place in the Savannah Theater built in 1818. This is an excellent evening of entertainment with a 15-
minute intermission. This theater is within walking distance of the DeSoto; however there will be a shuttle
trolley for your convenience.
And, for those that want to stay at the hotel and visit, the Hospitality Room will be open until 10:00 p.m.

Friday - August 19
Ft. Pulaski and Tybee Beach

If anyone wishes to take a tour to the beach and to Fr. Pulaski, this is your chance. We will go early in the
morning to beat the heat, boarding the bus at 8:15. We will arrive at Ft. Pulaski for a tour at 9:00. Ft. Pulaski is
a Confederate fort and was the first assignment for Robert E. Lee. Leaving the fort, we will go to the Tybee
Island Beach, and you can walk the beach or relax on the pier. Since this is a small tour, lunch will be at a local
seafood restaurant at your expense. We will be back to the DeSoto by 1:30 p.m.
Banquet
The Banquet will be in the Grand Ballroom with the Social Hour starting at 6:30 p.m. and Dinner at 7:30 p.m.
And you ask…………when do we sleep?? Well, this is a reunion that you can do as much or as little as you
want to do. The Hospitality Room is a huge room where everyone can congregate to visit and be with each
other. Hours for the Hospitality Room are 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. and if you want to stay later than that, Hal
and I will stay with you.
We hope that you will have a wonderful time in the city of Savannah.