E-Mails I received from Marlene after she wrote on the
643rd Guestbook
Hello Ben,
Thanks so much for your emails. My computer gave out and
therefore I couldn't get back to you. I just bought a
new computer and hope it will last. To answer some of
your questions: I married a Belgian and I have been
living in Belgium since 1972 and many years lived near
Liège, not too far from the American Cemetery
Neuville-en-Condroz. Several years ago, after my husband
passed away, I moved to Brussels. My uncle was Edward
Guss and his daughter lives in England. I'm sure that I
sent her the info on your website and will ask her next
time I speak with her to perhaps contact you. My mother
was Rose and she died many years ago. She and my dad
lived in Valley Stream, Long Island, not far from Beth
David Cemetery in Elmont where Uncle Ted is buried with
my grandparents Ida and Morris Guss. When my parents
died, I retained many of the photo albums and there are
pictures of my uncle Ted. Some show him with other
soldiers. Some have descriptions of where the picture
was taken, but no names of the other soldiers are
mentioned. As soon as I have some free time, i will try
to scan these pictures and send them to you. Perhaps you
will have some luck finding out who the other soldiers
are. By the way, my brother is named after my uncle and
was born shortly after Uncle Ted was killed and he lives
in Westfield, NJ with his wife. I also have another
uncle who was stationed in or near Germany during the
war. His name is Jack Agress.He died a few years ago. I
do not know what unit he was assigned to. I will mail my
cousin to see if she has any information. I don't think
it was the same unit as Teddy.
I promise to get back to you.
Kind regards,
Marlene Cloës
Hi Ben,
I did learn that my cousin Elisabeth contacted you. I am
glad she did because she remembers Uncle Ted, even if
she was not very old at the time. She mentioned that my
uncle used to send record recordings home and that she
listened to his voice over and over, until she was told
not to play the records anymore because it would sadden
her mom and dad. I do not know what happened to these
recordings and unlike Arnie, I haven't found any letters
written home by my uncle. I have an old scanner and was
able to scan the pictures. Some of the pictures are
small, but my program allows me to enlarge them on the
screen of my computer. I hope that you, too, will be
able to do this.I will be sending some pictures to Arnie
very shortly and maybe he will be able to identify some
of the other solders with my uncle.
To answer some of your questions... My late husband(Belgian
citizen) and I moved from NY to Liège in 1972. We then
spent 1 year in Antwerp after which we returned to Liège
and bought a home in Esneux. I often went to Masstricht
with friends and some family members to spend the day.
Several years later my husband was transferred to
Brussels for his work and we decided it would easier for
us to move to Brussels. We would return to our home in
Esneux on weekends or holidays, until my husband retired
and we returned to our house in the country. The next
time I go visit friends and family, I will look at the
monument that was erected for the American soldiers who
died when the bridge crossing the Meuse River gave way.
Every year there is a ceremony in memory of these
soldiers, however I do not remember what company they
were.
As to my knowledge of Dutch... I don't really speak
Dutch, maybe a word or two here and there and am not at
all capable of writing the language. My volunteer work
brings me in contact with people who speak flemish and
at times I have to read an article or a letter in
flemish. I depend alot on google translation to help me
get the sense of what is written. When possible, I try
to communicate with some of these people in English.
I do hope that you are able to enlarge the attached
pictures. Not many have any notations unfortunately.
Best regards,
Marlene
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