I collect photo albums. I have two German ones, one from a Nazi Youth in the Luftwaffe and one from a solider in the Luftwaffe. I know its not popular and I will get a ration of s(*%4 but I consider myself an archivist and in order to understand WWII, you have to learn everything from both sides.

With that said, I also have an album that belonged to a Col. The album takes through D Day to Paris and then to Germany. It also has pictures from some of his reunion dinners and so forth until he was very old.

The thing is, I would really like to find out how the album/albums got away from their owners. As much as I feel I am duty bound to keep these albums safe and preserved, I also have a feeling that if their rightful owners lost them or family members who don't know about them would like them back, I should try to find this out.

What do you think? Also, if anyone is familiar with tracking down people in the military from WWII, I need to figure out how to find the American man's unit and if he has any records on file.

I live in California by the way.

Thanks! Stacey

Many units have veterans associations. They are a good source of unit history and tracking down vets. Is there any indication in the pictures of what unit he was with? Any shoulder insignia or anything from those reunion photos?
I know my old unit has an active association that has annual reunions. Perhaps if you can describe any insignia, someone here can ID the unit and that would be a good starting point. There is much information available about the units involved in the D-day invasion (Operation Overlord). I'll offer any help I can to help you ID the soldier who once owned those photos.

Thank you sooo much. From the reunion letters, it says "Unofficia Publication, 535th AAA AW Battalion"

Here is another blurb about the man whose book this is in the publication "William H. Francis, received mention in a D-Day article of 1984 in the Wilmingtion, Del. News Journal: "Delmar's own West Pointer, Lt. Col. William H. Francis, commanding the 535th AAA Battalion, was taken in the wrong area near Utah Beach, and ulimately had to spend the D-Day night offshore, waiting for daylight to make another landing."

Then at the end of the magazine it says:

Ted Van Arsdol, Corresponding Secretary
417 Miami Way, Van Couver, WA 98664

This is from 1985 though...

On http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb....ygan/cardb.htm I found:
Arthur Baumann
Route 3
Sheboygan, WI
He's listed as a member of
Battery. A 535 AAA AW. BW.

At http://www.normandyallies.org/dbase-artillery.htm, I also found
535th Anti Aircraft Artillery
MAJ Carl E. Tice, USA, Retired
307 Leeward Way
Newport News, VA 23601
804/596-7250
This is the unit's veterans' association (or at lest one of them). He is the contact person for the 535th's Association.

Then there was this interesting sign-in at a guestbook at http://www.ww-iiheroes.com/guestbook2001.html

"I am trying to help my father, Russell Gagnon, locate anyone from the 535th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (B Battery 5th Gun Squad)during 1944 and 1945. Also any information on the battle at Worms fought by this group. Thank you to all the WWII veterans and the sacrifice you made. You will not be forgotten. Thanks for such a great website."


Janice Gagnon <janicegagnon@yahoo.com>
Whittier, CA USA - Monday, June 18, 2001 at 03:42:24 (EDT)

Maybe one of these folks knew your Col. Francis

I did find out that the 535th AAA AW (Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons) Battallion was part of the 99th Infantry Division which was known as the Checkerboard Division. It's WWII service lasted 99 days (Dec. 16, 1944 to March 26, 1945).
Check out http://users.skynet.be/jeeper/page18.html and http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php...uleId=10006153


I hope some of this helps.

Thank you! It is so exciting to learn about the 535th! I feel like they are "my boys." I will get ahold of that gentleman.

Thanks again!

Let me know if you dig up any useful information from any of these contacts.

I did email the girl Janice, but haven't heard anything back. I am trying to get over a bad respitory infection, so I am on strong antibiotics and feeling like I can barely lift up a kleenex.

I will get on the research in a week or so when I am feeling more energy.

Thanks so much for your help. I wish you lived near me so I could show you some of the pictures.

You have been of great help!

Stacey