I get so tired of hearing some complain day in and day out about how it's too hot or too cold, or how they had to drive 15 miles to pick up a wife's prescription, or You get the drift. Then an 88 round went right through the number four wing tank. 5. Bn. They lost all of their equipment. 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. Four German fighters pounced on the B-24 and it was engulfed in flame and going down. You may want to try and contact this gentleman. Please tell Michael Brodhead that I sent you. 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. While there, there was a German air raid and two planes were shot down. On 19 March 1945, the unit was assigned to the engineer task force charged with crossing the Rhine at Oppenheim. 24. 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. What are we going to do? Any contribution above basic membership is tax deductible, and is most appreciated. My first suggestion? Bn. 130. 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. Find the perfect iowa leader stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. My guess is he was in another unit prior to his service in the 257th. returned to Battalion. 3RD ARMORED DIVISION Clyde Burnette fought for consciousness as the other crew in the back of the plane bailed out. 63. September 26, 1944: Co "A" completed the Timber Trestle Bridge in VICHT. Robert James was in the shower aboard ship when the alarm went off. 33. It receives no town or state funding. When he heard the sound of Canadian tanks, he knew that liberation was finally at hand. An uneventful Christmas Eve for the 298th Engr. (C) Group. moved to the vicinity of COUPTRAIN and was given the mission of supporting the 9th Inf. At the end, though, there was a camp waiting for him just like all the rest. Co "C" (-) 1 Platoon relieved from attachment to 297th Engr. 52. 1 talking about this. 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. The North portion of the position was reached but the foxholes were found empty. It took us 21 days from Antwerp to New York. When he went off to college and heard the news about Pearl Harbor, he and his friends began to wonder. gave him permission to go see him. Bob Darino | 294th Engineer Combat Battalion, VII Corps, 1st Army - Army Sorry, the video player failed to load. Bn. Sewer & water board, electric utility and the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) were completing pump house inspection. Bob Darino Germany weather house cherry farm pie Berlin Telefunken Eisenhower concentration camp Governor's Island souvenir P-38 Zeiss Ikon subway. Our mission was to provide close Engineer support to 78th Infantry Div. 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. March 7, 1945: The Battalion C.P. (This interview made possible with the support of COL ROBERT W. RUST, USMCR (ret.) 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. Co "C" attached to 297th Engr. August 31, 1944: Bn. August 6-7, 1944: Bn. 59. They don't realize how wonderful it is to hear and I bet you'd be so happy to have yours back. Co "C" swept the road from ROTGEN to ROTT for mines. Google Map of Major Ops of the 298th He bunked with regular B-17 crew members, but Bill Livingstone was a gunnery instructor who was there to keep skills sharp. On March 20, 1944, I was lying in bed when there was a huge explosion and I was blown off my bed. April 21 - May 7, 1945: The Battalion moved to BRAUNFELS, GERMANY on April 21st and was given the mission of re-constructing and repairing Route N-49, which was the First U.S. Army's M.S.R., from BRAUNFELS to the AUTOBAHN south of GIESSEN. Gp; Co "C" joined the Battalion at ERZEE, BELGIUM. was relieved by 246 Engr. I am now a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol of the United States Air Force Auxiliary. August 1, 1944: Bn. (C) Bn. Temperatures were minus 20 degrees. Then fate intervened in the form of an ambulance without a driver. This often includes map coordinates which can be translated using Google Earth to pinpoint the G.P.S. They welded up the old tub and then put us on board again and we made our way down to New York. . December 17, 1943 was the big day. What a great way to start my Sunday; hearing from someone who was there in the flesh. One of the daughters, Pamela Digby later married Randolph Churchill, Winston's son. September 2, 1944: Bn. moved to ANDENNE, BELGIUM and trained in River crossing operations on the MEUSE RIVER. on April 28, 2010. 71. 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. He was grateful when someone gave him some morphine to ease the pain from multiple shrapnel wounds. March 1, 1945: Co "A" started construction of a large box CULVERT just west of DUREN. I know Colin will be tickled pink to read this. I understand that this was done because placing a hospital near explosives was a violation of the Geneva Convention. The battalion was organized and under the command of only three captains. Are you stuffed from all that turkey and fixings? 105. 