70. 110. 28. September 28, 1944: The Bn. December 22, 1944: Bn. The Bn. In late 1954, the Black Lion Battalion was withdrawn from the Reserves and assigned to the Regular Army. 89. September 22, 1944: Co "C" started constructing a Class #40 Timber Trestle bridge under the Bailey Bridge in VICHT. was given the mission of straightening up the line. Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. Then the battalion was stationed at Gerszewski Barracks, Knielingen, Karlsruhe, Germany, under the command of the 18th Engineer Brigade, where it provided construction support to USAREUR elements stationed in Germany for the Cold War. understand the battlefield experiences and sacrifices of your WWII veteran and their military unit. 1. It receives no town or state funding. About 400 miles east of Newfoundland, we hit a terrible storm with 70 foot seas. Commenced landing on UTAH and OMAHA Beaches in NORMANDY on June 9, 1944 and moved into an assembly area in the vicinity of St MARIE-DU-MONT. They learned how to dismantle and remove land mines, repair and build bridges and construct camps for their comrades in other units. That is a very good idea to write your memiors, and I do want to read them and will be in line myself, behind Marion of course. John Canepa and the 297th Engineer Battalion September 9, 1944: Bn. My guess is he was in another unit prior to his service in the 257th. Co "A" relieved of attachment to the 4th Cav. 5. July 21, 1944: Bn. The Bn. 299th Combat Engineer Battalion - 299th History Post WWII Part 1 of 2. The battalion was organized and under the command of only three captains. About Us | Contact Us | Copyright | Report Inappropriate Material Part 2 of 2. We are always glad to assist! I can tell you a lot about the 294th Combat Engineers and the incident which took place on March 20, 1944. In England he boarded another ship for he knew not where. Frances R. Fulton, Lt. Ray L. Whiteturkey, the Bn. Robert James was propped up against a bulkhead, going in and out of consciousness. The mission of both companies was to occupy pillboxes in the Siegfried line to prevent the Germans from entering them. The story was put out that two German saboteurs had set off an explosion. When the war ended, I was in Austria and I was discharged in January, 1946. It receives no town or state funding. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. His crew shot down a ME 109 just before we got there. 63. One engine was shot out. All the villages there had been evacuated and were ultimately destroyed by gunfire. 76. How very nice to hear from you. I was taken to the 228th for treatment. 29. Over several days from June to early July 1944, the unit went by parts from England to Vierville, France. Bn. It was an emotional moment. 294th Engineer Combat Battalion - American Battle Monuments Commission April 17, 1945: This day marked the end of the RHUR POCKET in which 315,000 Germans were captured. 15. 6. Bravo Joe. went in direct support of the 5th Armd. 10. - Present Carthage Armory Carthage, Missouri, United States April 8, 1945: Co "A" completed the Bailey Bridge in WISSEN, GERMANY at 2030 hours. 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. Gp. 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: Dear Ms. Bradley, Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! Corporate Information | Privacy | Terms and Conditions | CCPA Notice at Collection, Activation of the 298th Engineer Combat Battalion March 18, 1943 and Reorganization November 3, 1944, After/After Action Reports 26 July - 1 Dec 1944, Journal of 1128th Engr Gp Sep 44 thru Aug 45, Excerpts from the U.S. Army in World War II Series, More Excerpts from the U.S. Army in World War II Series, The documents below were kindly shared by Marc Shafer (whose father was a 298th member). It's rotten losing men at any point in the juncture, but so sad that all these men were killed in training. Are you stuffed from all that turkey and fixings? The 249th Engineer Battalion (United States) is a versatile power generation battalion assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that provides commercial-level power to military units and federal relief organizations during full-spectrum operations. Division now driving in the direction of PERIERS - St LO Highway. A brisk fire fight ensued until daylight. The 257th was also credited the Ardennes-Alsace campaign (9 Dec 1944-25 Jan 1945) and the Rhineland (22 Feb - 21 Mar 1945) campaign. September 18, 1944: The Battalion moved to a new bivouac at ROTGEN, GERMANY. His C.O. November 28, 1944: Co "A" started construction of a Timber Trestle bridge under the Bailey Bridge in VICHT. October 6, 1944: 47th Enfantry [sic] Regt. July 5, 1944: Co. "B" repaired damaged bridge at BAUPTE under artillery fire. This bridge remained in use until 1955. 