January 11, 1945: Co "B" repaired the timber trestle bridge in PETIT-HAN by replacing the flooring and decayed nailing strips. Thats when Stan saw a truck from his brother Franks outfit, 639 A.A.A. December 28, 1944: At 0200 hours an enemy Infantry Battalion made an attack in the vicinity of the motor vehicle park and the Battalion FWD. Duties in France included repairing roads, removing mines, disposing of a bomb, and removing, repairing, and constructing bridges. 126. I dabble a bit in the creative stuff myself. One of the pilots was brought into our hospital and had his legs amputated. September 16, 1944: Co "C" was served doughnuts and coffee by VII Corps Red Cross girls - believed to be the first Red Cross girls to serve troops on GERMAN soil in World War II. 1. 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. Explore military combat reports and casualty records tounderstand the battlefield experiences and sacrifices of your WWII veteran and their military unit. 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: July 21, 1944: Bn. The remainder of the night was utilized for digging in which was a difficult operation in the frozen ground. Co "A" relieved of attachment to the 4th Cav. 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: The result was almost 800 dead. Joe Izzillo- 4907 Europa Drive, Naples FL 34105- (239) 262-2778. Once you look through everything, please let me know if you have any further questions. 84. I am attaching a painting I did of Sherborne Abbey and the Cross Keys pub next door where I learned to play darts while serving with the 294th. Bn. alerted to move; received movement orders at 1600 hours to move at 1630 hours to bivouac in vicinity of BRECEY. XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS from April 3, 1945 to April 17, 1945, PLACE.NUMBER OF P.W's In the North Atlantic in January, they said that we would have lasted only about five minutes in that cold water. It was later learned that the town had never been secured by the 4th Armored Division. Gp.) 41. Bn. October 6, 1944: 47th Enfantry [sic] Regt. moved to BIRKESDORF, GERMANY. He was in the hospital right at the time of the explosion . 44. Co "C" started preparing a site for construction of a Bailey Bridge to by-pass an existing bridge west of GEY. I have a lot more to tell. After an accident resulting in a raft being sunk, the Battalion moved downriver to Mainz. August 1, 1944: Bn. Many of the vehicles were damaged and one man was killed while driving the Battalion Commander from the defense position to the FWD. The force withdrew under heavy mortar fire. HERBORN, GERMANY2 December 24, 1944: Given the mission of providing direct support to the 75th Infantry Division Co "B" prepared several bridges across the L'OURTHE RIVER for demolition. The 249th Engineer Battalion also supports other missions: The 249th Engineer Combat Battalion was constituted on 5 May 1943 at Camp Bowie, Texas. went in direct support of the 5th Armd. On this day, two German E-boats came out of the fog and fired their torpedoes and escaped back to France. Battalion moved to new bivouac in vicinity of CARENTAN. Troops were divided into groups: one group reached the marshalling camp by truck commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Julian P. Fox Junior, and the second one left by train under Major Wales W. Wallace' s command. They weren't sleeping. January 4, 1945: Co "B" dismantled steel treadway bridge at NOISEUX, BELGIUM. Co "A" relieved Co. "C" on the construction of Timber Trestle Bridge in VICHT. Get up!" December 22, 1944: Bn. Gp. In February 1955, it was activated and assigned to USAREUR and an Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy). The other patients and I raced outside and we saw the carnage. Must have brought back some intriguing memories going back to the Isles. Division begining [sic] at 1500 hours. 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 [8] By 5 September 2005, the 17th Street Canal breach was closed. It was a fierce week long battle for the city of Heilbronn. 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. Division; a heavy snow was falling at the time of the relief; the Battalion moved back to PONTHOZ, BELGIUM. Part 1 of 5. Witness to War is a non-profit dedicated to preserving the oral histories of combat veterans through digital video interviews. Copyright 2023 Witness To War. The Bn. Robert James was in the shower aboard ship when the alarm went off. Forward Observer Rufus Dalton went into the demolished city looking for a rifle company he was instructed to find. December 30, 1944: The Battalion was relieved of the defensive position at 1800 hours by a re-enforced Co. of Infantry of the 75th Inf. January 22, 1945: Co "C" (with the 4th Cav.) At a R.J. approximately 2 miles East of MILLEY, the head of the column was ambushed by enemy infantry and tanks. Then it was dispatched to France for a time. September 5, 1944: Co "C" started construction of Class 40 Timber Trestle Bridge under Bailey Bridge at MARIEMBOURG. