From: Ben517
Sent: Sun, 8 May 2005 7:21:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Subject: MAIL CALL NO. 895 517TH PRCT- MAY 8,2004

Hello,
 
Contributions to support the Thunderbolt and other 517 activities can be made by sending checks to Bob Christie, our treasurer, at  390301 Blvd. Unit 10C, Bradenton, Fl. 34205 Suggested donation is Twenty dollars.
 
Ben
Website                                  www.517prct.org
Mail Call                                  Ben517@aol.com
Mail Call Archives                 www.517prct.org/archives
Roster                                     www.517prct.org/roster.pdf
2005 Biannual Reunion
August 15-19, 2005
Savannah, GA
Registration due before July 10, 2005!
Howard Hensleigh
Dear Ben:
These are great days–now, sixty years age, sixty two years ago, and today.
Sixty years ago, it was all over in Europe. We were camped outside Lille, France. There the strains of the French national anthem blared out into the town square 24-7. Our high point men could return to civilian life. The rest of us were headed for the US and then for the invasion of mainland Japan. Those all wise men who now say we should not have dropped the A-bomb should take a look at the films detailing the fight for Okinawa. The Japanese war lords wanted to fight to the last man. Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bombs saved millions of lives–ours and those of the Japanese. It also meant that those of us who stuck with the outfit beat the rest of the high point men home.
Sixty two years ago in May 1943 our army with British and French allies wound up the defeat of Axis armies in North Africa. We had to fight the Vichy French for several days and lost about 3,000 casualties before they caved in and fought with us against "the common enemy." In that fight Eisenhower was accused by Patton of being more British than the Brits. He swallowed hard to put up with Field Marshal Montgomery who thought that he was the only man alive who knew how to wage war. Here Ike first imposed the techniques that held the allied commands together throughout the war, in spite of prima donnas such as Montgomery and De Gaul. Here the US Army came of age and gained the begrudging respect of the Brits and the French. It paved the way for the invasion of Sicily and Italy. In May 1943 the men of the 517th Combat Team were training to become ready to fight in Italy a little more than a year later.
Today, thank God we have a president who has the intestinal fortitude to stand up to Putin who recently proclaimed that the break up of the Soviet Union was the greatest historic tragedy of all times. At the end of the war in Europe, many of us recognized the mistakes made at Yalta, Potsdam etc. that resulted in the division of Europe and occupation by Russia of Eastern Europe. When the 517th soldiers saw Berlin over one hundred miles inside the Russian zone, they used trooper terms for the people who agreed to it. I am glad that we are recognizing those mistakes today, while at the same time honoring the part Russia played in defeating the Axis. Howard H.
Randolph Coleman
Hi Ben.., re: Gene Frice's reference to the above, the longer I am here, and the smarter I get, the more I realize how much I do not know. ie, I jumped the same days Gene, and the rest of the 2nd bn, and till Gene's mail, had no idea we ever got or were supposed to have received a certificate. I'm sure mine is sitting on top of a pile of papers at Benning; if anyone knows how I might get it, at this late date, please let me know.  Randolph Coleman F Company (without a jump certificate)  I'm going to check and see if I really did get jump pay.
Nancey Steinfurth
Dear Ben -
 
Dad (Karl Steinfurth, 460th, C Battery) and I won't be going to the reunion in Savannah after all.  Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in April and the chemo has been tough on him.  Oklahoma City was his first reunion and he was excited to meet old friends and make new ones.  Best wishes for a successful reunion and keep Karl in your thoughts and prayers.
 
Nancy Steinfurth
 
P.S.  Where should I send a donation for the "Thunderbolt"?
Chris Lindner
Hi Ben:
I was reading through Mail Call and I wanted to tell Gene Frice that I would be very interested in getting my Dad’s jump certificate if it is at all possible since my Dad has died.
Gene; my Dad was Nathan Rubenstein, HQ Co., 2nd BN.  How do I go through the process of obtaining this Certificate?
Thanks,
Chris Lindner
Trooper Walsh
>>Hi Ben...
It seems to me the Walsh family is past due a little donation to the 517th cash hoard to help keep things going.  To this end, thanks for the little kick in the butt on Finances.  However, could you please provide me with a tad more direction...?  Like who to make the check out to, and where to send it...??  I'm sure all this is right under my nose...but I can't see under my nose...see...?
Thanks so much for all you do to help keep the 517th alive and vocal...!!... TW<<
Trooper Walsh / Managing Director / ZooGenesis, LLC
Robert Kiehl
Hello Ben,
Sure is nice of Gene M Frice (F Co) to volunteer to try and obtain jump
school certificates never received or long lost as mentioned in email letter
NO_894 dated May 8, 2005.
I did a Google search without any success and couldn't find a starting
point. My problem is my military records were destroyed during the St Louis
fire on July 12, 1973
I have  a small card issued by Bill G. Smith, Commanding Officer of 517th
Parachute Combat Team showing that I was with the 517th from 20 Oct.44 to 28
June,45. I have copies of letters written home during Fort Benning training
in November 1943 stating I would get my wings around the middle of February
1944. At that time I was with the 515th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Robert P Kiehl
1104 McGregor Park Circle
Fort Myers, FL 33908-5417
Telephone 239-482-8268
Boyd Ellis sent us the following obituary. Nick Tinello served in "I" Co. -Ben
 
Tinello, Nicholas       
May 7, 2005 Nicholas Tinello, 88, a former resident of Oneida, died Saturday, May 7, 2005. He was a veteran of WWII, serving with the U.S. Army as a paratrooper with the 2nd Airborne Division in 517 Parachute Regimental Combat Team. He participated in the invasion of North Africa, Sicily, Italy and the Battle of the Bulge. He received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Oak Leaf Cluster. His hobby was golf, at which he turned out to be a professional. Survivors are his brother, Paul N. Tinello of 428 W. Railroad St., Oneida, NY 13421; and sister, Mrs. Rose (John) Paraziale of Ocala, FL; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 10, at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church, Oneida, with the Rev. Edmund A Castronovo, pastor, officiating, followed by military rites performed by a detachment from Ft. Drum, Watertown. Burial in St. Patrick's Cemetery, Oneida. Calling hours are Monday, 5 to 7 p.m. Fiore Funeral Home Inc. 303 Main Street Oneida, NY 13421 (315) 363-6100
Published in the Syracuse Post Standard on 5/8/2005.
Marshall Baird
 
Hi Ben,     I for one, would like to see Gene Frice
get the stone rolling about getting jump wing
certificates.   If I received one, I don't remember it
but I did get one from Riggers School when I
"graduated" for there.   I "think" the jump class I
was in was #99  if that would be of any help.  Its
interesting to note that after going thru riggers
school, I never packed another chute.  In 1946, I  did
receive a letter from the CO of the 82nd saying they
were in  need of riggers,  but I wasn't interested at
the time.  Was involved in trying to a little "need
more outfit" cattle operation going, which is another
story. 
Tell our esteemed leader that there will be a long
overdue check in the mail.  Incidentally Gene,  the name
on the certificate would read
<  Marshall W. Baird > ,    not Mark as am known. Mark
Baird
                                      *************
Gene Frice can get the information if anyone can.-Ben