9th Infantry Division made an attack to restore Post #4; the surrounded platoon was found still in position and in good shape. The timber trestle bridge at ROTT was closed to traffic. November 25, 1944: Co "B" was attached to 294th Engr. 41. January 5, 1945: Co "A" started construction of a continuous Bailey Bridge across the L'OURTHE RIVER in DURBEY, BELGIUM. ANTHEE, BELGIUM.11 Harry Kone says each generation should do the best that they can. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. moved to a new bivouac in BELLEAU WOODS in the vicinity of CHATEAU-THIERRY. The result was almost 800 dead. Transcribed by Bob Kipke (Feb-Mar 2013) Attempts have been made to maintain the original formatting, within my limited HTML capabilities, and the differences between a 1940s typewriter and a modern computer keyboard. BOIS DE LUMIGNY, FRANCE4 Francis R. Fulton, Capt. Destroyers came alongside and were able to rescue all the men on board. Stan found a glider made in Deep River and removed the ID plate from a glider made by Pratt Read & Co. One of the most difficult experiences was the cold that winter says, Stanley. In November 1945, the 249th Engineers were sent on their final orders to Camp Lucky Strike, near Marseilles, France and then redeployed back to the United States. Often the names of ships or number of the landing crafts a veteran traveled on- or went into combat aboard are included in the reports. Bn. He heard some firing from another gun and turned around just in time to see a horrifying sight. Seeking records of 111th Engineers Combat Batta | History Hub As a professional researcher and World War II historian, Bill Beigel provides research services to genealogists, historians, authors, and civilians who are looking for information found in WW2 military unit records. April 13, 1945: The Battalion moved to DERSCHLAG, GERMANY. was attached to 9th Infantry Division as of 1200 hours. Late in life she married Averill Harriman. In October through November 1944, the soldiers were specially trained on using the Bailey bridge in Trier, France. Division. September 7, 1944: Co "C" Completed the timber trestle bridge at MARIEMBOURG. 114. I am now a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol of the United States Air Force Auxiliary. 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? 13. In February 1955, it was activated and assigned to USAREUR and an Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy). Frank Capuozzi was born in Naples. It was a fierce week long battle for the city of Heilbronn. 34. His name is on the link above. The daily location of the WWII veterans unit and any movements they made. From Taunton, I was transferred to the Topographic Engineers in Leicester in the Midlands. 120. He was also there to substitute for any crew member who was not able to fly. Thanks so much for taking the time to write all this down. Regiments vs Divisions regiment English ( wikipedia regiment) Noun ( en noun ) (military) A unit of armed troops under the command of an officer, and consisting of several smaller units; now specifically, usually composed of two or more battalions. Bn. Bn. After practicing law for 55 years, I'm sure you have more than a few stories to tell. Engineer Special Brigade (united States) - Encyclopedia Information 124. Co "B" converted a Bailey Bridge in GIESSEN from a Class #40 to a Class #70 on May 5, 1945. 9. Research A World War II Veteran (WWII WW2) - Golden Arrow Research 129. If you have additional information on the 294th I would like to share it with my father-in-law. moved 100 miles on the night of August 24 - 25th to the vicinity of LA LUPE, arriving at 0830 hours on the morning of August 25th. December 2, 1944: The Battalion moved from FRIESENRATH, GERMANY to VICHT, GERMANY. 