Post by connie on Jul 12, 2013 0:36:52 GMT -5
Edward Christianson- 422 3rd Bn Hq Co (Tennessee maneuvers until Sept. 1944) then 331 C (Medical Bn)
We never met face to face. But in the early days when Jim West began this discussion board on a different web site, and there were just 6 or 7 people on the site, Ed and I had one of those amazing encounters that ended up linking both of us to people in the 106th for whom we had each been searching.
Ed, a medic in the division's medical battalion, was looking for anyone with whom he had served.
It took a while, but after a shot in the dark reply to him yielded a name that I had been seeking, it finally dawned on me that I knew a division medic named Ray Cole. There were a lot of division medics and I had no idea what unit Ray was in, but I said I'd write to see if he knew Ed. Ed wrote back immediately saying he had served with a Raymond Cole from Arlington Vermont. I wrote back saying Ray didn't live in Arlington Vermont any more, but I knew for a fact that he had grown up there. That was it. Communications between the two were established, and eventually they got see each other again.
Ed and I stayed connected via occasional e-mail. I let him know when I got word of Ray's passing. Recently I realized there had been no contact in quite a while and that my last note had gone unanswered. Tonight I went searching and found his obituary. He was active in the Division Association, and I am sure that if I had kept up with my Cub readings, I probably would have learned of his passing sooner.
I truly believe that there is a reunion going on that the living cannot attend. And, I'm sure Ed Christianson and Ray Cole have checked in on each other again...
obituaries: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=86254767
www.catholicherald.com/stories/Longtime-Winchester-deacon-dies,18298?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=deacon+christ&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=
www.winchester.daily-monitor.com/obituary-for-rev-mr-edward-l-christianson/11799/
Link to 333rd military account on C.R.I.B.A. site: www.criba.be/fr/stories/detail/co-c-331st-medical-battalion-106th-infantry-division-unit-history-242-1
Link to his own story on C.R.E.B.A.: www.criba.be/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=289&Itemid=41
His story with photos on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/None-POW/Edward%20Christianson/Edward%20Christianson.htm
We never met face to face. But in the early days when Jim West began this discussion board on a different web site, and there were just 6 or 7 people on the site, Ed and I had one of those amazing encounters that ended up linking both of us to people in the 106th for whom we had each been searching.
Ed, a medic in the division's medical battalion, was looking for anyone with whom he had served.
It took a while, but after a shot in the dark reply to him yielded a name that I had been seeking, it finally dawned on me that I knew a division medic named Ray Cole. There were a lot of division medics and I had no idea what unit Ray was in, but I said I'd write to see if he knew Ed. Ed wrote back immediately saying he had served with a Raymond Cole from Arlington Vermont. I wrote back saying Ray didn't live in Arlington Vermont any more, but I knew for a fact that he had grown up there. That was it. Communications between the two were established, and eventually they got see each other again.
Ed and I stayed connected via occasional e-mail. I let him know when I got word of Ray's passing. Recently I realized there had been no contact in quite a while and that my last note had gone unanswered. Tonight I went searching and found his obituary. He was active in the Division Association, and I am sure that if I had kept up with my Cub readings, I probably would have learned of his passing sooner.
I truly believe that there is a reunion going on that the living cannot attend. And, I'm sure Ed Christianson and Ray Cole have checked in on each other again...
obituaries: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=86254767
www.catholicherald.com/stories/Longtime-Winchester-deacon-dies,18298?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=deacon+christ&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=
www.winchester.daily-monitor.com/obituary-for-rev-mr-edward-l-christianson/11799/
Link to 333rd military account on C.R.I.B.A. site: www.criba.be/fr/stories/detail/co-c-331st-medical-battalion-106th-infantry-division-unit-history-242-1
Link to his own story on C.R.E.B.A.: www.criba.be/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=289&Itemid=41
His story with photos on the Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/None-POW/Edward%20Christianson/Edward%20Christianson.htm
