My father Leon Lipschitz was in the 1251st Combat Engineers Battalion. Here is a picture of the platoon he was in and some other pictures. If you know locations, which company it was or the names of his fellow comrades; it would be appreciated. Dad changed his name after the war to Leon Lipten.
Hi there!
Sorry it took so long for me to respond. That is Company B of the 1251st. I think my dad George Kubeck is the Sargeant standing in row 2 with his cap at a jaunty angle. (One Easter I had a long discussion with my cousins about which one he was"His friend Dick Deise is behind him with the dapper little mustache. Everyone in the unit seems to have a photo with the Pacific Bound sign. The 1251st was instumental in building Camp Tophat, one of the "cigarette camps" named for Brittish cigarettes and to be used to either send to the Pacific or home. The 1251st built the chapel at the camp.
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
Oh very cool. I will add his name to photo, right now. Isn't it great how pieces of info coming filtering in. Love the "dapper little mustache"! 
Okay looking at pic right now. Are you talking about the guy standing next to Deice with helmet at angle? Want to make sure I am getting it right.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
The guy in front of the guy with the rakish helmet. My dad (if it is my dad) is wearing a soft cap and has sgt stripes that you can barely see.
Oh very cool. I will add his name to photo, right now. Isn't it great how pieces of info coming filtering in. Love the "dapper little mustache"!
Okay looking at pic right now. Are you talking about the guy standing next to Deice with helmet at angle? Want to make sure I am getting it right.
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
Okay according to Dick:
Marion, I am not sure your banner over "Lippy's" photo of Pacific Bound is correct. I am sure he did not have enough 'points' to be returned back to the US at that time. The sign was probably made for those being processes at Camp Top Hat, Antwerp, to be sent out of Europe.
Regarding the pictures. They represent the people of Company 'B', Third platoon and I cannot remember the Squad.
About the group picture using me as the guide - The man to my right is Raymond Manning, to my right is Leroy Chronister, just in front of me to my left is Leon 'Lippy' Lipschitz, the third in from the left side of the photo to the rear is Thomas Thomas. I am fairly sure that these named men were all in the same squad.
There was a guy named George H. Kubeck, of Wallingford, CT in the same platoon. I am not sure if he is in the photo. You can get his identity from his daughter Darlene
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
I also thought the guy in front of him to the left was Leon too, for he is in other pictures in the gallery.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Okay, I sent the photo to Dick and told him to view it as "looking at the photo" from left to right. Want to make sure I am getting this right, before I tack names up on the gallery.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Okay, here is corrected list for photo! Many thanks!
Marion. I realized I had two 'rights' in my prior ID. As you requested - left #1, unknown; left #2 - Harry Alvord ; left #3, Raymond Manning; #4 - me, Richard T. Deise; #5, a little to the front of me - Leon "Lippy" Lipschitz; #6 - Leroy Chronister; #7-Thomas Thomas.
To your knowledge, are any of these,
besides me, still living?
I have a complete listing of all the people of Company 'B' with names and addresses[when they joined the military] if you would like them. As a matter of fact, the entire battalion.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
I have a copy of the "The Annual manual EM-1251" This was a picture book of the units history from activation at Camp Swift Texas 30 December 1943 to compliation date on 1 Sept 1945 at Camp Tophat by a publisher in Antwerpen
If there is interest and no objections I will try and get the book scanned and then send or publish on the web site if people are interested.
I had no luck finding this book in any library including the Army Engineers history library. probably assembled and sold or given to the men at the time they started heading stateside.
That's the book that I have. Dick Deise sent me a copy. It is wonderful that we have that resource.
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
Marion,
Thought you and some others may be interested in this 2-1/2 Guilden note I found inside my father's 1251st Annual Manual. As I mentioned before, I have the complete book in fantastic condition (cover attached). When I get some time I plan on scanning the entire book which starts out at Camp Swift right here in Texas where I now reside.
My father, Lt. Philip W. Lett was platoon leader of 1st Platoon, C Company, 1251st Combat Engineers. He is in the middle of the front row in one of the attached pictures. On the back of this note, he wrote down all of the places that his unit went throughout England, Belgium, Holland, France and Germany. Please feel free to share this with anyone who is interested.
I really enjoyed reading all of the history about your father, especially the part about where he was born - Detroit. I was also born in Detroit at Grace Hospital, but many years later. I also saw that he was at Fort Custer, named after General George Armstrong Custer, who grew up in Monroe, Michigan - not too far away.
I am a collector of WWII artifacts and still have my father's uniforms in perfect condition, his German sword, daggers, medals, patches, etc and they are priceless to me. Dad also took a camera with him into combat and I have a box full of black and white slides from many of the battlefields.
Anyways, I just wanted to share some of this with you and wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Warmest regards,
Philip Warren Lett
Fairview, Texas
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