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Henk Duinhoven was in church with his family when the sounds of bombing started. In Germany, Carroll's unit liberated a forced labor camp, and he remembered that the prisoners were horribly emaciated. Can't wait to hear more about your time spent in training and your work with the engineers. Naturally, we were warned by security to keep quiet or we would end up being taken to Leavenworth Penitentiary in Kansas. August 16, 1944: Bn. 104. The story was put out that two German saboteurs had set off an explosion. They paid mightily for that shot. moved to the vicinity of LUMINGNY. 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. 7. 58. 1944 to engage the 236th and another battalion of combat engineers, the . 131. September 18, 1944: The Battalion moved to a new bivouac at ROTGEN, GERMANY. moved to the vicinity of St GERMAIN-LAXIS. Then an 88 round went right through the number four wing tank. Vaughan - Navy, Rufus Dalton - Army, Ed Harrell - Marines, Robert James - Navy, John Souther - Army, LtGen Lawrence Snowden - Marines, Jim Wicker - Army Air Corps, Frank Capuozzi - Army, Newton Riess - Army, Harry Kone - Marines. A brisk fire fight ensued until daylight. Rufus Dalton was at the Maginot Line bouncing mortar shells off an old citadel. Right away, as the oldest one in the large group, she became the leader on the journey. Let me repeat how exciting it is to hear from someone who was part of the 294th. Please tell Michael Brodhead that I sent you. Day May 8, 1945. It wasnt all work as they had opportunities to play ball and see shows by Bob Hope and company. Dedicated to the men who proudly served their country during World War II by serving in the 238th Engineer Combat Battalion. 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. Co "C" attached to 297th Engr. This article incorporates public domain material from .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}249th Engineer Battalion lineage and honors information as of 1 March 2004. Division now driving in the direction of PERIERS - St LO Highway. August 6-7, 1944: Bn. The waterproofing worked great and Bob Darino powered his jeep through the surf and up the hill at Normandy. Thank you. 53. Bn. September 7, 1944: Co "C" Completed the timber trestle bridge at MARIEMBOURG. 3RD ARMORED DIVISION 234th Engineer Combat Battalion liberated Holtum. Was searching the internet for my father-in-law who was a member of 294th Engineer Combat Battalion during WWII and found your web site. I have been flying since 1963. 128. The 296th built a 180-foot bridge across the Ilm River. Co "C" removed the Infantry support bridge at HUNDHAUSEN. 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 . attached to 3rd Armored Division in preparation for St LO breakthrough. July 6, 1944: Battalion placed in direct support of the 4th Inf. . Power Surge, 249th Engineer Battalion Responds to Electrocutions in Iraq by LTC Paul B. Olsen, P.E. March 16, 1945: Co "C" moved to OBERWINTER at 1700 hours and started construction of Heavy Ponton Rafts. 82. An SOS went out and two Coast Guard cutters came out from Argentia, Newfoundland. An Engineer Combat Battalion (ECB) was a designation for a battalion -strength combat engineer unit in the U.S. Army, most prevalent during World War II. moved to the vicinity of PHILIPVILLE - an Advance C.P. All the villages there had been evacuated and were ultimately destroyed by gunfire. 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. 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. Ed Harrell describes in detail the sinking of the USS Indianapolis from Japanese torpedoes, which left nearly 900 Sailors and Marines in shark-infested Pacific waters. The windows blew out the way he told me. For more information, please contact the . I'm sure he would be glad to share his experiences with you. 110. The Battalion was subsequently inactivated on 28 November 1945 at Camp Kilmer, NJ. Later, they were divorced and she had a series of lovers and, at one time, became America's ambassador to France. C.P. 40. 40 Bailey bridge in SHEVENHUTTE, GERMANY. Part 1 of 2. 130. What are we going to do? LA VICTOIRE, FRANCE.9 79. 12. August 31, 1944: Bn. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. August 12, 1944: Co "A" replaced flooring on Bailey Bridge at St. BEAUDELLA. moved to the vicinity of DIZY-LE-GROS North of REIMS. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 The 294th landed in Normandy on D+ (June 7, 1944). In many (most) cases, names have been. After all, he was the son of a chef. They are a component of the United States Army Corps of Engineers . Bn. 57. moved to the vicinity of COUPTRAIN and was given the mission of supporting the 9th Inf. have been maintained. 