My dear friend Gene Fiducia, put a very big on this face today.

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/GeneFiducia.htm

Gene wrote to me a few days ago and said he was going to send a poster to me. So needless to say I was very excited. Well, today when I went to pick up my mail at the post office, they handed me a big heavy box. What's this I thought? It wound up being a very intriguing personal collection that included:

many original objects

such as newspaper articles (including one on the Remagen span collapsing), a swastika, a Guide Book to the U.S. Army, a booklet on contributing to the war entitled, Give 3... Get 4!, postcards from the Normandy area, a French Franc, a V-Mail dated Aug 21, 1944, a War Department Basic Field Manual - Grenades - dated June 15, 1942, another manual from the same series - First Aid for Soldiers - dated April 7, 1942, a button, a patch - Bayeux 1944, a piece of camo (Gene has just informed me that the piece of camouflage with the pin from Bayeau is part of a German parachute), the booklet - Engineering The Victory - The Story of The Corps of Engineers, an MP armband

commemorative objects and copies of originals

merci La Boutique du Holdy - Ste Mere Du Mont pin, a copy of his induction papers, The American Battle Monuments Commission - WWII Commemorative Program, a pamplet in French and English - la nuit des Paras a Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Utah Beach, a pamphlet - The D-Day Landings and The Battle of Normandy, a brochure of the Battle of the Bulge & Liberation - complete with map, a booklet 1944-1994 - Jubilee of Freedom by the Regional Council of Normandy, and a great commemorative Stars and Stripes newspaper - D-Day+50 - The World Remembers

Can you tell I'm still a bit shaky? I can't believe what I have in my hands. Of course I sat down and immediately sent off this email to him.----------

Dearest Gene:

I can't believe, let me repeat, I can't believe all the great mementos you sent me. My husband and I were completely blown away by all the items that you gave me. I can't say how delighted I am and can't believe your generosity. And here I thought I was getting A POSTER. Imagine my surprise when I picked up my mail and this big heavy package was placed into my hands. I'm still reeling. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Have I said thank you yet???

What is especially great is, I have all this to take to the reunion tomorrow in Lebanon PA. Don't worry, it is all going in my suitcase as take-on luggage as is all my precious WWII mementos. The guys will just love this.

Thank you AGAIN for thinking of me and making my day. Heck you made my month. I am still in awe!

Love ya lots. Hugs,

Marion

This is what he sent back.

Happy that you like what I sent to you.

My oldest son had one of the posters framed and it is our den and can be seen as visitors and repair men enter the house and all have who have seen it are say that it is a rare item and should be passed down in the family. I thought of donating the poster to a library or a museum but since you have been so kind in posting my stories and photos, I felt that I owed you something special.

Have a great time in Pennsylvania.

I was researching a book in our reference section in the Margate Library entitled Enclclopedia of Arms and Weapons, Bonanza Books published by Crown Publishing and found an error in plate #81 where they have a photo of a German K43 semiautomatic rifle and described it as a Mauser 1898. I sent them an e-mail advising them of the error. I wonder if they will acknowledge it. I told them that I have a K43 and that I know the difference.

Gene.

I feel so very blessed to be loved so much. You guys sure know how to win a girls heart. Well at least mine. I am FOREVER grateful to you Gene and to all the vets that have so generously given their time and their precious mementos from the war. I have to stop now before I lose it. Hey Cindy, guess what? Yup, I'm teary-eyed once again!

Here I go, off to the Wild Blue Yonder... Do I hear a strain of a song?

Well I am so excited tonight. Am in the middle of packing my bags for my trip to Lebanon, PA and the 36th Combat Engineers reunion. You wouldn't believe the things I have to pack that are related to WWII and the engineers. One whole suitcase (which I am not letting out of my site!!!) will be filled and taken as onboard luggage. My clothes and everything else will go through baggage claim. Who cares. That can be replaced.

So you guys take care of yourselves and have fun while I'm gone, but not too much fun. I AM taking a laptop along, so hopefully I will have an internet connection at the hotel. If not, the laptop will still come in handy because I can show the guys all the CD's I am bringing along.

I hope three days are enough. I know they won't be... I have a complete history of the 36th that the men are anxious to see. They are going to add to it and that will be priceless.

Jiggs and I are going to TRY to meet on Friday if we possibly can. That would be fun. I hope to meet more of you as the days, weeks and months progress.

Just found out by my good friend Al Kincer of the 48th, that they want to have next years reunion here in Michigan. Yippee. I sure hope so. Then I can finally meet the great guys of the 48th Combat Engineers. Oh make my day!

Well must skeedaddle my dears. Have a great weekend.

WW2 Army Work Clothes

What did we use to call them, the pants had two very large pockets, one on right side and one on the left side. The jacket or coat had one pocket. If you had class A on , they would say for PT ,put on your______.

Cadetat6

Info from Papa. The September 101st Meeting.

------

Hi,

It all went fine. I took Chuck and got there about10;50, I wanted to get early to give George some info on Ray Gonzales. I had called Ray on the phone a week ago and left message. He called me last night and he had just returned from Camp Campbell or some other army camp. We talked about some of our Friden friends and I keep after him until he said " I will be there" so I called George to tell him. Then I thought George likes to have something to say about a guest. I went to "my documents" and printed out my story about Ray. It was a full page story. I printed out picture of Ray with General Westmorland and Major General John R. Cleland. All three of themhad thier chest full of medals. Also I gave George a paper with Ray name, and little info. When George introduced Ray ,he read the whole story I had given him Evan about Ray worked for Friden and I knew Ray for 30 years, when I was system manager at Friden Calculator Co.. It was a good story that I have put on Net many times. Every one was clapping and all talked to Ray afterwards.. I got Jack to send you 18 pictures I had taken.. You know most of them except #1 picture was George & family of three. George is talking with older brother, sitting at the table is younger brother and their father. The younger boy has list he works on of every medal of honor winner there has ever been. The older boy gave a short speech how he follow 101st airborne. . The cook from Swedish Club was there and George told about problem WAIT!! not the cook it was the manager WHEE almost screwed up. You friend was there, the one who wants to stay week end at your place!!!. The food was good salad, bread sticks,chicken,noodles and cake.I gave George ,Chuck name , address so he will get a card each month.We got Ray and younger boy together to talk.

See you when you get back. I will send picture Of Ray & Generals on another e-mail.

papa

Just found this area and may I say good stuff. Grandfather served from North Africa through the Rhineland.

Glad to be here.