moved from ANDENNE, BELGIUM to RAEREN, GERMANY. December 25, 1944: At 1800 hours the Bn. 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. Advertisement. April 5, 1945: The Battalion moved back to KROPPACH north of ALTENKIRCHEN. 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. Over several days from June to early July 1944, the unit went by parts from England to Vierville, France. Russel, T/5 Stiedel and Pfc. of a sector of the front line in the Hurtgen Forest. vehicles were withdrawn to an assembly area at MILLEY. Everyone made it out of the plane except George "Danny" Daneau, the nose turret gunner, who went down with the aircraft. 294th Engineer Company | CurrentOps.com Units US Army 294th Engr Co 294th Engineer Company U.S. Army Subordinate units 294th Engineer Company ( MO ARNG) Carthage Armory | Carthage, Missouri, United States Detachment 1 Anderson Armory | Anderson Locations . His C.O. attached to 3rd Armored Division in preparation for St LO breakthrough. Bn. In Germany, Carroll's unit liberated a forced labor camp, and he remembered that the prisoners were horribly emaciated. March 24, 1945: The Battalion was relieved of the ferrying operations on the RHINE RIVER and moved to KONIGSWINTER, GERMANY. Our mission was to provide close Engineer support to 78th Infantry Div. They had a little too much fun and ran into some MP's who had a grudge against their unit. Frank learned English and worked in the restaurant with his father. Co "B" remains attached to 297th Eng. Then he got acquainted with giant mosquitoes. 81. C.P. Henk Duinhoven was in church with his family when the sounds of bombing started. March 14, 1945: The Battalion moved to DUISDORF, in the vicinity of BAD GODESBERG, GERMANY in preparation for the crossing of the RHEIN RIVER. September 3, 1944: Bn. Division sector; one Battalion of the 60th Inf. If you have additional information on the 294th I would like to share it with my father-in-law. The Battalion's mission of supporting the 78th Infantry Division was completed. The Japanese had made their move. 1893-1973 Photographs, United States Army Engineer Combat Battalion, 296th, United States Army Engineer Combat Battalion, 296th Archives. The battalion's motto is "Build, Support, Sustain!". Waiting for the main part of his unit to catch up, he told soldiers he thought were sleeping to "Get up! Also, I have been practicing law for 55 years and I hope to write a book about some of my cases which read like Hollywood fiction. moved to a new bivouac in the woods North of ANTHEE. After a nerve-wracking mission to bomb Tokyo and a typhoon, B.E. 115. as of 0700 hours. The Bn. 294th Engineer Combat Battalion, VII Corps, 1st Army, Bill Adair - Army, Don Scott - Army Air Corps, Bill Garrison - Army Air Corps, Bill Livingstone - Army Air Corps, Clyde Burnette - Army Air Corps, Bill Toombs - Army Air Corps, B.E. C.P. Bn. Can't wait to hear more about your time spent in training and your work with the engineers. 1944 to engage the 236th and another battalion of combat engineers, the . They weren't sleeping. 33. I was taken to the 228th for treatment. 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. Shortly after, the battalion participated in two maneuvers in Louisiana, known as the "Louisiana Maneuvers"; there the battalion and its soldiers learned valuable lessons for war. 10. Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters had dropped over 200 sand bags, with approximately 125 sandbags breaking the surface of the water. 28. 118. 69. December 11, 1944: Bn. Let me repeat how exciting it is to hear from someone who was part of the 294th. Considerable confusion resulted. Battalion moved into bivouac west of QUETTEHOU. 107. Four German fighters pounced on the B-24 and it was engulfed in flame and going down. The Official (DECLASSIFIED) Files of the 298th Engineer Combat Battalion during World War II Activation of the 298th Engineer Combat Battalion March 18, 1943 and Reorganization November 3, 1944 Journal for August 1943 Journal for September 1943 Journal for October 1943 Journal for November 1943 Diary 1943 Division. Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans. The battalion was organized and under the command of only three captains. January 21, 1945: Battalion C.P. July 21, 1944: Bn. 