19. Support bridge which was across the MEUSE RIVER North of DINANT. As they approached the beach, the ship hit two mines and sank. Waiting for the main part of his unit to catch up, he told soldiers he thought were sleeping to "Get up! On the grounds of the Digby estate was the 228th Station Hospital, which consisted of a bunch of Quonset huts. 1965-1971 Synopsis of the 299th in Vietnam. 45. I have been wearing hearing aids since 1946 and I am now profoundly deaf. While he was not in the immediate area of the blast he was at the scene of the accident shortly after it occured. Group. Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans. He thought they were ours until the bombs started falling. Frances R. Fulton, Lt. Ray L. Whiteturkey, the Bn. WISSEN, GERMANY.12 C.P. 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. September 28, 1944: The Bn. and was given the mission of defending two roadblocks. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. Bn. Exactly where the veteran was stationed and locations he visited during WWII. 23. October 23, 1944: Co "A" relieved from attachment to 297 Engr. Hannah Deutch was a teenager when the Kindertransport rescue effort became her means of escape from Germany. This was a Pile Bent Bridge with 3-story trestle bents on the piles, 55 feet high. Heat, insects, and mud were constant companions during basic training. Many times there is a daily record of events which shows daily combat details within the company, troop or battery to which the individual WWII veteran was assigned. At 1130 hours the Commanding officer of Co "B" with two Platoons of Co "A" and one Platoon of light tanks made an attack to contact the surrounded platoon. March 18 - 24, 1945: Companies "B" and "C" operated Heavy Ponton Rafts and LCVP ferries across the RHEIN RIVER in the VII Corps Sector. Part 1 of 2. 1893-1973 Photographs, United States Army Engineer Combat Battalion, 296th, United States Army Engineer Combat Battalion, 296th Archives. At the end, though, there was a camp waiting for him just like all the rest. It was their third mission over Berlin and they were heading home. Our expertise enables us to reconstruct the service history of your individual WWII veteran and to give you a glimpse of the experiences that he or she had during the war-even if their military service records were lost in the fire. In March of 1943, fourteen young men from Saybrook enlisted in the army and left by bus for Fort Devens. We would like to share just a few words about another of Deep Rivers WWII veterans. Hits - 2,910. He was grateful when someone gave him some morphine to ease the pain from multiple shrapnel wounds. It's rotten losing men at any point in the juncture, but so sad that all these men were killed in training. Now that's what I call getting the REAL SCOOP! The Bn. By the time we finished training, the war in Africa was over. June 24, 1944: Co "C" constructed a Class 40 timber trestle bridge at St MARTIN-DE-AUDOVILLE. 87. When he heard the sound of Canadian tanks, he knew that liberation was finally at hand. Co "B" remains attached to 297th Eng. You are a great artist. Through the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the 249th soldiers provide contracting officer technical representation on projects throughout the world.[9][10]. Thank you very much for your service to our country and sharing your experiences with us. BELLEAU, WOODS, FRANCE.10 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. Part 2 of 2. moved to the vicinity of ZWEIFALL, relieved the 294th Engr. Often the military records will show the duties a WWII veteran held during the war. 17 Germans were captured and several were killed in the action. April 7, 1945: Co "C" constructed a C1 #40 D/S Bailey Bridge at HANHOFF, GERMANY. 15. B-24 flight engineer Bill Toombs was over Germany when bad went to worse. was attached to 9th Infantry Division as of 1200 hours. After the emergency was over, plans called for the canal to be drained and the wall repaired. Please see my link on where to go for help. 5. DERSCHLAG, GERMANY.10 New bivouac was established in the vicinity of CERISY-LA-SALLE - Co. "B" bivouac area received several bomb hits at approximately 2330 hours. 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. 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. They left Berlin in the fall for Le Harve, France to come home. The battalion was used in an effort to block the German advance by deploying landmines, obstacles and establishing roadblocks. was shelled by artillery from across the RHINE RIVER - T/5 Malone was killed, Capt. From then on it was the road to Berlin. Several prisoners were captured in the vicinity. March 7, 1945: The Battalion C.P. 96. Robert James was propped up against a bulkhead, going in and out of consciousness. 