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Just sent another letter to yet another family member. Let's wait and see...

The Guide to the Papers of Charles Culmer, 1941 - 1944 does offer some clues if you read it carefully.

1. In the Introduction to the Collection:

"Of note is a history of the base begun by Culmer and carried on by subsequent officers.", which suggests he left the base at some point.

2. In the list of reports & manuscripts all have an end date of 1943.

3. The only thing with a date of 1944 is listed in:

Series 3, Personal Correspondence, 1944

"Personal Correspondence includes a Christmas card sent to Maj. Culmer in Minnesota from Maj. Hassell in Presque Island (mentioned in the Post-diary Report as the pilot who brought supplies and mail to the base)"

The christmas card was sent to his home in Minnestota so he must have left the base before December 1944.

The 15th Evac Hospital wasnt inactivated in Italy until 8 Sept 1945, plenty of time for him to be sent to Italy.

Found a book on Amazon.com, might have some info of use.

A surgeon's diary: 15th Evacuation Hospital : experiences in World War II, North Africa -- Sicily -- Italy by Frank W Peyton (1987

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1/189-9228790-2454647/189-9228790-2454647?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Frank%20W%20Peyton

Very interesting, at Pietramala was present the 8th evac which was the largest in Italy during WWII. Definitely he will have served in that hospital, as well as in the 15th.

hmmm, why was i thinkin 15th evac? Anyway, even the 8th Evac was inactivated on 30 Sept 1945.

Hey Enrico, do you still have those dog tags. I just renewed my subscription to Ancestry.com and found that old letter I sent to the distant family member. Let me know. Thanks!

I was contacted by a distant family member through Ancestry.com. This is what he said:

Hey Marion,

Sure getting the dog tags would be nice, I dont know if your closer to the family owner than me. I dont feel right taking them if you are. If I am closer then at least I can talk to my grandmother and uncles and they can give me phone numbers and I could actually talk to the oldest child of Charles U. Culmer and I could give the dog tags to him or her. I am not fimilar with that side of the family so it would be a great opportunity to get to know that side and a good reason. Regardless of what you choose just know that if you give them to me I wont be holding on to them very long. They really dont feel like they are mine to keep. I will be passing them to a closer family member.

Thank you always

Chris

 

Oh trust me, I totally understand. Time is of the essence!

It's happened to me a few times. I'll get a letter from someone regarding one of our topics and they ask about a particular person or an old email that I posted here. Whoa! I have to explain that's it's been such a long time that I no longer have any contact with said person, etc., you get the drift. Sometimes it just doesn't work, but the only thing we can do is try our best.