50. 40. The battalion was organized and under the command of only three captains. September 2, 1944: Bn. By 1630 hours all units of the Battalion had been relieved - the Battalion moved back to RAEREN. August 30, 1944: Bn. of the 60th Infantry Regt. In the North Atlantic in January, they said that we would have lasted only about five minutes in that cold water. I was finally told that they could nothing for me and that I would have to get hearing aids in the U.S. when I returned. Exactly where the veteran was stationed and locations he visited during WWII. October 5, 1944: At 0400 hours an enemy patrol of about 5 men approached Post #2 carrying teller mines; men from Co "C", who were occupying the position, opened fire at close range, exploding the mines and obliterating the enemy patrol. Bn. proceded [sic] on to the vicinity of MAYENNE arriving late in the afternoon. The Bn. alerted to move; received movement orders at 1600 hours to move at 1630 hours to bivouac in vicinity of BRECEY. By the time we finished training, the war in Africa was over. (with 4th Cav. Status coordinate No status yet. Co "B" sent a five (5) man patrol to investigate enemy positions during the afternoon. A wartime journey to Berlin : the 296th Engineer Combat Battalion (1943 47. In the interim my dear, I would be happy to provide you with your own page, as I have done for so many of my other vet friends on the main site. 106. Part 2 of 2. Even though they were only delaying the inevitable, the Germans weren't beat, yet. 46. wikipedia.en/Battle_of_the_Bulge_order_of_battle.md at main 130. August 12, 1944: Co "A" replaced flooring on Bailey Bridge at St. BEAUDELLA. have been maintained. October 16, 1944: At 1705 hours the chow detail enroute to Post #1 was ambushed by 8 Germans - a small fire fight took place and the Germans withdrew. THE HISTORY OF THE 298th DURING WWII - RootsWeb bivouac was shelled by enemy artillery for 30 minutes at 1900 hours; one shell exploding 11000 pounds of TNT in the center of the bivouac area. Our World War II veterans are dying at the rate of 1500 a day! Battalion moved into bivouac west of QUETTEHOU. 75. Naturally, we were warned by security to keep quiet or we would end up being taken to Leavenworth Penitentiary in Kansas. The Battalion was assigned to the FIRST UNITED STATES ARMY and attached to the U.S. VII ARMY CORPS. RootsWeb is funded and supported by Upon arriving to the front, the 249th was assigned to the 26th Infantry Division, already engaged and in defensive positions along the southeast corner of the Bulge. Maneuvers in England completed all the training the young men would get. The main difference lies in the divisional structure. Power Surge, 249th Engineer Battalion Responds to Electrocutions in Iraq by LTC Paul B. Olsen, P.E. 245th Engineer Combat Battalion, U.S. Third Army, Camp Gordon Georgia 551 heavy engineer pontoon battalion photos. The Battalions mission was general engineer work in the VII Corps sector in the area around STOLBURG, KORNELIMUNSTER, BREINIG. 294th Engineer Company | CurrentOps.com wikipedia.en/Roman_Ivanovich_Panin.md at main - github.com It was the highest bridge constructed by the first army Engineer Combat Battalion in the E.T.O. C.P. January 31, to February 4, 1945: Rest, recreation, and some training constituted the activities of the Battalion for this period. 17. After Pearl Harbor, he was drafted and became a citizen in the Army before he shipped out to Europe. 132. 131. placed in direct support of the 3rd Armd. Bob Darino | 294th Engineer Combat Battalion, VII Corps, 1st Army - Army Sorry, the video player failed to load. They lost all of their equipment. March 1, 1945: Co "A" started construction of a large box CULVERT just west of DUREN. EmailPhone, Research A World War II Veteran (WWII WW2). This was a Pile Bent Bridge with 3-story trestle bents on the piles, 55 feet high. They were sent to Fort Devens, then assigned to the 296th Combat Engineer Battalion, and shipped to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for basic training over a period of seven months. The other patients and I raced outside and we saw the carnage. December 17, 1943 was the big day. March 14, 1945: The Battalion moved to DUISDORF, in the vicinity of BAD GODESBERG, GERMANY in preparation for the crossing of the RHEIN RIVER. October 2, 1944: At 0800 hours 40 rounds of artillery fell on and around Post #4; shortly thereafter an estimated company of enemy Infantry attacked the position, surrounding it and cutting off communications. the goal was to be home by Christmas! 