Documentary - No Bridge Too Far

[206thmpco]

Oh M1! I hope things are goin' better now!

 

I can relate somewhat because I lost ALL my email on friday!

WITH attachments ! So much for our "new & improved email software"!

 

 

m2

[Walt's Daughter]

Yes they are. Thanks M2.

 

Just wrote to a PBS producer in East Lansing. Hope to hear from him. Have more letters to get out this morning. There is SO much to think about.

[Walt's Daughter]

Okay I bought half of the videos I wanted on the list I discussed a few posts above. This way when I get them, I can send them in to be converted to DVD.

 

Combat Bulletin Number 1 (Signal Corps)

 

Assorted US Government War Films Program 2 (Signal Corps)

 

Operation : Dragoon -The Allied Invasion Of The South Of France

 

Combat Bulletin Number 11 (Yalta Conference is held at Livadia Palace)

 

Combat Bulletin Number 2 (5th Army prepares for the invasion of Anzio / The Big Three Session at Potsdam)

 

 

After the first of the year I will order the other half and then have them converted to DVD too.

[Walt's Daughter]

Oh happy and joyous of days! I've already received my Christmas present today, and in a moment you will find out why I am oh so deliriously overjoyed!!!

 

As you know, I have been trying to get in contact as with many people as I possibly can for help with the documentary. A good WWII documentary has a fine balance that includes the following: photos, archival footage from the war, interviews - both oral, written and video, visual stimulus, etc., etc. One area I was lacking was video interviews from the veterans, for I was going to WRITE a book and not produce a documentary. Yikes!

 

Unfortunately I don't have the time, nor the funds to drive or fly around the country and do it myself, so I had to think of alternatives. One person I wrote to was Gary Swanson. Many of you are already familiar with his name. For those who aren't, Gary is THE top WWII interviewer and works with the Veteran's History Project. He has literally interviewed and filmed over 500 veterans! You can read about it here:

 

http://www.loc.gov/vets/pr05-TopInterviewers.html

 

Well Rocky suggested that I contact Gary and tell him about my project. So I sent him an email a few days ago and today received a response. Here's part of his letter to me:

 

"Thank you for contacting me. I watched the first part of your documentary

and it is marvelous. We have a number of Combat Engineer vets in the KC

area and I'd be happy to co-operate with you to get what you are after. I

am so busy interviewing WW II vets on videotape that I don't have time to

determine what Army or Corps they were with when. I'll leave that to

historians such as yourself. I do believe you ought to contact Ruth Nelson

Schumi in Minnesota who is researching info on her dad, who was in the 208th

Combat Engineers. She has been in close contact with 2 guys in KC who were

in the 208th, Floyd Mock and Lew Grace. She has done a marvelous job so far

of capturing info on the 208th and has come to KC to interview Floyd and Lew

who are now friends of mine.

 

I will go through my list of vets interviewed who were in combat engineers

OR in the Inf. Div. you mentioned and will get back to you. I know i've

interviewed lst Inf.Div. and 82nd Airborne guys and a number of combat

engineers..."

 

I was so thrilled when I received his letter. I also want to thank Ruth Nelson Schumi for her help in this matter. You will know her better as 208thEngDaughter, here on our forum.

 

Now I will have ALL the pieces to the puzzle and there's no excuse for me not to do the best I can do! As I was taught early in life; you can't wait around for things to happen. Good things happen to those who choose to get off their "hinies", and make it happen. Still can't help to think that I DO have a few guardian angels watching over me.

 

So thanks to Rocky, Gary and Ruth! You "guys" rock! Bless ya and Merry Christmas! It will be the best one ever!!

[206thmpco]

WAAHOO! you GO girl!!! Sounds like Santa Claus

has come early ( I usually call him "Sanity Clause"

a la the Marx bros).

 

Extra eggnog for YOU tonight, M1

 

Congratulations! I'm sure there are MANY angels watching

& most of them wore uniforms !

 

m2

[Walt's Daughter]

Extra eggnog it is!!! Thank you. I will think of you while wrapping presents this evening over a cold one!

[roque_riojas]

GLAD I GAVE YOU A LITTLE HELP. MAKES MY DAY ROCKY

[civilwargal]

Has anyone awarded Rocky a medal for that suggestion? What a great idea!!!

Marion, have you contacted anyone at the Combat Engineer Museum? Are they doing some kind of a taping of vets?

Sanity Claus? Everybody knows there's no such thing as a Sanity Claus. (Love the Marx Brothers- My tag line on my emails is a Groucho quote " Outside of a dog a book is mans best friend, inside of a book, it's too dark to read")

[Walt's Daughter]

Just wanted to express my thanks to those who have sent very kind donations this month. This week I received three LARGE donations and was just floored. Two were received this morning in the mail, and I just about dropped the envelopes. Because of their very generous contributions I am now able to go ahead with the purchase of the rest of the videos from International Historical Films, and will also be able to retrieve the archived footage for the VI Corps Engieners from the National Archives in Maryland.

 

I am thrilled and excited and it's hard to find the right words right now.

[Walt's Daughter]

Hi everyone:

 

A lot of people have been asking how they can help; well right now I can think of one way. I was just speaking with Michael Brodhead at the Army Corps of Engineer's Office of History, and they have agreed to have me interview them for the documentary. HOWEVER, I cannot fly or drive there myself (at least not in the near future), so I am possibly looking for someone who lives in the area to lend me a hand and assist me in getting these interviews. If anyone thinks this may be a possibility, please get in contact with me and we will work something out.

 

We can go over details at a later date, but I need someone to film the interviews.

 

The Office of History is located in Alexandria, Virginia.