502nd Quatermaster Port Battalion: 6th Engineer Special Brigade: Colonel Paul W. Thompson (WIA 6 June 44) 147th Engineer Combat Battalion: 149th Engineer Combat Battalion: 203rd Engineer Combat Battalion: 293rd Joint Assault Signal Co.: 60th Medical Battalion: 7th Naval Beach Bn (attached): Commander L. C. Leever : 74th Ordnance Battalion: It was the highest bridge constructed by the first army Engineer Combat Battalion in the E.T.O. 114. They are a component of the United States Army Corps of Engineers . The battalion met little resistance across the river and quickly began constructing the bridge. July 17, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac at TRIBEHOU. 63. The main body departed Fort Gordon, GA, on 27 September 1965 by troop train bound for . We can actually determine the exact aerial missions that your individual Army Air Corps pilot flew. Somehow I found this site and yes my Dad who was in the 294th had told me that story many times. Division assembly area in the vicinity of LE DESERT. Understand what your WWII veteran experienced while assigned to specific infantry units, ships or squadrons. April 10, 1945: Co "B" removed the Steel Treadway Bridge at DRIESEL and constructed it again at WISSEN; construction was completed at 0530 hours April 11, 1945. RootsWeb is funded and supported by 124. August 27, 1944: Bn. February 5, 1945: The Battalion moved from BELGIUM to STOLEBERG, GERMANY. It was disgusting down below in the Queen Mary so Newton Riess went up on deck to escape the smell. 137. Co "B" constructed reinforced Heavy Ponton Bridge 465 ft. in length across the SEINE RIVER at MELUN in 9 hours and 30 minutes. Any contribution above basic membership is tax deductible, and is most appreciated. In October 1943, the battalion left Boston for England and spent months in England training. All Rights Reserved. 93. Hannah Deutch was a teenager when the Kindertransport rescue effort became her means of escape from Germany. This society is an independent charitable organization. January 22, 1945: Co "C" (with the 4th Cav.) 105. She worked as a secretary at the 228th while I was there. 71. October 12, 1944: Co "A" Platoon on Post #9 were straffed [sic] by our own planes at 1416 hours - no damage was done. Late in life she married Averill Harriman. The Battalion was assigned to the FIRST UNITED STATES ARMY and attached to the U.S. VII ARMY CORPS. I like how you also gave us further background with the "asides", such as the history of the Digby family. September 2, 1944: Bn. B-24 flight engineer Bill Toombs was over Germany when bad went to worse. Dear Ms. Bradley, Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! After practicing law for 55 years, I'm sure you have more than a few stories to tell. Bn. Often the military records will show the duties a WWII veteran held during the war. It was an emotional moment. Day May 8, 1945. Gp.) The Bridge site was heavy mined; T/5 George Oatinbaker was killed by a mine which exploded when his bulldozer passed over it. Bill Garrison was standing in a chow line when a man up the line suddenly dropped, shot dead by a sniper. Bill Adair may have been the luckiest man in the Bataan Death march. Five (5) men were killed and 25 injured. July 28, 1944: Bn. The 294th Combat Engineers were training at the same time at Camp Gordon. In October through November 1944, the soldiers were specially trained on using the Bailey bridge in Trier, France. Bill Nolan from Portland knew his way around and brought Stan to his brother. Co "B" remains attached to 297th Eng. Official 249th Engineer Battalion website, Civil engineering and infrastructure repair in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, United States Army Center of Military History, "249th Engineer Battalion Responds to Terrorist Attacks", Prime Power Lights Up Anaconda by Sgt. 57. Co "C" constructed Class 40 D/S Bailey Bridge at AUBENTON. About a week after the explosion on March 20th, I was taken to a General Hospital in Taunton, Somerset for further treatment. The kamikaze had destroyed the starboard gun mounts and there were many dead and wounded. Two engines were out, a third smoking, and they were were losing airspeed and altitude, but they were flying level and pointed home. September 13, 1944: Bn. - the enemy attacked with small arms, mortar and artillery fire. Co "C" swept the road from ROTGEN to ROTT for mines. Both on the attack and on the defense, engineers led the way. Several prisoners were captured in the vicinity. Division launched an attack through our positions in the direction of HURTGEN and GEY; Co "B" made a limited attack in front of Post #2 & #3 for the purpose of deceiving the enemy. as of 0800 hours. 