WWII memorabilia from Gene Fiducia

[Walt's Daughter]

My dear friend Gene Fiducia, put a very big on this face today.

 

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/GeneFiducia.htm

 

Gene wrote to me a few days ago and said he was going to send a poster to me. So needless to say I was very excited. Well, today when I went to pick up my mail at the post office, they handed me a big heavy box. What's this I thought? It wound up being a very intriguing personal collection that included:

 

many original objects

 

such as newspaper articles (including one on the Remagen span collapsing), a swastika, a Guide Book to the U.S. Army, a booklet on contributing to the war entitled, Give 3... Get 4!, postcards from the Normandy area, a French Franc, a V-Mail dated Aug 21, 1944, a War Department Basic Field Manual - Grenades - dated June 15, 1942, another manual from the same series - First Aid for Soldiers - dated April 7, 1942, a button, a patch - Bayeux 1944, a piece of camo (Gene has just informed me that the piece of camouflage with the pin from Bayeau is part of a German parachute), the booklet - Engineering The Victory - The Story of The Corps of Engineers, an MP armband

 

commemorative objects and copies of originals

 

merci La Boutique du Holdy - Ste Mere Du Mont pin, a copy of his induction papers, The American Battle Monuments Commission - WWII Commemorative Program, a pamplet in French and English - la nuit des Paras a Sainte-Marie-du-Mont - Utah Beach, a pamphlet - The D-Day Landings and The Battle of Normandy, a brochure of the Battle of the Bulge & Liberation - complete with map, a booklet 1944-1994 - Jubilee of Freedom by the Regional Council of Normandy, and a great commemorative Stars and Stripes newspaper - D-Day+50 - The World Remembers

 

Can you tell I'm still a bit shaky? I can't believe what I have in my hands. Of course I sat down and immediately sent off this email to him.----------

 

Dearest Gene:

 

I can't believe, let me repeat, I can't believe all the great mementos you sent me. My husband and I were completely blown away by all the items that you gave me. I can't say how delighted I am and can't believe your generosity. And here I thought I was getting A POSTER. Imagine my surprise when I picked up my mail and this big heavy package was placed into my hands. I'm still reeling. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Have I said thank you yet???

 

What is especially great is, I have all this to take to the reunion tomorrow in Lebanon PA. Don't worry, it is all going in my suitcase as take-on luggage as is all my precious WWII mementos. The guys will just love this.

 

Thank you AGAIN for thinking of me and making my day. Heck you made my month. I am still in awe!

 

Love ya lots. Hugs,

Marion

 

This is what he sent back.

 

 

Happy that you like what I sent to you.

My oldest son had one of the posters framed and it is our den and can be seen as visitors and repair men enter the house and all have who have seen it are say that it is a rare item and should be passed down in the family. I thought of donating the poster to a library or a museum but since you have been so kind in posting my stories and photos, I felt that I owed you something special.

 

Have a great time in Pennsylvania.

 

I was researching a book in our reference section in the Margate Library entitled Enclclopedia of Arms and Weapons, Bonanza Books published by Crown Publishing and found an error in plate #81 where they have a photo of a German K43 semiautomatic rifle and described it as a Mauser 1898. I sent them an e-mail advising them of the error. I wonder if they will acknowledge it. I told them that I have a K43 and that I know the difference.

Gene.

 

I feel so very blessed to be loved so much. You guys sure know how to win a girls heart. Well at least mine. I am FOREVER grateful to you Gene and to all the vets that have so generously given their time and their precious mementos from the war. I have to stop now before I lose it. Hey Cindy, guess what? Yup, I'm teary-eyed once again!