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I got this email the other day and thought, I should forward this right away to Captain John Fallon. Sure glad I did!

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Marion:

I have always had an interest in WW2 history, but it has primarily been with Armored units in NW Europe. Some time ago, I came across your website because of a personal interest. My girlfriend's father, Wendell M. Ferguson, served with the 36th Engineer Regiment during WW2 and I became interested in what they did.

I personally knew Mr. Ferguson and like a lot of veterans, he didn't speak too much about what he did. From his discharge record, I do know that he joined the 36th sometime in late March or early April of 1944 when they were at Anzio. He participated in the invasion of Southern France and was wounded by a mine explosion in France on 9/27/44. He was sent to Marseilles to recover and rejoined his unit in early 1945. I recall him mentioning being at the Rhine River at Mannheim and building one of the largest bridges across the Rhine. (His MOS was listed as Construction Foreman - 059).

I know that the 36th Engineer Regiment was reorganized in February, 1945 at which time Mr. Ferguson became a member of B Company 2828th Engineer Combat Battalion, and was discharged from this unit in October, 1945. From his daughter I know he attended several of the 36th Engineers annual reunions in Pennsylvania until his health started failing in recent years.

Mr. Ferguson was a dairy farmer in Rock Creek, Ohio for many years, and upon retiring moved to Jefferson, Ohio. He passed away on October 24, 2005 and was buired in Jefferson.

Thanks for an excellent website, where I was able to learn a lot more about the 36th Engineer Regiment, and it makes me appreciate what those men did.

Sincerely,

Gerry Chapek

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Wendell was a member of my platoon and one of the very best. He attended most of our reunions and was the last man in my company to join me at them. I can tell this gentleman many stories about Wendell; after a very tough of night fighting on patrol Wendell and my Sergeant and I were walking to the Company Headquarters to beg a cup of coffee and report, when we were all struck with the same idea; maybe on the next barrage we can stick our arms up high and get an easy Purple Heart and go home.

As it turned out, I was hit within a week, Wendell was hit within two weeks and Sergeant Belcher was hit the week after that. So we didn't have to stick our arms out of the foxhole. We were all out for several months and in fact Wendell didn't get back until one day we were in the front lines again and as soon as I saw him I told him he was going on patrol. He remonstrated that he just got back and so I told him that he was in better shape than any of my other men.

I think I am the last man alive from my Company or at least I don't know of any other. Wendell was a great friend and one of the best soldiers.

36 Engineers are rugged......John Fallon II. Capt. USA Ret.

Awesome story.... Its wonderful to hear these stories first hand..

I will keep sharing them with you. I keep many of the emails and all the letters that folks send me. Some give me goosebumps. Some make me cry because they are so touching. I am proud to say that this site has helped so many people find each other. Many have now met in person, many write to each other and exchange photos and memories, or call on the phone.

When I read John's answer, I was so thrilled. And to think that of all the men in the unit, this one was right in John's very platoon.

Kyle: If you want to see a very touching story, try this one.

http://208.56.11.96/Invision/index.php?showtopic=831

Wow Marion you were right!! I got goose bumps reading it. I applaud you in your efforts to bring people together.

Kyle

The other morning I got an email from another very grateful daughter. It consisted of about 30 sentences of non-stop thanks. It was almost too much. Made me sound like a saint. I wrote back to her and said, I was just doing my job and I love what I do. After all I have great motivation, MY DAD!

But it just shows that there are a lot of great people out there who appreciate the little things in life. Well to them (and to me) they are not so little. When you work with them day in and day out for two years, you begin to see just how many wonderful men and women exist in this world. Man I would love to grab all the folks I've met recently and place them all in the same room. We would have a great time and there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house.

Sign me sentimental in Alger....