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: It includes all units except for platoons and detachments that were a part of larger organizations and is based on the following War Department and Department of the Army General Orders: WD GO 70, 1945; WD GO 75, 1945; WD GO 116, 1946; DA GO 23, 1947; DA GO 72, 1948; DA GO 6, 1950; DA GO 37, 1950; DA GO 32, 1953; and DA GO 28 1956. Thanks so much for taking the time to write all this down. Formatting (inconsistent in original) such as capitalization, underlining, punctuation, use of quotes, etc. He heard some firing from another gun and turned around just in time to see a horrifying sight. September 4, 1944: Co "C" constructed Class 40 D/S Bailey Bridge in MARIEMBOURG. What do they do at Parris Island? Send Us a Request to Start Researching Your World War II Veteran. 37. 123. There were three 42" mobile pumps staged and two 42" and two 30" pumps were placed at the sheet pile closure. 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. Right away, as the oldest one in the large group, she became the leader on the journey. Chow detail going to Post #1 was ambushed by a 6 man patrol; the enemy patrol withdrew after a short fire fight. And even better that you got the chance to visit with Jean Treasure. 7 to 8, 2020, as. moved to BRISCOL, BELGIUM where the vehicles were parked. Division assembly area in the vicinity of LE DESERT. The mission of both companies was to occupy pillboxes in the Siegfried line to prevent the Germans from entering them. Division for the drive to close the famous "FALAISE GAP". I believe my father-in-law was in A Company. October 10, 1944: Co "A" occupied newly established blocks No's #6 - #7 - #8 - #9, as of 1300 hours. Please see my link on where to go for help. September 7, 1944: Co "C" Completed the timber trestle bridge at MARIEMBOURG. 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. July 17, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac at TRIBEHOU. It receives no town or state funding. This was a Pile Bent Bridge with 3-story trestle bents on the piles, 55 feet high. wikipedia.en/Roman_Ivanovich_Panin.md at main - github.com The truck disappeared and 29 men were torn apart and their bodies were scattered through the trees. Eight assault teams of the 299th Combat Engineer Battalion landed on OMAHA beach (Easy Red, Fox Green, Fox Red) with the mission of clearing eight 50-yard gaps in the underwater obstacles. The main thrust of the effort was to use assault boats to get troops from 5th Infantry Division across and later to construct a more stable pontoon bridge. 76. was attached to 9th Infantry Division as of 1200 hours. to continue movement to the vicinity of MAYENNE. An SOS went out and two Coast Guard cutters came out from Argentia, Newfoundland. It didn't blow up the plane, but they lost all the fuel for that engine, so now they had two engines out. (C) Bn. We are always glad to assist! Often the military records will show the duties a WWII veteran held during the war. 16. 126. October 11, 1944: A 6 man German patrol was found between Post #1 and #3 - two of the enemy were killed and four escaped. October 31, to November 7, 1944: Bn. 130. August 6-7, 1944: Bn. It was a fierce week long battle for the city of Heilbronn. At the new bivouac area orders were waiting for the Bn. The North portion of the position was reached but the foxholes were found empty. 122. Exactly where the veteran was stationed and locations he visited during WWII. November 25, 1944: Co "B" was attached to 294th Engr. Forward Observer Rufus Dalton went into the demolished city looking for a rifle company he was instructed to find. 95. Thank you very much for your service to our country and sharing your experiences with us. The Bridge site was heavy mined; T/5 George Oatinbaker was killed by a mine which exploded when his bulldozer passed over it. Co "B" was given the mission of cleaning the streets and Co "C" was given the mission of removing the railroad and building the road. It was completed on V.E. 3. Learn when and where a WWII veteran was wounded or killed in action (we can often show you exactly how a veteran was wounded or killed in action). At a R.J. approximately 2 miles East of MILLEY, the head