Rob J wrote:

Outlook 2003 (Vista machine) strips off the attachment when I delete
an email...sometimes I need to retrieve the deleted email...is there
a way to stop it from deleting the attachment? I can't find anyway
to make it stop.

Outlook doesn't do that. Deleting a message moves the entire message,
attachments and all, to the Deleted Items folder. Do you have any add-ins?
Start Outlook in safe mode and see if it changes the behavior.
--
Brian Tillman