Last weekend i went to the Eifel again with a friend to do some searching, we stumbled across a spot where we found some foxholes and also some activity from searchers who had been there before us. In a foxhole i got a small signal with my detector and started digging. I found a US dump pit with some interesting items:
Some personal items cleaned! They have a name and some initials on them. Including the name of Magliocchetti, Leonard. Also his service number 33934116. http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...=0&nfo_24994=V,8,1900&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=4382853 With the help of forum member Keystone Two-Eight we where able to trace some family members of Leonard. Soon i'll be in contact with them, thanks to the help from Steve!!! I'll keep you all posted.
Good finds, Ed. We arrived in the area last sunday and it looks like you found all the good stuff before we could start searching.
Are you still in the area? And did you find some nice stuff for your own collection? Good luck, that is all you need.........luck. Not every search is as good as last weekend, sometimes i return with nothing interesting but i enjoy the surrounding and beeing able to do what i do. I always hope to find something that can be traced back to it's former owner and maybe able to return it! That's the best part of this hobby! And this forum is a big help in that search.
We are back home in England now. We were in Germany for one week, and like yourself, I too enjoy the surroundings, it is such a beautiful place. I myself didn't find too much but my friend Pegasus had better luck and i'm sure he will post photos of his finds soon.
Since early Oktober i got in contact with the relatives of Leonard Magliocchetti, first i phoned his daughter and later on i got in contact with his son, also called Leonard! I'm glad i was able to find them thanks to the help of Keystone Two-Eight, he is a very big help and i can't thank him enough!!! Later on in Oktober i've send the messtin part of Leonard Magliocchetti to his son and they are very gratefull. I'm very happy that i was able to do that. We are still in touch and i'm sure it stays that way. This week i recived a package through the mail, it was from Leonard. In the package where 2 pictures from his father from early 1944, several copies from pages of his 28th. Division book and a nice christmas card. And offcourse a letter. These items will become a part of my special WWII collection that's for sure. Again, this is a rewarding end to an amazing story. And i hope i'll be able to do more of these findings in the future, so that items like these can be returned to their former owners or relatives.
Hello all, It has been a while since the last visit to this thread, and it needs to be updated. Sorry it took so long. After i got in contact with the family of Leonard Magliocchetti we stayed in touch. Early in 2013 i received a message of the son of Leonard ( also called Leonard ) that he and his wife where planning a trip to Europe and they wanted to visit me. I invited them to stay at my place and that it would be great to take Leonard to the spot in Germany where i found his fathers messtin. So in April of 2013 this all took place, we met in person for the first time, i was pretty nervous right before they arrived. But things felt normal soon, as if we had met before, great experience!! They stayed for the night at my place and next morning we would drive to Germany. Visiting the spot with Leonard and Anne was quite emotional. I brought my detector with me so i could get Leonard some small items from the same spot for him to take home. To soon we would have the say goodbye but it would surely would not be the last time we've met. Just like the story of the bracelet of John L. Page, see: http://www.ww2f.com/threads/us-bracelet-hurtgen-forest.12772/ i also wrote an article in the American Digger magazine about the messtin of Leonard, see below. In the mean time Leonard donated the messtin and story to the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum in Fort Indian Town Gap. In my opinion a great destination for this item and story! August / September 2015 i started a road trip through the US whitch started in New York, my first stop on my list was the Pennsylvania Nat. Guard museum, Leonard already informed them of my visit. Due to havey trafic i arrived late i nthe afternoon but luckely for me the Museum stayd open till i would arrive, super! I got a tour and got overwelmed by the great collection the have!! A great way to start my road trip. 4 weeks later i arrived in Denver where i got a warm welcome by Leonard and his wife and stayed there for 3 nights. During my stay i got to meet Leonards brother and family who live in the moutains. Leonard and Anne, posing with me at the Loveland Pass sign. Again a great experience, whitch i'll remember for the rest of my life. Up till today i still keep in touch and hope to continue this for as long as possible. Another friendship for life, that is for sure
Hi Edwin! Long time since we last spoke! That's awesome that you got to meet everyone, was it a good trip?
Hey Steve, Indeed it has been a while, good to know you are still around The trip was one to remember, what a thrill it was to meet both families, and what a big welcome they gave me. It felt as being home!! And that all to your help in the past. Hope to visit them for another time. Leonard and his wife are planning a trip to Holland this summer, so a good change i'll meet them again later this year.
