All traffic was moving North to Battice. May 26, 2010 at 2:13 pm. United States Army Center of Military History. 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. 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. DERSCHLAG, GERMANY.10 Bn. January 21, 1945: Battalion C.P. A minefield was laid and wire obstacles were erected. 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. Part 1 of 4. 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. July 29, 1944: Co "A" cleared hundreds of wrecked enemy vehicles from the streets of RONCEY and other roads in the vicinity. 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. The Bn. 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. 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. Now that's what I call getting the REAL SCOOP! 60. The ship cracked across the deck and partly down the hull. It's rotten losing men at any point in the juncture, but so sad that all these men were killed in training. The 249th sailed from the United States to England in May 1944, after equipping and preparing for combat, the Unit landed on Utah Beach in August 1944 under the 1137th Engineer Combat Group commanded by Colonel George A. Morris. attached to 3rd Armored Division in preparation for St LO breakthrough. In February 1955, it was activated and assigned to USAREUR and an Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy). 9. 294th Engineer Combat Battalion - American Battle Monuments Commission Growing up in Baltimore, Harry Kone used to hang around the docks watching the cargo ships unload. I have also visited with Jean Treasure in her home. 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. March 16, 1945: Co "C" moved to OBERWINTER at 1700 hours and started construction of Heavy Ponton Rafts. April 8, 1945: Co "A" completed the Bailey Bridge in WISSEN, GERMANY at 2030 hours. I understand that this was done because placing a hospital near explosives was a violation of the Geneva Convention. The exact battles your WWII veteran took part in. 3. June 21, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac in the vicinity of MONTEBURG. On his first raid in North Africa, reconnaissance platoon leader John Souther captured a hundred Germans with no losses to his own unit. 114. Later that year on 18 December 1944, the Black Lions were ordered to move from the Saar River, where the unit was building a bridge, to the Ardennes, commonly called the Battle of the Bulge. March 18 - 24, 1945: Companies "B" and "C" operated Heavy Ponton Rafts and LCVP ferries across the RHEIN RIVER in the VII Corps Sector. Bombers. Discover the military campaigns and battles your WWII veteran took part in. After all, he was the son of a chef. Sewell, Sgt. moved to OBERWINTER at 1400 hours. . Even though they were only delaying the inevitable, the Germans weren't beat, yet. March 14, 1945: The Battalion moved to DUISDORF, in the vicinity of BAD GODESBERG, GERMANY in preparation for the crossing of the RHEIN RIVER. 59. moved to the vicinity of DIZY-LE-GROS North of REIMS. 100. Without enough points to go home in the first wave of returnees, Frank Capuozzi became an acting mess sergeant and took over a kitchen. Witness to War: Preserving The Oral Histories of Combat Veterans moved to a new bivouac in the woods North of ANTHEE. Organized by type of material, then chronologically, The collection contains a unit history and photographs regarding the 296th Engineer Combat Battalion of the United States (U.S.) Army during World War II. Engineer Special Brigades were amphibious forces of the United States Army developed during World War II.Initially designated engineer amphibian brigades, they were redesignated engineer special brigades in 1943.The 1st, 5th, and 6th Engineer Special Brigades were assigned to the European Theater of Operations.The 1st Engineer Special Brigade participated in the landings in Sicily and Italy . Forward Observer Rufus Dalton went into the demolished city looking for a rifle company he was instructed to find. 63. By 1630 hours all units of the Battalion had been relieved - the Battalion moved back to RAEREN. Newspaper Items- 298th Engineer Combat Battalion, WWII - RootsWeb Co "A" constructed an Infantry Support Bridge across the SIEG RIVER at HUNDHAUSEN, GERMANY. was shelled by artillery from across the RHINE RIVER - T/5 Malone was killed, Capt. 66. 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. Then, we went to Tennessee maneuvers for a couple of months. 