1 talking about this. 127. 4. returned to Battalion. Heat, insects, and mud were constant companions during basic training. March 30, 1945: The Battalion moved to HERBORN, GERMANY. 83. The division was inactivated at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on 27 November 1945. The Japanese had made their move. December 4, 1944: Co "A" relieved Co "B" of attachment to the 294th Engr. - the enemy attacked with small arms, mortar and artillery fire. One of the daughters, Pamela Digby later married Randolph Churchill, Winston's son. Considerable confusion resulted. Have you already requested personnel records from the archives? This was a Pile Bent Bridge with 3-story trestle bents on the piles, 55 feet high. CARANTILLY, FRANCE.24 22. moved to vicinity of GAVRAY, and reverted to control of the 1120th Engr. of a sector of the front line, and went under control of the 3rd Armored Division. The Allies had arrived in Holland. Google Map of Major Ops of the 298th The 296th crossed the Rhine River south of Bonn. One platoon of Co "C" was sent to clear the situation at Post #4; they killed one German. Wes Ruth was eating breakfast when he saw the planes coming in. Two fold-out maps from the unit history are stored separately in an oversize box. 93. October 21, 1944: Co "B" was relieved from the roadblocks by 294th Engr. It was an eerie setting with the city in flames all around him. 53. January 22, 1945: Co "C" (with the 4th Cav.) moved to the vicinity of COUPTRAIN and was given the mission of supporting the 9th Inf. The reason for the withdrawal was that the position now had no tactical value due to the new enemy situation. Army Superior Unit Award for 2005 (Hurricanes Katrina, This page was last edited on 7 June 2022, at 00:05. Next, they removed minefields, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. At 2330 hours the Battalion bivouac area was bombed by several bombers using anti-personnel bombs. Alexander: The Story Of The 236th Battalion - Chattanoogan.com 294th Engineer Combat Battalion US Army in Memoriam (pamphlet), 1989 June 6 Scope and Contents From the Series: The Dickinson R. Debevoise World War II series documents his service as a sergeant in the 2nd Platoon of company A of the 294th Combat Engineer Battalion. After a nerve-wracking mission to bomb Tokyo and a typhoon, B.E. 82. 1965-1971 Synopsis of the 299th in Vietnam. Prisoner of war enclosures of barbed wire were also constructed. C.P. Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. Battalion moved to new bivouac in vicinity of CARENTAN. POULAY, FRANCE.2 Part 1 of 5. attached to 3rd Armored Division in preparation for St LO breakthrough. August 1, 1944: Bn. HURTGEN FOREST, GERMANY99 Bn. 123. Please consider making a donation to DRHS. Yes I thank God every day too for my many blessings. I like how you also gave us further background with the "asides", such as the history of the Digby family. 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. They left Berlin in the fall for Le Harve, France to come home. 128. It was horrendous. Then, began the grim task of collecting the personal belongings of the dead and preparing them for burial at sea. Kamikazes had broken through the air cover and were headed for the convoy. 4. . 45. Co "C" constructed Class 40 D/S Bailey Bridge at AUBENTON. June 25, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac in vicinity of VALOGNES. March 10, 1945: Co "C" relieved of attachment to the 4th Cav. I am writing my memoirs and I already have over 200 pages. in clearing rubble from the streets of CARENTAN. 21. August 3, 1944: Co "B" constructed Class 40 Ponton trestle bridge across SIENNE River at GAVRAY. XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS from April 3, 1945 to April 17, 1945, PLACE.NUMBER OF P.W's The 249th deployed teams to the Gulf Region under Joint Task Force Katrina, working with contractors, and local and state entities to assess, they helped install and maintain emergency generators at critical facilities. 