Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you today the above item that my grandfather brought home with him after the war. My grandmother (we miss you Granny!) gave it to me about 25 years ago. It is a German box camera made by Agfa. The Agfa company was founded in Berlin back in 1867 and ceased producing cameras in 1983. I believe this particular model was called the Box 44, produced from 1933 until 1938.
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Agfa_Box_44
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Agfa
If this is correct he must have bought it used, maybe from a resale shop, I don't know where he got it. When you take off the back of the camera the inside is very spacious and for years I thought maybe something was missing from inside it. That is until I recently found a youtube video showing how you load it, cool!
Thought our 292nd photog expert would get a kick out of this item, ever use anything like this Gary? ![]()
Have a good one everybody.
Randy
"The Damned Engineers!" <img alt=":banghead:" src="/uploads/emoticons/default_BangHead.gif" />
Here is a picture that I'm sure was taken by my grandfather's Agfa box camera. The second image is the back of the first, I'm sorry it is faint and hard to see but shows the "Agfa Lupex" trademark stamp.
Randy
"The Damned Engineers!" <img alt=":banghead:" src="/uploads/emoticons/default_BangHead.gif" />
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Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you today the above item that my grandfather brought home with him after the war. My grandmother (we miss you Granny!) gave it to me about 25 years ago. It is a German box camera made by Agfa. The Agfa company was founded in Berlin back in 1867 and ceased producing cameras in 1983. I believe this particular model was called the Box 44, produced from 1933 until 1938.
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Agfa_Box_44
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Agfa
If this is correct he must have bought it used, maybe from a resale shop, I don't know where he got it. When you take off the back of the camera the inside is very spacious and for years I thought maybe something was missing from inside it. That is until I recently found a youtube video showing how you load it, cool!
Thought our 292nd photog expert would get a kick out of this item, ever use anything like this Gary?
Have a good one everybody.
Randy
What a family heirloom, Randy! Very, very cool!
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
Here is a picture that I'm sure was taken by my grandfather's Agfa box camera. The second image is the back of the first, I'm sorry it is faint and hard to see but shows the "Agfa Lupex" trademark stamp.
Randy
I wonder if he was visiting C Company or happened to just see the sign while doing A Companies' work?
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
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026 (2400x1800).jpg
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Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you today the above item that my grandfather brought home with him after the war. My grandmother (we miss you Granny!) gave it to me about 25 years ago. It is a German box camera made by Agfa. The Agfa company was founded in Berlin back in 1867 and ceased producing cameras in 1983. I believe this particular model was called the Box 44, produced from 1933 until 1938.
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Agfa_Box_44
http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Agfa
If this is correct he must have bought it used, maybe from a resale shop, I don't know where he got it. When you take off the back of the camera the inside is very spacious and for years I thought maybe something was missing from inside it. That is until I recently found a youtube video showing how you load it, cool!
Thought our 292nd photog expert would get a kick out of this item, ever use anything like this Gary?
Have a good one everybody.
Randy
Wow, love seeing these old cameras. Very cool.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Folks,
It was my distinct pleasure to have met Ken Burger today (aka Tony's Boy)! Thanks so much Ken for allowing me to borrow your undamaged platoon photo to scan. You are a man of men, my friend! Look for a scan of this soon, folks!
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
Folks,
It was my distinct pleasure to have met Ken Burger today (aka Tony's Boy)! Thanks so much Ken for allowing me to borrow your undamaged platoon photo to scan. You are a man of men, my friend! Look for a scan of this soon, folks!
Gary
Very cool Gary, we look forward to seeing your handiwork!
Randy
"The Damned Engineers!" <img alt=":banghead:" src="/uploads/emoticons/default_BangHead.gif" />
I wonder if he was visiting C Company or happened to just see the sign while doing A Companies' work?
I've wondered the same thing myself Gary, one question among many.
Randy
"The Damned Engineers!" <img alt=":banghead:" src="/uploads/emoticons/default_BangHead.gif" />
Let me introduce myself ...
I just want say hello to all the descendants, relatives and friends of the members of the WWII 292nd Combat Engineers Battalion. My father was Sylvester A. Stuiber. He passed away last August 23 at the ripe old age of 92. http://www.zacherlfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Sylvester-A-Stuiber?obId=1047815#/obituaryInfo
I came across this thread a while back when I was researching his WWII past. My Dad never talked much about the war. Frankly, he was not much for conversation in the first place and much less so when it came to the war. So, I was excited to find this thread and to find his name mentioned and pictures of him before he shipped out.
