WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY VEE

Colin.

Merry Christmas to all!

My father is John Kondrup, of Middletown, NJ, where he had been a carpenter. He was a drill sergeant at Camp McCoy, WS, where he met and married my mom. After training many, he went to Europe as a Master Sergeant with the 251st Combat Engineers. They moved to Rumson, NJ, after ther war, where he still lives. He rarely talked about WW2 until after mom passed away (3 years ago). Now we are looking for any info we can get. He still has a couple of pics (if we can find them ) which I hope to post soon.

Help:

I am looking for first hand accounts by anyone who experienced the slave labor camps around Hovelhof, Verl and Braunswick Germany in April 1945...or anywhere in the vicinity! This was in the XIXth Corps, Ninth US Army's path of advance in Germany after the Rhine crossing. I am looking for photos, diary or letter accounts of these camps as well. Any photos would be copied and returned...and nothing would be quoted or reproducedwithout the consent of the owners.

I am trying to flesh out the accounts of members of the 978th Engineer Maintenance Company. They overran one camp and interacted with the liberated laborers in the area.

Theron

I wrote my Ph.D thesis focusing upon the 978th Engineer Matienance Compay. It was attached to the 1104th and 1115th Engineer © Groups, XIXth Corps, Ninth Army. It arrived in the conmbat zone on 5 November 1944. It provided maintenance support for all units in the XIXth Corps from then through the race to the Elbe. The Company suffered NBC.

I am always looking for people who seved in outfits as part of the XIXth Corps during this period. I am especially intersted in contacting anyone who particiapted in the attacks on Mariagrube/Mariadorf Germany on 16 November 1944...in any capacity. Also looking for peole who were involved in the Roer River Assualt in February 1945 in the XIXth Corps area.

theron

Does anyone have a history of this battalion? The only information I can find comes from Stanton's WWII order of battle. On-line details are essentially nonexistent. My particular interest is in Company C. Any chance a roster exists? Picked up a "short snorter" signed by about 150 of the men! The most signatures I have ever seen on a single note.

Supposedly, the 293rd ECB participated in the Ardennes Offensive, with Company C at Luxembourg in January 1945. Unfortunately, no details are given as to the whereabouts of the unit in December 1944. One veteran account mentions actual fighting during the Bulge. However, I cannot see this being the case when in Luxembourg. Perhaps he was speaking of December events or he may have been in one of the other companies.

Thanks.