133. relieved Company "A" as of 1800 hours. In 1994, the battalion was reactivated and designated as the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power), stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA. 102. There were three 42" mobile pumps staged and two 42" and two 30" pumps were placed at the sheet pile closure. As he drove frantically to his hangar on Ford Island, he saw the USS Arizona hit. The Assault Force - The Normandy Invasion | U.S. Army Center of In December, 1943, I was transferred to the 294th Combat Engineers,assigned to Company "B", and we were on our way East by train to Camp Myles Standish in Taunton MA. 24. 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. moved to WISSEN. 111. 234th Engineer Combat Battalion liberated Holtum. Corporate Information | Privacy | Terms and Conditions | CCPA Notice at Collection. No one from shore was ever allowed on ships from one particular country. An uneventful Christmas Eve for the 298th Engr. Bn. Celebrating our WWII Vets-Stanely Stopa & the 296th Combat Engineer This bridge remained in use until 1955. DERSCHLAG, GERMANY.10 on April 28, 2010. to continue movement to the vicinity of MAYENNE. I understand that this was done because placing a hospital near explosives was a violation of the Geneva Convention. The truck disappeared and 29 men were torn apart and their bodies were scattered through the trees. The 296th Engineer Combat Battalion was attached to 1101st and 1120th Engineer Combat Group, the 3rd Army, 1st Army, V Corps, and VII Corps during World War II. August 31, 1944: Bn. Keywords : Then an 88 round went right through the number four wing tank. Later, they were divorced and she had a series of lovers and, at one time, became America's ambassador to France. GAVRAY, FRANCE.6 About a week after the explosion on March 20th, I was taken to a General Hospital in Taunton, Somerset for further treatment. in the crossing of the SIEG RIVER and the reduction of the RHUR POCKET. Recon. England was taking in thousands of Jewish children and she got her papers in order and left. moved to RAEREN. (This interview made possible with the support of COL ROBERT W. RUST, USMCR (ret.) April 6, 1945: Co "B" constructed Steel Treadway Bridge at DREISEL, GERMANY across the SIEG RIVER. Somehow I found this site and yes my Dad who was in the 294th had told me that story many times. We could not launch the life boats because of the high seas and the Coast Guard told us later that if we sank they would have tried to rescue as many as they could. http://208.56.11.96/Invision/index.php?showtopic=23. September 17, 1944: One Platoon of Co "C" demolishing pillboxes in the vicinity of ZWEIFALL, one platoon of Co "C" maintaining ford in MONSCHU. 284th Combat Engineers Understand what your WWII veteran experienced while assigned to specific infantry units, ships or squadrons. All traffic was moving North to Battice. as of 0800 hours. April 2, 1945: The Battalion was attached to the XVIII Airborne Corps as of 0800 hours. Stan found out Frank was located in Liege, about 15 miles West. Co "B" remains attached to 297th Eng. 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. 38. They weren't sleeping. 90. The remainder of the night was utilized for digging in which was a difficult operation in the frozen ground. The waterproofing worked great and Bob Darino powered his jeep through the surf and up the hill at Normandy. August 16, 1944: Bn. It didn't blow up the plane, but they lost all the fuel for that engine, so now they had two engines out. Gp; Co "C" joined the Battalion at ERZEE, BELGIUM. 55. A round from a German 88 immediately tore through the engine compartment, but left him unhurt. moved at 1630 hours and reached the destination at 2030 hours. THE HISTORY OF THE 298TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION IN EUROPE JUNE 9, 1944 - MAY 8, 1945 C O N T I N U E D THE BATTALION SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING DIVISIONS AT VARIOUS TIMES: 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION 75TH INFANTRY DIVISION 3RD ARMORED DIVISION 5TH ARMORED DIVISION THE BATTALION WAS ATTACHED TO THE FOLLOWING UNITS AT VARIOUS TIMES: Their job was to prepare housing for the advancing units. There we prepared the maps for the invasion and also the maps for the other countries on the continent. With a commandeered ambulance full of casualties, he threaded his way through the ordeal thanks to luck and guile. April 14, 1945: Co "B" constructed a Class #40 D/S Bailey Bridge at WIPPERFURTH, GERMANY. During August and September of 1965, the battalion received new vehicles, equipment, and filler personnel. 