85. Thats where Stan picked up a large German Flag. We traveled by train down to Sherborne in Dorset. Recon. 17 Germans were captured and several were killed in the action. 234th Engineer Combat Battalion liberated Holtum. September 21, 1944: Co "A" constructed a Class #40 D/S Bailey Bridge in VICHT. When he went off to college and heard the news about Pearl Harbor, he and his friends began to wonder. The Battalions mission was general engineer work in the VII Corps sector in the area around STOLBURG, KORNELIMUNSTER, BREINIG. DERSCHLAG, GERMANY.10 gave him permission to go see him. The unit-built bridges in Trois Fonts by B Company and C Company. At 1500 hours the 1st Bn. Stan left by bus from East Hampton, CT with 13 other boys from Deep River and entered active service in the Army on March 8, 1943, in Hartford, CT. Division at approximately 1100 hours. 32. To some of these thousand men, it was going to be the beginning of a new, big adventure. With his radio, he began spotting artillery on their position, under fire the entire time. Co "A" relieved of attachment to the 4th Cav. Many of the vehicles were damaged and one man was killed while driving the Battalion Commander from the defense position to the FWD. Bill Adair was suffering from the effects of a concussion when the battle for the Philippines came to an end for him. Frank Capuozzi was a rifleman who rode in a jeep ahead of the guns as they pushed across France. Does your father-in-law remember the hospital and was he involved in the building of the road from the port of Weymouth prior to and for D-Day? He sure did on Guadalcanal but he hopes some later generation will find a way to avoid war. Yours will be another great story for people to see. Two Germans were captured at Post #3; one man was killed by small arms fire on Post #5 at 1700 hours. The mission of both companies was to occupy pillboxes in the Siegfried line to prevent the Germans from entering them. April 15, 1945: The Battalion moved to WIPPERFURTH, GERMANY. October 21, 1944: Co "B" was relieved from the roadblocks by 294th Engr. Bn. was across the river without tanks and anti-tank guns and it was being counterattacked by SS troops using flame-throwing tanks. However, I strongly suggest that you contact the Army Corps of Engineers to see if they have a file on his unit. During my visit to Sherborne for research purposes I met Mrs Jean Treasure who was employed as a typist in the hospital HQ as a young girl. was attached to the 3rd Armored Division and was given the mission of organizing, occupying, and defending at all cost a road block on the high ground just west of GRAND MENIL, BELGIUM. 104. Bn. December 25, 1944: At 1800 hours the Bn. A minefield was laid and wire obstacles were erected. We are always glad to assist! And even better that you got the chance to visit with Jean Treasure. Later, they were divorced and she had a series of lovers and, at one time, became America's ambassador to France. vehicles were withdrawn to an assembly area at MILLEY. Co "B" attached to the 297th Engr. Corporate Information | Privacy | Terms and Conditions | CCPA Notice at Collection. 131. By October, all of 296th was in Belgium. Bn. 59. VIC. It receives no town or state funding. Hide map. location of the Company HQ on a map. Personnel losses were as follows: Capt. Co "A" relieved Co. "C" on the construction of Timber Trestle Bridge in VICHT. The Battalion advance C.P. At the new bivouac area orders were waiting for the Bn. July 15, 1944: Co "C" began construction of Bailey Bridge at BIEHOU at 2000 hours; work was discontinued at 2330 hours due to artillery fire. 19. 