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION 19. Let me repeat how exciting it is to hear from someone who was part of the 294th. Bravo Joe. Thomas W. Silva, Lt. Ray L. Whiteturkey and 42 men from H&S Co. and Co. "C". August 4, 1944: Bn. About a week after the explosion on March 20th, I was taken to a General Hospital in Taunton, Somerset for further treatment. Two fold-out maps from the unit history are stored separately in an oversize box. Bn. He was grateful when someone gave him some morphine to ease the pain from multiple shrapnel wounds. Send Us a Request to Start Researching Your World War II Veteran. How very nice to hear from you. Bn. Wes Ruth was eating breakfast when he saw the planes coming in. In October 1943, the battalion left Boston for England and spent months in England training. Chow detail going to Post #1 was ambushed by a 6 man patrol; the enemy patrol withdrew after a short fire fight. Their job was to prepare housing for the advancing units. September 15, 1944: The Battalion operated in GERMANY for the first time. Company "C" had just finished an exercise with mine laying and then picked up the anti-tank mines and placed them alongside a truck to be taken to a safe area until the next exercise. gave him permission to go see him. I am now a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol of the United States Air Force Auxiliary. What are we going to do? Gp.) 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. The reason for the withdrawal was that the position now had no tactical value due to the new enemy situation. constructed Class 40 Bailey Bridge at CHERAIN, BELGIUM. When he had to bail out, Jim Wicker was literally sucked from the cockpit when he released the canopy because of his high rate of speed. October 4, 1944: At 0810 hours an enemy force of approximately one Platoon approached Post #1; a brisk fire fight ensued and the enemy force withdrew leaving 5 dead krauts. 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. All Rights Reserved. vehicles were withdrawn to an assembly area at MILLEY. Then time ran out for the B-17 and Don Scott had to slip down the hatch into the slipstream. His crew shot down a ME 109 just before we got there. Bn. 109. moved to HANS BACKHEIM in the vicinity of MANHEIM, GERMANY. At 0100 hours on August 7, 1944 Capt. http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/history/contact_us.htm. The enemy lost 14 prisoners and 6 men killed. The mission of both companies was to occupy pillboxes in the Siegfried line to prevent the Germans from entering them. It took us 21 days from Antwerp to New York. His name is on the link above. September 9, 1944: Bn. 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. 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. Yes I thank God every day too for my many blessings. April 16, 1945: The Battalion moved to LENNEP, GERMANY. He scrambled to his gun mount to man the 20 mm gun and then the threat became apparent. 1 talking about this. moved to a new bivouac in BELLEAU WOODS in the vicinity of CHATEAU-THIERRY. With a commandeered ambulance full of casualties, he threaded his way through the ordeal thanks to luck and guile. This Veterans Day we give THANKS to all who have served our country and continue to recognize those 416 men and women who served Deep River during World War II. 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. The waterproofing worked great and Bob Darino powered his jeep through the surf and up the hill at Normandy. Bn. 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. Often the military records will show the duties a WWII veteran held during the war. (C) Bn. 77. 107. placed in direct support of the 3rd Armd. RONCEY, FRANCE.4 January 22, 1945: Co "C" (with the 4th Cav.) Engineer Special Brigade (united States) - Encyclopedia Information The winter of 1943 was brutal. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. moved to vicinity of LE HORPS. moved to CHATEAU MODAVE then on to CHATEAU ENGLE BERMONT. September 4, 1944: Co "C" constructed Class 40 D/S Bailey Bridge in MARIEMBOURG. Gp. His unit was suddenly pulled and sent to take Patton's place in the line after the general was summoned to the Bulge. July 2, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac in vicinity of Ste MERE-EGLISE. 129. November 16, 1944: The 4th Inf. D Day - V Corps - Order of battle BELLEAU, WOODS, FRANCE.10 Kamikazes had broken through the air cover and were headed for the convoy. August 30, 1944: Bn. Veteran's Branch of Service? The Battalion C.P. 116. Late in life she married Averill Harriman. Exactly when your WWII veteran joined and left specific units of assignment. Part 1 of 2. 88. There we prepared the maps for the invasion and also the maps for the other countries on the continent. 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. Bn. It didn't blow up the plane, but they lost all the fuel for that engine, so now they had two engines out. Co "C" started preparing a site for construction of a Bailey Bridge to by-pass an existing bridge west of GEY. The Battalion was subsequently inactivated on 28 November 1945 at Camp Kilmer, NJ. 3:33 | At the end of the war, combat engineer Bob Darino went from sampling delicious cherry pies in German farm country to experiencing the horrifying spectacle of concentration camps. He served hard duty in an anti-aircraft battery with the 6th Army in New Guinea and other parts of the 2023 Deep River Historical Society. Naturally, we were warned by security to keep quiet or we would end up being taken to Leavenworth Penitentiary in Kansas. 57. 4. . Reconnaissance was made of the MEUSE RIVER in the vicinity of DINANT and HASTIERE in preparation for the crossing of the 9th Inf. His very first mission turned out to be a memorable one. They are a component of the United States Army Corps of Engineers . When he heard the sound of Canadian tanks, he knew that liberation was finally at hand. 