USMC-RECON0321 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share #26 Posted August 3, 2015 Troy, Great items of your Grandfather's. Sorry about his passing. You look great on Bando's website wearing the reinforced set with the Thompson! Kurt Barickman Thanks for all the great comments. Kurt, That was a great trip back to Normandy, It was my Grandfather's first time back in 2000. I believe the picture you are talking about is where Mark Bando took us to re-create the picture taken of him near the wooden bridges, D-Day +1 I believe. This is where he also won his 1st Silver Star. My Grandpa told me the camera he used to take the picture, he found on a dead German (D-Day) and carried it throughout the war and brought it home. Below is the picture. Also here is what I believe is the camera he was talking about. I found this when we were cleaning the house after he passed and I remembered the story and the picture of him taken by someone else actually wearing the camera while in Austria 1945. It's hard to tell for sure, but sure looks like the same one and he most likely continued to use it after he got out of the service, explaining why he didn't keep it in his locker with the rest of his stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share #27 Posted August 3, 2015 Here is a close up, maybe someone who knows cameras can ID the camera as correct for 1944 or not? I'll see what I can find on it also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share #28 Posted August 3, 2015 Looks like Made in Dresden Germany from 1935 to 1939. So I would say this has a good chance of being the one. Certo-Camera-Werk was founded in Dresden in 1902 manufacturing a number of cameras. In 1935 they introduced the 35mm Dollina model which was a significant and successful camera. Within a year the company made available the Dollina II which had a coupled rangefinder somewhat indelicately placed on top of the Dollina I body. This model was sold for about one year before the company introduced an improved model III in 1937, while at the same time selling a simplified and cheaper model II rebadged as the Dollina 0. This example shown below appears to be nickel and black enamel and has the Cassar f/2.9 lens with the Compur Rapid shutter. The body is serial no.9560; mounted are no.5355516 Compur-Rapid shutter, and nr.334651 Cassar f/2.9 lens. The coupled rangefinder was apparently improved in later versions of this model at about serial number 25,000+ which included a reduced height, addition of a spirit level and contrasting orange filter on the reference image optics. It is known that later examples of this model produced in late 1938 through 1939 became available with a high quality Carl Zeiss Tessar f/2.8 50mm lens with a chrome plated upper RF housing, knobs and trim. Here the front of the rangefinder is marked Certo Dollina, Dresden 46. This refers to the Kleinzschachwitz region to the east. This designation appears only on early versions of the Dollina II that have the noticeably taller rangefinder mounted on top of the body. Subsequent versions having a slightly reduced profile are not marked with the Dresden 46. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted August 3, 2015 Share #29 Posted August 3, 2015 Thanks for sharing an incredible piece of your family history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 3, 2015 Share #30 Posted August 3, 2015 That's the same camera with the replaced strap as the one in the picture. The strap on the camera looks like it was made from components of the parachute pull ring. Awesome picture too at the Obersalzberg. He looks like a no nonsense kick a@@ guy. I thought that might be what's left of Adolf's house but I'm pretty sure it isn't. Anyone know who's it is ? I for one hope you post more. What a family legacy amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share #31 Posted August 3, 2015 That's the same camera with the replaced strap as the one in the picture. The strap on the camera looks like it was made from components of the parachute pull ring. Awesome picture too at the Obersalzberg. He looks like a no nonsense kick a@@ guy. I thought that might be what's left of Adolf's house but I'm pretty sure it isn't. Anyone know who's it is ? I for one hope you post more. What a family legacy amazing. Yes, he never lost the fighting spirit in him, that's for sure! I had to calm him down a few times even in his 80's if someone rubbed him wrong. The picture of him with the camera is after he was Battlefield commissioned and transferred from 3rd Bn to 1st Bn. Co. C. 1st Platoon Leader. Here is the caption he wrote under that picture; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Bast Posted August 3, 2015 Share #32 Posted August 3, 2015 Troy, Fred was undoubtedly one of the legends of the 506th. Thanks for sharing such priceless and fascinating items from your grandfather,and more importantly, for keeping his memory alive! I'd love to see more in the future if you have anything else to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted August 3, 2015 Share #33 Posted August 3, 2015 Breathtaking, awestruck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Jerry Posted August 3, 2015 Share #34 Posted August 3, 2015 Wow. Truly amazing stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share #35 Posted August 4, 2015 Here is another great piece of history he brought home from the war. I'll let you read the story behind this vest in the picture posted below. But first I have to give myself credit on this one. My grandpa showed the vest and told me the story about it when I was a teenager (1980's) and he kept it hung in a spare coat closet. About 7 years ago I got thinking about it again and asked to see it, when he opened the closet, you could see that the weight of the vest being on the hanger for so many years had torn it at the shoulders and we found it laying on the floor of the closet. My grandpa was getting much older and his mind was not remembering the details like he used to and I knew down the road this vest would end up in the trash if the history of it wasn't preserved. It just looked like an old leather sheepskin vest that was falling apart. So I took the vest and my Grandpa over to see Mark Bando who knew the exact details of this vest and video taped Mark and my Grandpa telling the detailed story about the vest. I then took the vest and had it professionally mounted and framed along with a plaque made explaining the detailed history of this vest. When I gave it back to my Grandpa he was very emotional about it, but very proud and took it with him to every Veterans talk he did to show it off. Sorry for the blurry pictures, I'll try and get better ones. Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 4, 2015 Share #36 Posted August 4, 2015 Troy Thanks for sharing this and your Grandfathers history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share #37 Posted August 4, 2015 Does anyone recognize the vest itself? I always thought it was just a civilian vest that was found over there, but while in a museum a few years back there was a display of WWII German Soldiers in winter uniforms and some were dressed in leather sheepskin uniforms that looked exactly like the vest, except they were coats and bibs, not a vest but same leather look and trim as on the vest? When I say "trim" I mean the lighter tan strips of material outlining the panels of the vest. Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted August 4, 2015 Share #38 Posted August 4, 2015 Awesome stuff, Troy. I really enjoyed seeing some of your grandfathers artifacts. Thanks for posting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 4, 2015 Share #39 Posted August 4, 2015 Troy Almost looks like an Army Air Corps vest I had once. I have a german vest worn by a Force vet under his parka but its the typical white leather like the Luft winter caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share #40 Posted August 4, 2015 Troy Almost looks like an Army Air Corps vest I had once. I have a german vest worn by a Force vet under his parka but its the typical white leather like the Luft winter caps. Thanks. I wish I would've taken a picture of the display that day. I'll see if I can find any images on line. Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdamaso111 Posted August 4, 2015 Share #41 Posted August 4, 2015 Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lika Posted August 6, 2015 Share #42 Posted August 6, 2015 amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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