I have a few things I can contribute here, some pictures and things I remember him mentioning. And, this is a bit of a tease, but I have an souvenir he brought back that I took out if the box today and discovered it has names and addresses on it! I'll post about it later when I get some good images of it.
Most of all I want to thank all of you for posts and pictures and research. This gives me a better idea of what his experience was like in WWII, and, well, makes me feel a little more connected to him now that he's gone. Thanks.
Hello Kent I notice looking at your fathers photo that it appears that he has what looks like the patch of the 44th Infantry Division on his shoulder, had he ever mention serving in the 44th before transferring to the 292nd?...Ralph
Folks,
Thanks to Ken (aka Tony's Boy) the scan of one of the platoons of A Company using the photo that his family has and is in much better shape then the one my family has is complete (see attached image). Here is a link to a much higher res version (7000 x 2838):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5ghnJbeN7Qkem1LTmxaM2F4NTA/view?usp=sharing
Anyone interested in an even larger version can message me and I'll make it available. Just a heads up, this ultra high res version is 30000 x 12164 resolution and is around 50 megs.
Later, Friends,
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
Folks,
Thanks to Ken (aka Tony's Boy) the scan of one of the platoons of A Company using the photo that his family has and is in much better shape then the one my family has is complete (see attached image). Here is a link to a much higher res version (7000 x 2838):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5ghnJbeN7Qkem1LTmxaM2F4NTA/view?usp=sharing
Anyone interested in an even larger version can message me and I'll make it available. Just a heads up, this ultra high res version is 30000 x 12164 resolution and is around 50 megs.
Later, Friends,
Gary
Nice work there Gary, thanks for sharing it with us! Bet your glad to have another copy of this photo since yours had some damage.
Randy
"The Damned Engineers!" <img alt=":banghead:" src="/uploads/emoticons/default_BangHead.gif" />
Hello Kent I notice looking at your fathers photo that it appears that he has what looks like the patch of the 44th Infantry Division on his shoulder, had he ever mention serving in the 44th before transferring to the 292nd?...Ralph
Nice catch there Ralph, I missed that one! I don't think there is any doubt about that being a 44th Infantry Division patch on Kent's father's uniform. I looked at my Stanton's book this evening and it shows the 63rd ECB and the 104th ECB belonging to the 44th ID, maybe he was originally attached to one of these units before being assigned to the 292nd. Perhaps Kent might be able to shed some light on it.
Randy
"The Damned Engineers!" <img alt=":banghead:" src="/uploads/emoticons/default_BangHead.gif" />
Nice work there Gary, thanks for sharing it with us! Bet your glad to have another copy of this photo since yours had some damage.
Randy
You bet, Randy! My family is very fortunate to have found Ken with a "clean" copy and that they trusted me with their family heirloom.
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
Nice catch there Ralph, I missed that one! I don't think there is any doubt about that being a 44th Infantry Division patch on Kent's father's uniform. I looked at my Stanton's book this evening and it shows the 63rd ECB and the 104th ECB belonging to the 44th ID, maybe he was originally attached to one of these units before being assigned to the 292nd. Perhaps Kent might be able to shed some light on it.
Randy
Folks,
Isn't it great to have so many knowledgeable and helpful folks willing to give to others?! What a great place this is! ![]()
Gary
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
Kent,
I am confident that the Company A photo would have been taken the same day, 19 May 1944, along with the rest of the battalion. They would have had the companies staged and ready so the photographer could snap each company photo one right after another. I think it is a bit odd that there is no writing on the Company A photo. Most every unit panoramic picture I have ever seen, including ones from the World War I era, have the unit number, date, and location. If it turns out your father appears in both photos, now that would be a real head scratcher! Have a good one!
Randy
Randy,
Thank you for the hi-res photo of Company C. It clears-up my question of whether my father is in the picture, and the answer is "no". Probably the combination of a blurry photo and some wishful thinking. Great work on the photo though, I am sure it will be a great help others identify their loved ones.
Kent
Kent J. Stuiber
Son of Sylvester A. Stuiber
292nd Combat Engineer Battalion





