Documentary - No Bridge Too Far

[Walt's Daughter]

Oh happy and joyous of days! I've already received my Christmas present today, and in a moment you will find out why I am oh so deliriously overjoyed!!!

 

As you know, I have been trying to get in contact as with many people as I possibly can for help with the documentary. A good WWII documentary has a fine balance that includes the following: photos, archival footage from the war, interviews - both oral, written and video, visual stimulus, etc., etc. One area I was lacking was video interviews from the veterans, for I was going to WRITE a book and not produce a documentary. Yikes!

 

Unfortunately I don't have the time, nor the funds to drive or fly around the country and do it myself, so I had to think of alternatives. One person I wrote to was Gary Swanson. Many of you are already familiar with his name. For those who aren't, Gary is THE top WWII interviewer and works with the Veteran's History Project. He has literally interviewed and filmed over 500 veterans! You can read about it here:

 

http://www.loc.gov/vets/pr05-TopInterviewers.html

 

Well Rocky suggested that I contact Gary and tell him about my project. So I sent him an email a few days ago and today received a response. Here's part of his letter to me:

 

"Thank you for contacting me. I watched the first part of your documentary

and it is marvelous. We have a number of Combat Engineer vets in the KC

area and I'd be happy to co-operate with you to get what you are after. I

am so busy interviewing WW II vets on videotape that I don't have time to

determine what Army or Corps they were with when. I'll leave that to

historians such as yourself. I do believe you ought to contact Ruth Nelson

Schumi in Minnesota who is researching info on her dad, who was in the 208th

Combat Engineers. She has been in close contact with 2 guys in KC who were

in the 208th, Floyd Mock and Lew Grace. She has done a marvelous job so far

of capturing info on the 208th and has come to KC to interview Floyd and Lew

who are now friends of mine.

 

I will go through my list of vets interviewed who were in combat engineers

OR in the Inf. Div. you mentioned and will get back to you. I know i've

interviewed lst Inf.Div. and 82nd Airborne guys and a number of combat

engineers..."

 

I was so thrilled when I received his letter. I also want to thank Ruth Nelson Schumi for her help in this matter. You will know her better as 208thEngDaughter, here on our forum.

 

Now I will have ALL the pieces to the puzzle and there's no excuse for me not to do the best I can do! As I was taught early in life; you can't wait around for things to happen. Good things happen to those who choose to get off their "hinies", and make it happen. Still can't help to think that I DO have a few guardian angels watching over me.

 

So thanks to Rocky, Gary and Ruth! You "guys" rock! Bless ya and Merry Christmas! It will be the best one ever!!