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. He will never forget the words of General Eisenhower. November 19, 1944: Co "B" converted Bailey Bridge from 80' D/S to 110' T/S, in the vicinity of WALHEIM, GERMANY. Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. Dedicated to the men who proudly served their country during World War II by serving in the 238th Engineer Combat Battalion. July 18, 1944: Bn. Co "A" started construction of 150' T/D Bailey Bridge across the SIEG RIVER at WISSEN, GERMANY. moved from ANDENNE, BELGIUM to RAEREN, GERMANY. He was in the hospital right at the time of the explosion . 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. (with 4th Cav. [2], The 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power) provides oversight on all coalition operating base power projects in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom).[3][4][5][6][7]. In Germany, Carroll's unit liberated a forced labor camp, and he remembered that the prisoners were horribly emaciated. By the time we finished training, the war in Africa was over. I have been back to Sherborne on four occasions. Wes Ruth was eating breakfast when he saw the planes coming in. September 18, 1944: The Battalion moved to a new bivouac at ROTGEN, GERMANY. February 24, 1945: Co "C" attached to 4th Cav. Now you have information on the tragic accident from someone who was there. moved at 1630 hours and reached the destination at 2030 hours. Right away, as the oldest one in the large group, she became the leader on the journey. 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. They learned how to dismantle and remove land mines, repair and build bridges and construct camps for their comrades in other units. Heat, insects, and mud were constant companions during basic training. An SOS went out and two Coast Guard cutters came out from Argentia, Newfoundland. The enemy lost 14 prisoners and 6 men killed. continues to support the 9th Inf. 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION (Error Code: 100013) 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. Co "B" constructed reinforced Heavy Ponton Bridge 465 ft. in length across the SEINE RIVER at MELUN in 9 hours and 30 minutes. 124. October 17, 1944: At 1130 hours a patrol of Co "A" moving from Post #8 to Post #1 encountered heavy small arms fire - three men failed to return. She dissipated his fortune and after he died, she was sued by his children. Companies A and C were ordered into the town of Arsdorf where the battalion was engaged in fierce combat for two days. Henk Duinhoven was lucky to be in the countryside, where gardens had been harvested. The training was in preparation for the anticipated crossing of the RHINE RIVER. August 15, 1944: Bn. The truck accidentally back up over some mines and about 90 mines exploded. The 296th landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy 20 days after D-Day. October 18, 1944: At 0900 hours an enemy force approached Post #5 - the enemy withdrew after exchanging a few shots. This was a Pile Bent Bridge with 3-story trestle bents on the piles, 55 feet high. The Battalions mission was general engineer work in the VII Corps sector in the area around STOLBURG, KORNELIMUNSTER, BREINIG. They made a desperate run for Brussels, which had been liberated. Battalion noun Any large body of troops. Kamikazes had broken through the air cover and were headed for the convoy. Rommel's big push had begun. 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 The battalion's motto is "Build, Support, Sustain!". Welcome sir. Veteran's Branch of Service? Robert James was propped up against a bulkhead, going in and out of consciousness. Get up!" I have been wearing hearing aids since 1946 and I am now profoundly deaf. November 28, 1944: Co "A" started construction of a Timber Trestle bridge under the Bailey Bridge in VICHT. 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION 41. ArmyAir Force/A.A.F.Marine CorpsNavyCoast GuardMerchant Marine, If Army Air Forces was your veteran Three men from Co "A" were injured on booby traps when Co "A" relieved the Company from 297th Engr. 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. With a commandeered ambulance full of casualties, he threaded his way through the ordeal thanks to luck and guile. 139. 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. Often the military records will show the duties a WWII veteran held during the war. September 26, 1944: Co "C" attached to 297th Engr. The Battalion C.P. If you have additional information on the 294th I would like to share it with my father-in-law. Rufus Dalton was at the Maginot Line bouncing mortar shells off an old citadel. The Allies had arrived in Holland. The Bn. After the emergency was over, plans called for the canal to be drained and the wall repaired. Through the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the 249th soldiers provide contracting officer technical representation on projects throughout the world.[9][10]. Many of the vehicles were damaged and one man was killed while driving the Battalion Commander from the defense position to the FWD. 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.