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No Bridge Too Far, a WWII documentary, written, directed and produced by Marion J Chard, In loving memory of my father, Walter “Monday” Poniedzialek, 540th Combat Engineer.
While thousands of books and film have been dedicated to the history of WWII, lessor attention has been given to the comprehensive and heroic role played by U.S. Army Engineers. It is in this light we hope to rectify this unfortunate oversight.
The 36th, 39th, 540th & 1108th Engineers were non-divisional, and employed on an as needed basis. Referred to as “bastard” regiments, they were often attached to or in support of other Army units, while part of II & VI Corps and 5th & 7th Army in the European Theatre of Operation.
Part 1 begins with the state-side training in 1941 and follows the engineers as they embark across the Atlantic for their first beachhead landing, and initial baptism of fire on November 8, 1942. Part 2 – Walk alongside as we trace their footsteps throughout the North African Campaign, and their preparation for the Invasion of Sicily in July of 1943.
Note: Included in the documentary are references to men from other units who fought alongside the 36th, 39th, 540th and 1108th Engineers.
While my intention was to digitize each of their campaigns until war’s end in 1945, circumstances prevented me from doing so. However, if life warrants, I would like to begin anew and complete the series. However, I feel parts one and two (1 hour and 46 minutes) will give you a great start and feel for the spirit de corps. And to gain even more insight to the role engineers played during the war, please visit my site (and forum) for a comprehensive view. Note: I am currently revamping the entire site (including the extensive photo gallery) and hope to have a more user and mobile-friendly one, completed by the end of 2024.
Five Star Reviews
We enjoyed your documentary a lot. Very well written, highly interesting and kept your interest all the way to the end! Great job Marion.
Karla Richey
Sylvan Lake, MI
The letter below was sent to my friend Terri…
Terri- I played the two DVD’s yesterday. You have another Ken Burns for a friend. Very well done, great merge of photos, music, news photos/movies, and well written and presented narrative. Very professional. Overall an interesting historical document and a touching tribute to her father. I’ll package them up and get them back to you. Thanks for the chance to see them. Ray
M:
Received DVD very thrilled. You did great job,proud of you. I know right now there is a PROUD DAD in Heaven looking for a DVD player. Girl you did great.
HUGS-JIM
James Hennessey – 87th Infantry Div – WWII
We in NH call it bragging! What a great job you have done. Watched it again the other night – great. Have Band of Brothers for last 5 years, have not watched it all yet. thanks hwhiting
Harold Whiting – 157th Combat Engineer – WWII
You did a great job on those DVD’s , how did you ever manage to get it all together?
I’ll bet you had some rough times, you had to have a lot of patiance.
Marion, I am giving this to my grandchildren there are 4 of them from 6 grade to sophmores. It will be good history for them.
Ray
Ray Repasky – 97th Combat Engineer – WWII
Mindboggling! I have no idea how you got that much energy because it looks like a big professional production, and sounds like it too. I enjoyed every bit of it but I think that Carl and Tony have to share Oscars. How can you possibly contemplate the time to make future ones?
36th Engineers are rugged……John Fallon II. Capt. USA Ret. – WWII
Dear Marion,
Your gift arrived in the mail today. Toni and I watched it and were thrilled. You did a splendid job and are to be congratulated. My daughter is coming for a visit next week and I can hardly wait to show it to her.
Thanks ever so much for the gift.
Love, Dick
Richard Fietz – 1301st Combat Engineer – WWII
It is a first-rate piece of work. Congratulations on a real achievement.
I’m sure that you have received plenty of positive feedback. I’m sharing it
with my colleagues. Thanks also for generously acknowledging us.
Michael Brodhead
Historian
Office of History
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
My dear Mare,
I’m so happy for you. Getting the confirmation for the future airing in New Jersey, was terrific news. I feel positive that it will be well received. You put a lot of work and love into this project, and it’s finally going to pay off, I can only imagine the satisfaction you are feeling at this time. And, I bet your husband Lee, is happy too. And I’m sure the Engineers that you portrayed in your Documentary, will agree with me. “You did a hell of a good job”…….
Love ya Mare……..Armonde
Armonde Casagrande – 343rd Engineer General Service Regiment- WWII
Marion-
I just finished watching Part 1 and 2 and thought they were great. They are very professional, factual and entertaining. Your father would be very proud of what you have immortalized. I wish my father could have participated in and watched this series when it was completed. Thanks again for all your hard work. You have a great team and I hope you all have the strength and will power to finish the series and have some fun while you are completing the work. All the best.
