Major O'Neal and Colonel Dziuban

[Walt's Daughter]

Printed with Bill's permission.

 

To view Major O'Neal's page:

 

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

 

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Marion:

 

Thanks for prompting me about the new information concerning the 39th Engineers on the forum. It was most interesting. Most of the time-frame was after Major L.C. O'Neal was killed. He died Nov. 7,1943 .

 

Seeing Stan Dziuban's name on your email reminded me that I had not told you of my hearing from him concerning L.C. O'Neal.

 

After seeing the announcement on your site about the scheduled reunion of the 39th, I wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Knudson. I gave them the information on Major O'Neal and asked them to ask the men attending the reunion to contact me if they had served with Major O'Neal.

 

Soon after the reunion, I received a very interesting letter from Colonel Dziuban with his comments on his service with him. Enclosed he sent a photograph of a group including Major O'Neal taken at the end of the campaign in Sicily in August 1943. The photo included several others including Herman Shirley, The Chaplain, Colonel Green and others who had written to Mrs. O'Neal after his death. We still have some of these letters.

 

When Mr. Dziuban's letter came to me, I saw the photo and handed it to my wife without comment. She screamed with joy!! She has seen very few photos of her father since he left to go overseas in Dec. 1942 when she was 8 years old. That photo is now one of her most precious possessions.

 

After the initial letter, Colonel Dziuban went on line and read my account on your site. He wrote me again and sent additional information from the 5th Army Engineers history about the 39th. He also mentioned having been in the area when Dr. O'Neal was killed.

 

I have written both the Knudsen's and Colonel Dziuban to express our gratitude for their response to my inquiry. I must also thank you for helping me reach these through your site. This contact has meant so much to my wife and our children. Our son is named for his Grandfather O'Neal and is especially interested in any information about him.

 

Bill Hamiter