Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2004
The documents will all be de-classified as mine were. I received over 2000 pages from NARA. I used a private researcher because of the volume of documents available on the 540th. A real lucky find.
Good luck with your search. Sounds like you are well on your way. Yes, thanks in advance for sharing. I know many will be looking forward to seeing them. 
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2004
Don't look now, but there is a 235th Engineer DUI pin up for sale on eBay. Looks good enough to be a WW2 vintage.
Steve
I'll try to link the image.
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2006
Much to my surprise, I arrived home last evening and found the documents from the National Archives waiting for me, at least two months before I had anticipated getting them.
I received the 253rd Unit History documents for 1943, 1944 and through Sept 1945.
They have a lot of great information. There are also several unit photos.
After scanning them into PDF documents, they are quite large. Rather than break them up too much, I am going to attemtp to find a good spot on the web where they can loaded and easily found.
Suggestions are welcomed.
Gary
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2004
I may have some space on one of my sites that I can rent to you for DIRT cheap. Let me get back to you this afternoon. You can upload them there and people can access them whenever they desire. Hopefully I'l send ya an email later when I get off of work.
Congrats. Ain't it exciting?  
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2015
Hello,
I just found this site a few days ago, whilst searching for info on the 253rd, and have some to share. A member of my church was in the 253rd (A Co.), from inception through discharge in 1946.
Thomas Mowry, PFC, Truck Driver Light 345. He has told me about when they got to the UK, then over into the ETO. One thing he told me was that they were with the 7th Army, not the 9th. He was adamant on that point. I will get more details on the period leading up to VE day. Today we talked about getting out of Europe. He did not preform as a truck driver until after the war! He also said he was transferred to the 75th ID for the period involved with transporting troops from the interior of Europe, to coastal France. I am not clear if it was his unit, or himself that went to the 75th. The tone of the explanation suggests the latter. I will check.
There was a plan to use German PWs to assist in the enormous number of trucking assignments involved in shipping troops to Cherbourg, and other ports, for transit back home (I find this fascinating, for my Grandfather-in-law was an Estonian volunteer in the Luftwaffe, flying Arados in the Baltic...sinking Sov. subs...but ended the war in western Germany, and then 7 months as a PW, in France. I wish I had asked him more about things he did as a PW...). This was necessary because of so many men having points to get out, leaving fewer and fewer men to get the mundane jobs done. After a number of accidents, the Germans were moved to the right side, as observer/helper, and the GIs drove. He spoke of driving ALL OVER the ETO, picking up troops and getting them to the ports, so it was a much larger task than just moving his BN. As the operation was coming to a close, they would drive convoys of trucks to depots, where the bulk of the trucks were turned in and parked. Then the drivers would be loaded up into remaining trucks, and taken to the port for transit. His dates of departure and final ETS coincide with dates given by Richard Horrell, so he was reunited with the 253rd before shipping out.
He is going on an Honor Flight to Wash., DC, on the 21st of April, and I am fitting him out with a complete uniform for the trip. He never got involved with any Veteran's groups after the war, and now regrets that a bit. He spoke of looking for the name of a friend whose name may be on the memorial. He was atop a large shipment of explosives that detonated by accident, as he said "...left nothing, no truck, nothing." Anyhow, I have his rank, svc bars, and shoulder patch, am awaiting a set of ribbons and bolo badges, but have not found any unit crests, but he is thrilled with the fact that he can wear a complete uniform again. OK, he wears orthopedic shoes, but otherwise....
We took him to a WWII reenactment held that we (my sons and our "unit") participate in, at a train museum down here in Fl, and he had a good time there. Walked all over the place on his own...a very fit man!
Tom's two brothers were also in the Army, but one is deceased, and the other has no interest in any honor flights. This will be a high point for him, and if there is anyone else out there that has or knows of a remaining 253 man, do let me know. As I come up with more of his story, I will pass it on.
Michael Belanger
SFC (Ret), SF
St Petersburg, Fl
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2012
Hello Michael,
Thank you so much for sharing all of this information! What you are doing is wonderful! I learned many new things.
I hope you keep updating this site.
Thank you for introducing Thomas Mowry to us! Please let him know how much all of us appreciate him!
Jean
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2004
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2012
This video is priceless!
As always Marion it is incredible the things you make available to all of us!!!
Thank you,
Jean
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2004
Sure enough!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Posts: 0
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2004
Unfortunately the video is no longer available as I forced to take it down, by the gentleman who provided it to me, God only knows why this action was taken, for as you saw (back in 2005), he offered to make copies of this CD for anyone who wanted one. Also note that this video was taken by a WWII veteran, and not the gentleman who offered to provide it to others.
I received a notice from YouTube that a note of protestation was filed by Jim against me, claiming I violated his copyrights, which affected my YouTube account, forcing it to shut down, which forced me to watch some silly video on copyright infringements. I then had to take a "test" on copyright laws, in order to restore my account. However, I now have a strike against my good name, and they also placed a six-month restriction on said account.
When my YouTube account was shut down, it affected dozens of WWII videos that I shared via my websites, including my No Bridge Too Far excerpts from my documentary, for no one including me could now view them.
Am I mad, you bet, for it not only was aggravating, but took precious time out of my schedule, trying to rectify this, but I now have a tarnished account/reputation.
  
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
|
