Request for 251st

[Enrico]

Wow I did not understand at all that the boy was in Holland, this is even better!

Do you think that in Italy, because of certain political mentality, in the years, we forgotten the real history of WWII in Italy. Now many think that the war was won by Italian partisans... Me personally, I really am ashamed of this behavior without the least respect and the least gratitude!!!!

[Walt's Daughter]

Jelle is actually from the Netherlands. They have all kinds of families who tend the graves and adopt them. This is very, very common. In fact, many pass this down from generation to generation within the same family. It is very inspiring.

 

Yes, I am sure the past political climate in Italy has a lot to do with that. It is a sad state of affairs. But we are very grateful to people such as yourself.

[SonofaMP]

Here is the link for the website for the Foundation for Adopting Graves at the American Cemetery of Margraten:

http://www.adoptiegraven-margraten.nl/englisch/index1.htm

[Walt's Daughter]

I still think it's amazing what can transpire in one day on our forum. All this brings me pure joy!

B)

[Jelle Nieskens]

hello every body.

 

 

I am Jelle and I am from the Netherlands. I have adopted a grave on the military cemetery in Margraten the Netherlands

I am looking now for people who knew this soldier or how knew soldiers who has served in the same compagny. He was a member of the 251 ENGR COMBAT BN. his name was PFC John L Rose. Nickname Johnny. He died at 23 februari 1945. But I don't know were. His reg number was 33732126. Is there anybody who can help me find out some more about him ore his compagny. I wouldt like to know were they were and if they were in the Netherlands and were??? I wouldt like to have a picture of him. So who can help me please???

 

many greetings from Jelle from Holland.

[SonofaMP]

Recieved a reply from Laura last night, communications between Laura & Jelle should be ok now.

 

"Yes - thank you!!! It was blocked by a spam filter but I just retrieved it and read it and emailed him back. What a wonderful young man - thank you so very very much. "

[Walt's Daughter]

Oh, here's a photo of Jelle and his parents. Great pic. Thanks for sending that to me Jelle.

[Walt's Daughter]

Thank you Marion. For now, I will pass it along to you. I will work on my uploading skills.

 

My father was a radioman who, according to his citation, made numerous trips across the Rhine with others in small boats, and as I understand it, directed artillery and such to German positions in preparations for the main push to cross. On one trip, his radio was destroyed. I have read that in some places or locations, some of these trips were also to try and fool the Germans as to the place where our forces were about to cross. Decoys. Having no other reference point, I don't know if these were the same incidents my father participated in or an overview of a much larger operation in general. Thank you so much. I am glad to have found some "engineer friends". With my Dad gone, I must depend on others to help me understand his life during these years.

 

...I have a photo taken by my father (251st Engineer Combat Battalion) of a destroyed bridge, taken in a city. It would have been late 1944 early 1945 I think. He was involved in the Roer and Rhine crossings. I can't think of any group better to identify it's location than the engineers.

 

Sincerely, Tom

 

 

Tom, I placed the photo here for you, and am also uploading it to the photo gallery today. It sure looks like the Ludendorf to me. I sent you a link to the gallery, so you can look at the other photos for comparison.

[Jeeves]

I received this reply from Jens Mastnak of Lehrte, Germany (Jens Mastnak, M.A. Stadtarchiv Lehrte) after forwarding him the destroyed bridge photo. Amazing!

 

 

"The photo shows Cologne seen from the river Rhine (it must be taken from a boat). The blown up bridge in the foreground is the Deutzer Brücke, in the middle you can see the Cologne cathedral (Kölner Dom) and to the left the Great Saint Martin church (Gross Sankt Martin Kirche)."

 

Tom Huebner

Son of Tom Huebner

251st Engineer Combat Batallion, Co. C

[Walt's Daughter]

Excellent news!