77. At first, there was jubilation, but that turned to fear as he hid in his basement for a week while the battle raged for Arnhem. Engineers Unit Rosters and Unit Photographs - WorldWarTwoVeterans.com Division sector; one Battalion of the 60th Inf. Whitney were injured. I remember walking in snow up to my crotch in Belgium. Contact was lost with this platoon at 0850 hours. 67. Several prisoners were captured in the vicinity. We can actually determine the exact aerial missions that your individual Army Air Corps pilot flew. Division for the drive to close the famous "FALAISE GAP". A typo is noted by the use of [sic] other errors are probably my own. His job in the 1st Armored Division was to be out in front with his eyes open, and he was doing just that when a huge amount of enemy was spotted. He has over 5000 books in his WWII repetoire and may have further info on the 294th. Learn more. LENNEP, GERMANY.2 At the end, though, there was a camp waiting for him just like all the rest. 17 Germans were captured and several were killed in the action. 73. After Pearl Harbor, leaves were cancelled, but that policy eased and Newton Riess and a few buddies headed to New York City for a little fun. 1893-1973 Photographs, United States Army Engineer Combat Battalion, 296th, United States Army Engineer Combat Battalion, 296th Archives. moved to OBERWINTER at 1400 hours. February 5, 1945: The Battalion moved from BELGIUM to STOLEBERG, GERMANY. 107. From 1955 until 1960, the 249th Engineer Battalion (Construction) was stationed at Kleber Kaserne, ((Kaiserslautern, Germany)). (C) Group. Forward Observer Rufus Dalton went into the demolished city looking for a rifle company he was instructed to find. After an accident resulting in a raft being sunk, the Battalion moved downriver to Mainz. Once you look through everything, please let me know if you have any further questions. Witness to War: Preserving The Oral Histories of Combat Veterans The other officers that were supplied to the unit were second lieutenants from the 1943 class of West Point. I fell in love with an English lass, Noreen, in Leicester. September 26, 1944: Co "A" completed the Timber Trestle Bridge in VICHT. In all the 296th Engineers took part in five campaigns, Normandy, Northern Europe, Central Europe, and Ardennes. She dissipated his fortune and after he died, she was sued by his children. 1. It was many years after the war that a local reporter, using the Freedom of Information Act, wrote the true story. 56. June 13, 1944: Battalion moved to the vicinity of St MERE-EGLISE and given the mission of providing general support to the 4th Infantry Division. Co "C" removed the Infantry support bridge at HUNDHAUSEN. moved to the vicinity of ZWEIFALL, relieved the 294th Engr. As a professional researcher and World War II historian, Bill Beigel provides research services to genealogists, historians, authors, and civilians who are looking for information found in WW2 military unit records. WISSEN, GERMANY.12 Bill Garrison was standing in a chow line when a man up the line suddenly dropped, shot dead by a sniper. We did all of our training with mines and bridges on the property formerly owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, and now owned by the Digby family. Stanley Stopa enlisted at the age of 19 years in the U.S. Army. The Battalion C.P. At a R.J. approximately 2 miles East of MILLEY, the head of the column was ambushed by enemy infantry and tanks. In October 1943, the battalion left Boston for England and spent months in England training. April 12, 1945: Co "B" constructed a Class #40 D/S Bailey Bridge at WIEHL, GERMANY. was relieved by 246 Engr. Near the end of the war, the food supply in Holland had been disrupted and there was widespread hunger. 104. I've heard the story of the training accident many times.