of the column was ambushed by enemy infantry and tanks. He bunked with regular B-17 crew members, but Bill Livingstone was a gunnery instructor who was there to keep skills sharp. All the villages there had been evacuated and were ultimately destroyed by gunfire. After the emergency was over, plans called for the canal to be drained and the wall repaired. After a close call with a booby trap, he was injured when a tank shell landed right under his jeep. Co "C" attached to 297th Engr. By 1630 hours all units of the Battalion had been relieved - the Battalion moved back to RAEREN. He scrambled to his gun mount to man the 20 mm gun and then the threat became apparent. The 296th Engineer Combat Battalion was activated by the U.S. Army on 3 March 1943 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. 17 DEC 1943. Bn. On March 20, 1944, I was lying in bed when there was a huge explosion and I was blown off my bed. September 8, 1944: Co "A" dismantled the Inf. March 15, 1945: Reconnaissance was made in the afternoon of sites on the RHEIN RIVER in the vicinity of REMAGEN for launching Naval Landing Craft; sites were picked. He has over 5000 books in his WWII repetoire and may have further info on the 294th. The mission of World War II combat engineers (known as "sappers" or "pioneers" in other armies) was three-fold: mobility operations; countermobility operations; and, when necessary, to fight as infantrymen. October 13, 1944: The enemy penetrated our lines between Post #9 and the Infantry on our right during the afternoon - one Co. of the 47th Infantry Regt. Engineers Unit Rosters and Unit Photographs - WorldWarTwoVeterans.com January 23, 1945: Co "C" relieved of attachment to the 4th Cav. The remainder of the night was utilized for digging in which was a difficult operation in the frozen ground. 63. All traffic was moving North to Battice. 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. Heat, insects, and mud were constant companions during basic training. He was grateful when someone gave him some morphine to ease the pain from multiple shrapnel wounds. August 16, 1944: Bn. January 11, 1945: Co "B" repaired the timber trestle bridge in PETIT-HAN by replacing the flooring and decayed nailing strips. 3RD ARMORED DIVISION WISSEN, GERMANY.12 moved to vicinity of GAVRAY, and reverted to control of the 1120th Engr. The force withdrew under heavy mortar fire. I've heard the story of the training accident many times. Any contribution above basic membership is tax deductible, and is most appreciated. ArmyAir Force/A.A.F.Marine CorpsNavyCoast GuardMerchant Marine, If Army Air Forces was your veteran This was not surprising since we were constantly working with explosives. CHAOTEAU ENGLE BERMONT, BELGIUM..31 1st insignia of 90th Light Div. Thats where Stan picked up a large German Flag. This society is an independent charitable organization. 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. 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. 55. On June 4th 1944, the 297 th Engineer Battalion left the city of Bournemouth, England to reach its marshalling camp. Dear Ms. Bradley, Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! By October, all of 296th was in Belgium. 234th Engineer Combat Battalion liberated Holtum. Vaughan and the destroyer O'Brien suffered a second kamikaze attack which killed all three of his hometown pals who served with him on board. 73. http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/history/contact_us.htm. EmailPhone, Research A World War II Veteran (WWII WW2). MARIEMBOURG, BELGIUM11 Many of the vehicles were damaged and one man was killed while driving the Battalion Commander from the defense position to the FWD. The story was put out that two German saboteurs had set off an explosion. August 24-25, 1944: Bn. In many (most) cases, names have been. moved to the vicinity of DIZY-LE-GROS North of REIMS. It was their third mission over Berlin and they were heading home. 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. Any contribution above basic membership is tax deductible, and is most appreciated. of 9th Infantry Division made an attack thru Post #5 at 1100 hours; the Infantry met strong resistance 300 yards in front of Post #5; Post #5 was relieved at 1630 hrs. This incident was also kept secret until many years after the war when a local resident told of seeing hundreds of bodies being buried on the beach. Must have brought back some intriguing memories going back to the Isles. 