83. He has over 5000 books in his WWII repetoire and may have further info on the 294th. 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION 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. 106. His unit joined the forces ordered into the Battle of the Bulge, where he had to get some help when he was frozen in a foxhole. Well I for one will be one of the first in line to read and buy your memoirs. On order, deploy worldwide to provide prime electrical power and electrical systems expertise in support of military operations and the National Response Framework.[1]. About a week after the explosion on March 20th, I was taken to a General Hospital in Taunton, Somerset for further treatment. This often includes map coordinates which can be translated using Google Earth to pinpoint the G.P.S. Division for the drive to close the famous "FALAISE GAP". What do they do at Parris Island? Reconnaissance was made of the MEUSE RIVER in the vicinity of DINANT and HASTIERE in preparation for the crossing of the 9th Inf. This bridge remained in use until 1955. relieved Company "A" as of 1800 hours. 68. September 17, 1944: One Platoon of Co "C" demolishing pillboxes in the vicinity of ZWEIFALL, one platoon of Co "C" maintaining ford in MONSCHU. I came back from Germany to get married on August 4, 1945. LENNEP, GERMANY.2 88. His crew shot down a ME 109 just before we got there. Bn. 7 to 8, 2020, as. December 10, 1944: Co "C" completed the Timber Trestle Bridge at MULARTSHUTTE. 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. 129. 117. 22. Army Superior Unit Award for 2005 (Hurricanes Katrina, This page was last edited on 7 June 2022, at 00:05. Two engines were out, a third smoking, and they were were losing airspeed and altitude, but they were flying level and pointed home. 73. Four German fighters pounced on the B-24 and it was engulfed in flame and going down. Division heading for COUPTRAIN and PRE-EN-PAUL. Temperatures were minus 20 degrees. 86. Both on the attack and on the defense, engineers led the way. There we prepared the maps for the invasion and also the maps for the other countries on the continent. November 25, 1944: Co "B" was attached to 294th Engr. August 30, 1944: Bn. Division. April 17, 1945: This day marked the end of the RHUR POCKET in which 315,000 Germans were captured. 1st insignia of 90th Light Div. I do not know how current the info is, but it's worth trying first: Unfortunately I do not have anymore info at the present time. 48. While there, there was a German air raid and two planes were shot down. This is a free service. Maneuvers in England completed all the training the young men would get. Moving through France, Bob Darino recalls how the grateful civilians came out with toasts of strong apple brandy. April 9, 1945: Co "C" converted the railroad bridge in WISSEN to take vehicular traffic. The battalion met little resistance across the river and quickly began constructing the bridge. November 16, 1944: The 4th Inf. moved to RAEREN. 89. From there we were sent for desert training in Camp Pilot Knob in the Mojave Desert, near Yuma Arizona, which was started by Gen. Patton, as a training ground for the war in Africa. Then fate intervened in the form of an ambulance without a driver. 60. 18. 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. 8. The kamikaze had destroyed the starboard gun mounts and there were many dead and wounded. Later, they were reequipped and went on with the war and a number of the men were killed in later battles, including the Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. Francis R. Fulton, Capt. on April 28, 2010. After a close call with a booby trap, he was injured when a tank shell landed right under his jeep. 98. 109. I would try Richard Horrell of WWII Connections. The 294th Combat Engineers were training at the same time at Camp Gordon. This tradgedy took place in the grounds that housed the 228th American Hospital in Sherborne, Dorset, UK. 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. December 4, 1944: Co "A" relieved Co "B" of attachment to the 294th Engr. July 29, 1944: Co "A" cleared hundreds of wrecked enemy vehicles from the streets of RONCEY and other roads in the vicinity. January 23, 1945: Co "C" relieved of attachment to the 4th Cav. April 8, 1945: Co "A" completed the Bailey Bridge in WISSEN, GERMANY at 2030 hours. Bravo Joe. 294th Engineer Combat Battalion - 1944. 108. Frank Capuozzi was born in Naples. Active: August 1941 - May 1943 July 1943 - April 1945: Country Nazi Germany Branch: Army 30. Bn. He heard some firing from another gun and turned around just in time to see a horrifying sight. 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.