Doug Ferry
Son of Richard Ferry – 540th Combat Engineer – WWII
Marion, received your DVD in the mail this afternoon and immediately put it into my DVD player and watched on my TV. I don’t know where to start to praise it, as it was just great to watch. I know you have spent so much of your time putting it together and you have done a wonderful job. I just can’t imagine the effort you have put into it, but the results should make you proud.
You have dug up some great film shot in the area we Engineers went through and that is what they showed, I imagine, along with the movies back home.
Will look forward to seeing the rest of your documentary when you have finished.
Love & hugs,
Carl
Carl Furtado – 36th Combat Engineer – WWII
YOU certainly PROVED to us that you are the “proud daughter of Walter Poniedzialek”
and we all appreciate your gigantic accomplishment ! (winning the war was probably
easier!)
Harvey M. Schiller – 133rd Combat Engineer Bn – WWII
Marion, the DVD set arrived last week and I have just found time to sit and watch the whole thing. Words “great job” are an understatement. You amaze me with all your talents. Not only is the visual presentation excellent, but the manner in which it was all put together, and how well it flows through a common theme is superb. I like the music. I’m a big fan of 1940s music, since my dad played in a band, and I grew up listening to his record collection. Never heard “Good Bye Mama, I’m Off to Yokohama” before. I LOVE it!
I would like to place information in the magazine about how people can buy the set, if it’s for sale, which I assume it is. Send me the details and I’ll give you some free publicity. I’ll take a photo of the disk set you sent me to use in the write-up, plus will add some comments of my own.
Again, super work, and for sending me a copy, with the nice note on the back. And, thanks for all you are doing and have done for not only our veterans, but for the US Army as a whole.
My best, Mike
Michael Morgan, COL, USA (Ret)
Editor, Army Engineer Magazine
I consider No Bridge Too Far an excellent documentary on the Combat Engineers role in WWII.
As a daughter of a 540th Combat Engineer veteran, I was thrilled to see the heroic deeds of this regiment finally recognized. Now I have a wonderful documentary for my family and me to honor the heroism of my dad and all the Combat Engineers.
I was so glad that some of the surviving veterans were interviewed. These interviews, along with archival footage, photos and documents, truly capture the important job these Combat Engineers did and reflect the can-do attitude that permeated their regiment. This film stands as a testimony to their courage and strength.
Marion, I truly appreciate your diligence and effort in creating this documentary.
I anxiously await the release of Parts Two and Three.
ellicottcitykc – as posted on Amazon.com
This is a great documentary, which in Part 1 takes us from training in the USA to the shores and onward in North Africa with the Combat Engineers. We see the vets and hear their stories and it is very evocative of that time in 1941 to 1943. The voice-overs and use of combat and other footage, the sound track featuring much of the music of the day, is perfect in giving us the picture of how it really was.
I look forward to Part 2.
Colin Hotham
Royal Air Force (ret)
Researcher – WWII – Operation Husky
We (Tillie) were both very impressed with your publication and all the content . She was most excited to see the commentary about her father (Major Lester C. O’Neal) early in the presentation.She also remembered some of the scenes of Camp Bowie. She visited her father there shortly before the 39th was deployed to N. Africa. We are most thankful to you for all the work you have done to publish this presentation and look forward to seeing the other parts.
Bill
Bill Hamiter – son-in-law of Lester C O’Neal
Marion,
Great Job!
I like the documentary on the Combat Engineers role in WWII. I like to see the heroic deeds of this regiment. These interviews with the veterans, along with archival footage, photos and documents, are wonderful!! Now I have a wonderful documentary for me who honor the heroism of your dad and all the Combat Engineers.
Love, Vee
Véronique Wamin – Rochin, France
Marion’s note: This is a letter Linda sent to David Wagner, 39th Combat Engineer. Thanks for your permission to use it.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching “No Bridge Too Far” cd’s by Marion Chard. She compiled a beautiful story with pictures, stories, music and video which rivals the film making of Ken Burns. It was so wonderful to see you representing the 39th with your stories and pictures. I enjoyed the stories of Carl Furtado and the guys being so loaded up with gear they could barely make it down the rope ladders. She mentioned “Operation Torch”, was this campaign in N Africa you and my father were a part of? The picture clarity, choice of music and graphics fit very well into the time period and transported me to a time where I could imagine my father participating. I wish I had been able to share his pic with her for the video. I liked the “red” shower story, mail call and the #13 lucky boat with Bob. I remember my Dad talking of driving Mark Clark and Eisenhower, Sicily and of course Anzio. Thanks again for sending these CD’s to us and I will treasure and share with my nephews and siblings.
Linda Rowlee
Daughter of Leonard Woods, 39th Combat Engineer
Army Engineer Magazine – Review of my documentary from their September/October 2010 issue