Even though everything new that get's posted to the main site is listed in the WHAT'S NEW section, I wanted to share this with everyone today, to make sure that you saw this:

Thanks to Armonde Casagrande, I was able to post the unit's journals, etc, on his page this afternoon. Hugs to ya Armi.

http://www.6thcorpsc...eCasagrande.htm

Look on his page under today's date of March 11, 2014

Hi everyone I'm new here and this is my 2nd post. My dad, a WW2 vet passed away in '03 and I'm trying to connect some dots about where he was during the war. Please let me know if anyone here might have a relative who knew him etc. His name was Patrick Lawrence Malley from Berkeley, CA. Attaching some interesting snapshots from a box that I'm presently going through regarding my father's service in the 343rd including a pic with 7 names of soldiers that he apparently knew. Please let me know if any of these photos strikes anything, also what the ribbon medal is for (I can't find any info on it). Also how many soldiers were in the 343rd? Are we talking hundreds of soldiers or just a handful? Thank you, Matt Malley

I think this list that I compiled years ago, will help you ascertain info on the type/size of engineer units.

5 hours ago, Walt's Daughter said:

I think this list that I compiled years ago, will help you ascertain info on the type/size of engineer units.

  This is excellent thank you Marion!

You're quite welcome Matt. Sure helped me when I was starting my research. 

Matt, this was a very good friend of mine - a veteran from your dad's unit. When he passed it really hit me hard. He was a peach of a man. He's also part of my documentary.

Armonde Casagrande

1 hour ago, Walt's Daughter said:

Matt, this was a very good friend of mine - a veteran from your dad's unit. When he passed it really hit me hard. He was a peach of a man. He's also part of my documentary.

Armonde Casagrande

Marion this is some serious gold! Is it a huge coincidence that you befriended this person from my dads regiment or are you just in touch with so many vets? I just missed this man by a couple of years. National treasures leaving us daily! Thank you for this - reading now. 

I'm actually in touch (or was) with hundreds of veterans. I've attended reunions for at least four different engineer units. I've uploaded countless memoirs provided by the vets and/or their families, etc., etc. To read about the start of all this, please see my dad's page. That was the impetus for this entire venture. Simply began as research into his history and expanded exponentially into what you see today. 

You would have loved Armonde. He was a gem. He'd call me on the phone and send me cards and letters. Just the sweetest man. I sure wish you could have talked to him. 

5 hours ago, Walt's Daughter said:

I'm actually in touch (or was) with hundreds of veterans. I've attended reunions for at least four different engineer units. I've uploaded countless memoirs provided by the vets and/or their families, etc., etc. To read about the start of all this, please see my dad's page. That was the impetus for this entire venture. Simply began as research into his history and expanded exponentially into what you see today. 

You would have loved Armonde. He was a gem. He'd call me on the phone and send me cards and letters. Just the sweetest man. I sure wish you could have talked to him. 

  Wow!! Reading your dad's page right now and I am shocked at our similarities - "the box"!! That's what I'm going through now, at 55 years old, as we're getting my 90 year old mother ready to live with us and she's having me sort through the "treasure vs. trash" in her existing house where I grew up! You, and your site here are such a great resource Marion!! I tried getting dad's records from the St. Louis archives and you must know about this but in the 70's I believe, there was a fire or flood and letters M-Z (or something like that) were lost forever. Dad's records were one of them. So great to be connected here...reading the rest of your dad's page now....the foreign currency...and the Luger! Dad had one too...even the twitch or jump...PTST I think and dad had it too.

Thanks. This entire site is a labor of love. 

Don't fret, see my research post here on how to acquire discharge records, etc. I went the VA way, and contacted them. That was how I got my dad's records. 

Yes, looks like we have even more in common and the hits just keep on comin' 🙂  Gotta run. Have to go check on a neighbor's house....

Just called one of your recommendations in VA thank you!! Looking at dad’s honorable discharge laminated card, it confusingly says “369 Engineer Combat Batalion”... different unit from the first one I found...so begins my quest down the rabbit hole - thank you for your awesome site Marion!! 

Don't let that throw you for a loop. Men were frequently discharged with other units going home. A common occurrence. 

19 minutes ago, Walt's Daughter said:

Don't let that throw you for a loop. Men were frequently discharged with other units going home. A common occurrence. 

Got it thank you!!

I can't tell you how many questions I get regarding that. 🙂 It's confusing as hell, and has led many a person on a wild goose chase. That's the army for ya!

1 hour ago, Walt's Daughter said:

I can't tell you how many questions I get regarding that. 🙂 It's confusing as hell, and has led many a person on a wild goose chase. That's the army for ya!

 

Lol good to know I’m not alone!