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"
I found a book at my local library last year that listed all the MOH winners of WWII and short stories about them with a photo.
I think it was called "Heros of WWII".
Brooke
A couple years ago I saw an auction on ebay for the names and addresses of over 300 War Heroes, including many MOH winners. I instinctively bid on it and won. Long before it ever arrived I began to ask myself why the hell did I do this??? Still don't have a good reason, but I only used this list one time, and that was to express my gratitude to one of the men who destroyed the guns of Point Du Hoc on D-Day, then-sergeant Leonard Lomell, of the 2nd Ranger Btln. Since that one time I am glad to say that I've never used the list again or showed it to anyone else. BTW Brooke...all this has absoloutely nothing to do with your original post, other than to remind me of one of my impulsive acts From that point on I decided to read about these guys like you are doing instead of bugging them at home, just to satisfy my curiosity.
Oh my, Jim. I think I would have done the same thing and got that list just like you did, even if I never done a thing with it but protect them from some wierdo who may have gotten it who would have harassed them. Ah, I know I've said this before, but if we lived closer.... I'd be at your house everyday.
I think I would have had to write John Finn, though. He's amazing and still going at 95.
I saw Leonard Lommell on the History Channel a few days ago. Were you aware that there is a Point du Hoc veteran registered on WBG? He's only posted a few times and I've pm'ed with him a couple times. He did report that he was going to be extremely busy and unable to participate on the forum until about March or April of this year. I sent him a pm a few days ago and haven't gotten a response yet, it usually takes him a few days to respond.
No, I was not aware of that (Point Du Hoc Vet here) but that is wonderful news! The WWII veterans on Marion's site make it the best of it's kind in my book . I actually received 2 letters from Mr. Lomell, one of which I have framed, and it is displayed proudly in my tiny "WWII Room." BTW...I met with my cousin Dan last night, who's Dad (my Uncle Rusty) was a tank sergeant in the 691rst Tank Destroyer Battalion. I am sending you a pic of Rusty and crew on the tank (in Germany).
Take Care,
Jim
ps- Rusty (Sgt. Wells) is the one directly beneath the barrel, in helmet.
Jim: Tried to clean the photo up a bit. See whatcha think.
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"
Dogdaddy: Damn it, that pic you posted was so typical of the dirty, smellly, hungry,
tired typical combat soldier. Were we EVER that young. I will bet the farm that that pic was taken with a "liberated" camera that still had some film in it, then the camera thrown away and the film kept till a time came to get it developed. This seemed to be a S.O.P. back then. That pic reminds me so much of one of the few taken of me/us during ww2. Enclosing photo of some smelly, dirty G.I.s taken in Germany. Me on the left.
Keep 'em coming...You dogfaces all look alike to me I'll bet you have one similar to this one too... Notice the "racoon eyes" on Rusty (far right) from wearing tanker's goggles. That ain't Rootbeer in those jugs either...
Sgt. Wells dogtags,stripes and the bronze star he won in 1944. During a heavy enemy shelling Rusty left the comparative safety of his own foxhole to assist one of his men who was wounded before he reached his foxhole. This involved crawling 100 yds. under artillary and mortar fire to reach the wounded soldier, who he covered with his own body, protecting the man from shrapnel. After the wounded man regained his strength Rusty assisted him back to safety. Rusty stood tall at 5'5", and was loved by all that knew him. He passed away on March 3,2006 at the age of 88.
From that point on I decided to read about these guys like you are doing instead of bugging them at home, just to satisfy my curiosity. 
I'll bet you have one similar to this one too... Notice the "racoon eyes" on Rusty (far right) from wearing tanker's goggles. That ain't Rootbeer in those jugs either...