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. From then on it was the road to Berlin. Russel, T/5 Stiedel and Pfc. A round from a German 88 immediately tore through the engine compartment, but left him unhurt. 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. April 17, 1945: This day marked the end of the RHUR POCKET in which 315,000 Germans were captured. Henk Duinhoven was lucky to be in the countryside, where gardens had been harvested. Bn. February 13, 1945: Co "B" constructed a C1. location of the Company HQ on a map. July 17, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac at TRIBEHOU. moved to ANDENNE, BELGIUM and trained in River crossing operations on the MEUSE RIVER. December 10, 1944: Co "C" completed the Timber Trestle Bridge at MULARTSHUTTE. New Yorker Bob Darino was drafted in 1943 and trained as a combat engineer. A typo is noted by the use of [sic] other errors are probably my own. 126. He has over 5000 books in his WWII repetoire and may have further info on the 294th. I have been back to Sherborne on four occasions. The Battalion C.P. 111. August 12, 1944: Co "A" replaced flooring on Bailey Bridge at St. BEAUDELLA. 125. Dear Ms. Bradley, Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! Near the end of the war, the food supply in Holland had been disrupted and there was widespread hunger. 245th Engineer Combat Battalion, U.S. Third Army, Camp Gordon Georgia 551 heavy engineer pontoon battalion photos. July 21, 1944: Bn. Can't wait to hear more about your time spent in training and your work with the engineers. 62. April 5, 1945: The Battalion moved back to KROPPACH north of ALTENKIRCHEN. Bn. Bill Adair was suffering from the effects of a concussion when the battle for the Philippines came to an end for him. His training continued on board ship in the Pacific. It was disgusting down below in the Queen Mary so Newton Riess went up on deck to escape the smell. moved to a new bivouac East of ESNEUX. Co "C" started construction of a Timber Trestle bridge under the Bailey Bridge at MULARTSHUTTE. 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. July 6, 1944: Battalion placed in direct support of the 4th Inf. The history, titled History 296 Engr. The Battalion C.P. VII CORPS from February 1, 1944 to April 2, 1945. December 3, 1944: Co "A" completed the Timber Trestle Bridge in VICHT, GERMANY. The Bn. At 2330 hours the Battalion bivouac area was bombed by several bombers using anti-personnel bombs. 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. EmailPhone, Research A World War II Veteran (WWII WW2). ArmyAir Force/A.A.F.Marine CorpsNavyCoast GuardMerchant Marine, If Army Air Forces was your veteran June 10, 1944: The Battalion Executive Officer and U.P. September 5, 1944: Co "C" started construction of Class 40 Timber Trestle Bridge under Bailey Bridge at MARIEMBOURG. Exactly where the veteran was stationed and locations he visited during WWII. Waiting for the main part of his unit to catch up, he told soldiers he thought were sleeping to "Get up! The Battalion arrived at WEYMOUTH, DORSET, ENGLAND on the morning of February 1, 1944, where it entrucked for a short trip to SUTTON POYNTZ and CHALET CAMPS. It was the highest bridge constructed by the first army Engineer Combat Battalion in the E.T.O. of the 60th Infantry Regt. 79. That was only one hazard at the air fields in China; the others being Japanese air raids and infiltrators. 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: as of 0800 hours. 94. To some of these thousand men, it was going to be the beginning of a new, big adventure. Francis R. Fulton, Capt. 17. What a great way to start my Sunday; hearing from someone who was there in the flesh. Sewer & water board, electric utility and the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) were completing pump house inspection. His C.O. 1 talking about this. I am now in my 83rd year and I hope that I do not run out of time before I finish what I am now working on. When he went off to college and heard the news about Pearl Harbor, he and his friends began to wonder. October 12, 1944: Co "A" Platoon on Post #9 were straffed [sic] by our own planes at 1416 hours - no damage was done. Robert James was in the shower aboard ship when the alarm went off. April 15, 1945: The Battalion moved to WIPPERFURTH, GERMANY. In February 1945, the battalion was selected for the special task of crossing the Rhine River. 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. Division heading for COUPTRAIN and PRE-EN-PAUL. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 She dissipated his fortune and after he died, she was sued by his children. My first suggestion? moved again to the vicinity of MILLEY arriving at 2330 hours. ANTHEE, BELGIUM.11 September 18, 1944: The Battalion moved to a new bivouac at ROTGEN, GERMANY. Lawrence Snowden remembers that, though it was an easy victory, valuable combat experience and important lessons were imparted on the Marines.