New - dad was 280th Engineer

[Adaughter]

You really are quick! Thank you for all the information. Thank you also for your kind words. It is a very strange time now that both parents are gone. The world seems different somehow. My Mom, who was 17 years younger than my Dad, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and died two months later in 2001. My Dad never recovered from that loss. He went from being the youngest 83 year old his Dr. had ever seen to literally willing himself to death over a 4.5 year period. I think the grief will stay with me for some time.

 

My Dad did mention Oppenheim when telling me about building the bridge accross the Rhine. I look forward to exploring this site and reading about all the Engineers.

 

Thanks again.

[Walt's Daughter]

Ah sounds like we are in the same boat. My mom just passed away in January, and as my girlfriend says, I am now an orphan. Yes, a very strange feeling in life. Once in a while I catch myself saying something like, I should call mom today...

 

You still have many options open to you as far as getting more info on your father and his unit. Please check out the Research and Reference section in the forum. Here's the direct link:

 

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/eng...hp?showtopic=23

 

 

I would contact the Army Corps of Engineers first. Michael Brodhead is the head of the history department and was a big help to me when I first began my research. Their department has info on MOST units. I cannot guarantee they will have anything on the 501st, but it's a great place to begin.

 

Secondly you can contact Richard Horrell of WW2 Connections. He is a private researcher and has over 5000 books in his collection. He has provided help for many of my visitors.

 

You can contact NARA in Maryland too. This is something I did beginning last year. I hired a researcher (they have a list of names on their site) and she copied all the records for my dad's unit and mailed them to me.

 

You have to write to them first to determine if they have any records on his unit. From there you have three choices if you get a positive response. One, go there yourself and copy the records. Two, if there are only a few records, NARA will copy and send them to you. Three, hire a professional researcher or college research assistant to copy the records for you. Note: This is not cheap, but it was well worth it for me in the long run.

 

I'll be happy to assist should you have any questions while trying to pursue this. I've gone down virtually every avenue in 2 and 1/2 years and done a lot of stumbling, but then you find that one piece of info and everything starts falling into place. It's such a fantastic high when you do. You'll feel very connected to your father. It's almost like they are sitting in the room with you and rooting you on...

[Adaughter]

We are in the same boat. I'm so sorry. It's such a profound loss.

 

Thanks for the tips. We'll see where they lead.

[Walt's Daughter]

Received this letter today.

 

Hello Marion,

 

I'm trying to find info of the 280th Combat Engineer Battalion in 1944 and 1945. Erwin, a fellow WW2 US militaria collector from Belgium suggested I contact you in the hopes that you might be able to help. I'm aware that they fought through Normandy, France and the Bulge. But aside from that I've found very little info. I'm particularly trying to find which unit or units they were attached to in Normandy and the route they followed and the actions they saw there.

 

The reason for my search is a piece I added to my militaria collection recently, which is a sign made in the field, in Normandy, which reads "Mines Not Cleared Beyond This Point - Co B 280 ENG". It was recovered by a friend from a house in Montebourg in Normandy a year or so ago during renovation. I'd really like to find out more about the unit.

 

Hope you can help. Regards,

 

Chris Hogg

 

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I wrote back right away and directed him to this post. Here's what he wrote back, along with photo. Cool! 60 years later, and people are still finding items the GI's left behind.

 

=========

 

Hi Marion,

 

Thanks for the fast reply. I've attached a photo of the sign. As I said, it was recovered from a house in Montebourg. It had been used to cover up an air vent behind a bath for 60 odd years. It amazes me the things that are still found in Normandy and places they are found.

 

Regards

 

Chris