11. Co "A" constructed a Class #40 D/S Bailey Bridge over the timber trestle bridge in VICHT. His C.O. Bn. The 296th built a 180-foot bridge across the Ilm River. March 28, 1945: The Battalion moved to ALTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY with the mission of cleaning rubble from the streets to permit two way traffic, and to remove a railroad through town and construct a roadway for wheeled traffic on the railroad embankment. The division was inactivated at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on 27 November 1945. April 8, 1945: Co "A" completed the Bailey Bridge in WISSEN, GERMANY at 2030 hours. to continue movement to the vicinity of MAYENNE. P.S. What a great way to start my Sunday; hearing from someone who was there in the flesh. The Battalion detrucked and marched into position, arriving at 2300 hours. Gp. HERBORN, GERMANY2 June 23, 1944: Battalion given the Infantry mission of clearing the North East corner of the Cotentin penisula [sic] of scattered enemy troops - liberated the French towns of QUETTEHOU and St VAAST LA HOUGE. He scrambled to his gun mount to man the 20 mm gun and then the threat became apparent. Those do give us a better feel for the area and the time period. In March of 1943, a group of 13 Deep River Boys left together and formed a Combat Engineers Unit which kept them together throughout the war. in clearing rubble from the streets of CARENTAN. September 17, 1944: One Platoon of Co "C" demolishing pillboxes in the vicinity of ZWEIFALL, one platoon of Co "C" maintaining ford in MONSCHU. Part 2 of 3. Battalion moved to new bivouac in vicinity of CARENTAN. From there, we boarded a ship and headed out in convoy to Glasgow, Scotland in January, 1944. In the North Atlantic in January, they said that we would have lasted only about five minutes in that cold water. August 6-7, 1944: Bn. Frank Capuozzi was born in Naples. 146th engineer combat battalion 185th Combat Engineer Battalion 238th Engineer (Combat) Battalion 250th Engineers Combat Battalion Roster 263rd ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION 299th Engineer Combat Battalion 309th Engineer (Combat) Battalion 320th Engineer Battalion 331st Engineer 335th Engineer Regiment 340th Engineer Regiment 389th Engineers . 136. moved to a new bivouac in the woods North of ANTHEE. 8. On 19 March 1945, the unit was assigned to the engineer task force charged with crossing the Rhine at Oppenheim. He will never forget the words of General Eisenhower. 79. The daily location of the WWII veterans unit and any movements they made. The 236th was created during World War II, an offspring of the 44th Engineer Combat Regiment at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. Harry Kone can tell you because he went there for basic training after Pearl Harbor. We slowly made out way West with the two Cutters alongside and landed in Argentia in Newfoundland. the goal was to be home by Christmas! 78. . 107. About Us | Contact Us | Copyright | Report Inappropriate Material February 13, 1945: Co "B" constructed a C1. Our unique research process is essential to understanding the experiences of individual military veterans of WWII-since the vast majority of WWII Army/Air Corps personnel records were lost in the 1973 National Archives fire. In October 1943, the battalion left Boston for England and spent months in England training. January 31, to February 4, 1945: Rest, recreation, and some training constituted the activities of the Battalion for this period. 123. But the highlight for every guy in the outfit was building the largest bridge in the European Theater. Many years after the war, I found out that the 294th went up to Wales and from there sailed to Normandy in the Susan B. Anthony to Utah Beach on June 7, 1944. Bombers. November 28, 1944: Co "A" started construction of a Timber Trestle bridge under the Bailey Bridge in VICHT. went in direct support of the 5th Armd. Duties in France included repairing roads, removing mines, disposing of a bomb, and removing, repairing, and constructing bridges. All Listings. If you have additional information on the 294th I would like to share it with my father-in-law. #1 of Companies A, B & C arrive at bivouac area in vicinity of St MARIE-DU-MONT. Co "C" removed the Infantry support bridge at HUNDHAUSEN. RootsWeb is funded and supported by 110. When the pumps began operation, a 40-foot-wide opening was made in the sheet piling to allow water to flow out of the canal. (C) Bn. Thanks so much for taking the time to write all this down. We searched the National Archives Catalog and located the World War II Operations Reports, 1940-1948 in the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1917-1985 (Record Group 407) that may include records of the 111th Engineer Combat Battalion, 36th Infantry Division during WWII.