9. One platoon of Co "C" was sent to clear the situation at Post #4; they killed one German. 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. August 14, 1944: VII Corps jumped off with the 3rd Armd. 114. He thought they were ours until the bombs started falling. February 24, 1945: Co "C" attached to 4th Cav. March 7, 1945: The Battalion C.P. The 1120th's 294th and 297th Engineer Combat Battalions were responsible for maintaining the two main supply routes-from Tribehou to Marigny-on the right flank, while the 298th Engineer Combat Battalion was to support the 3d Armored Division. CARANTILLY, FRANCE.24 Co "B" attached to the 297th Engr. 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. 111. Duties in France included repairing roads, removing mines, disposing of a bomb, and removing, repairing, and constructing bridges. was across the river without tanks and anti-tank guns and it was being counterattacked by SS troops using flame-throwing tanks. August 3, 1944: Co "B" constructed Class 40 Ponton trestle bridge across SIENNE River at GAVRAY. 93. United States Army Center of Military History. 1965-1971 Synopsis of the 299th in Vietnam. His crew shot down a ME 109 just before we got there. March 17, 1945: Co "A" attached to 4th Cav. The winter of 1943 was brutal. Get up!" I went to visit him and he was cursing a blue streak in German. I like how you also gave us further background with the "asides", such as the history of the Digby family. Along with thousands of others, he was forced to surrender and was facing the prospect of joining what would become known as the Bataan Death March. Two Germans were captured at Post #3; one man was killed by small arms fire on Post #5 at 1700 hours. 75. RootsWeb is funded and supported by The Battalion advance C.P. December 16, 1944: The Ardenne breakthrough begins; there was much aerial activity in vicinity of STOLBURG and DUREN. While there, there was a German air raid and two planes were shot down. was shelled by artillery from across the RHINE RIVER - T/5 Malone was killed, Capt. BELLEAU, WOODS, FRANCE.10 I am writing my memoirs and I already have over 200 pages. 298th Engineer Combat Battalion, WWII - RootsWeb John Souther was on reconnaissance patrol when he nosed his halftrack up over the edge of the gully in the Tunisian desert. moved to vicinity of LE HORPS. moved to the vicinity of COUPTRAIN and was given the mission of supporting the 9th Inf. The main body departed Fort Gordon, GA, on 27 September 1965 by troop train bound for . 57. Bn. Alongside those are the plaques with the names of the Sherborne men who were killed in World War II. 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). The Deep River boys were Ernie Calamari, George Ressler, Bill Ackerman, Waldon Hartson, Charlie Euston, George Watrous, Harvey Brooks, Doug Carlson, Ray Swain, and Victor Carlson. Infantry Regiment 28th Quartermaster Battalion 28th Troop Carrier Squadron 290th Infantry Regiment 291st Infantry Regiment 294th Engineer Combat Battalion 29th Bomb Group 29th Field Artillery Battalion 29th Infantry Division 29th . Co "A" started construction of 150' T/D Bailey Bridge across the SIEG RIVER at WISSEN, GERMANY. I have been wearing hearing aids since 1946 and I am now profoundly deaf. On this day, two German E-boats came out of the fog and fired their torpedoes and escaped back to France. continues to support the 9th Inf. He will never forget the words of General Eisenhower. The Captain said that in 25 years at sea he had never seen such a storm. alerted for movement with the VII Corps to the ARDENNE Sector. Maneuvers in England completed all the training the young men would get. 20. October 21, 1944: Co "B" was relieved from the roadblocks by 294th Engr. Additionally, the commander serves as the Commandant of the U.S. Army Prime Power School, the institution responsible for the development of Army and Navy power generation specialists. 1 talking about this. went in direct support of the 5th Armd. The 296th crossed the Rhine River south of Bonn.