253rd Engineer Combat Battalion

[Walt's Daughter]

Dear Jim:

 

Well this looks like a tough one indeed. I have searched through some of my research materials, etc. and the only reference I can find at the moment is this one. It's from a grave marker in:

 

LITTLE VALLEY RURAL CEMETERY

Route 353

Little Valley, NY

 

MATTHIES, Robert H. spouse of Ruth Marie died 8-25-2003 age 82 - US Army 253rd Engineer Brigade WW II

 

You may want to contact someone in that town to see if he has any living relatives or friends.

 

I will continue to search and of course if I come across anything at all, I will contact you immediately. In the interim you may to contact NARA in St Louis for morning reports, etc and NARA in College Park Maryland for after-action reports, etc. I have all the contact information in my forum section here:

 

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/engforum/index.php?showtopic=23

 

There is also a contact for a Richard Horrell from WWII Connections who does private research on units. If you do visit his site and contact him, please tell him I sent you his way.

 

Sounds like you have very rare footage there. A real treasure. Of course it would be more meaningful if you could attach some names and faces to it. I would love to see it myself. Are you planning on placing the media on DVD's etc., to make it more accessible?

 

I am going to place your letter in our Lost and Found section in the hopes that someone will run across it while performing a search on this unit. It's amazing how many people have found my site in the last year and have been able to reunite with old buddies, etc. That is the best part of all this and oh so rewarding.

 

Please stay in touch and I will do the same.

 

Warm regards,

Marion J Chard

Proud daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek

540th Combat Engineer WWII