127. Both on the attack and on the defense, engineers led the way. The Battalion C.P. Chow detail going to Post #1 was ambushed by a 6 man patrol; the enemy patrol withdrew after a short fire fight. Part 2 of 2. He woke in free fall with no idea how he had made it out, and soon he was in German custody. At 2300 hours U.P. 6. About Us | Contact Us | Copyright | Report Inappropriate Material September 22, 1944: Co "C" started constructing a Class #40 Timber Trestle bridge under the Bailey Bridge in VICHT. The 296th landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy 20 days after D-Day. Right away, as the oldest one in the large group, she became the leader on the journey. 115. moved to HANS BACKHEIM in the vicinity of MANHEIM, GERMANY. Two engines were out, a third smoking, and they were were losing airspeed and altitude, but they were flying level and pointed home. 71. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. 8. Bn. THE HISTORY OF THE 298th DURING WWII - RootsWeb I am writing my memoirs and I already have over 200 pages. The Battalions mission was general engineer work in the VII Corps sector in the area around STOLBURG, KORNELIMUNSTER, BREINIG. 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. July 6, 1944: Battalion placed in direct support of the 4th Inf. moved to OBERWINTER at 1400 hours. November 9, 1944: Bn. Bn. How very nice to hear from you. 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. September 21, 1944: Co "A" constructed a Class #40 D/S Bailey Bridge in VICHT. 294th Engineer Combat Battalion - American Battle Monuments Commission It wasnt all work as they had opportunities to play ball and see shows by Bob Hope and company. The Battalion was subsequently inactivated on 28 November 1945 at Camp Kilmer, NJ. Division; a heavy snow was falling at the time of the relief; the Battalion moved back to PONTHOZ, BELGIUM. Frank Capuozzi was a rifleman who rode in a jeep ahead of the guns as they pushed across France. This includes when and where the WWII veteran was promoted in rank. A round from a German 88 immediately tore through the engine compartment, but left him unhurt. When the pumps began operation, a 40-foot-wide opening was made in the sheet piling to allow water to flow out of the canal. 1st insignia of 90th Light Div. When I entered the Army in March 1943, I was assigned to the 293rd Combat Engineers and we trained in Camp Gordon, Georgia. 294th Engineer Company | CurrentOps.com placed in direct support of the 9th Inf. We. 44th Engineer Combat Battalion | American Battle Monuments Commission Holtum. A defense was set up by Co's B, A, & C: the Bn. You can literally trace the steps of your WWII veteran! Exactly when your WWII veteran joined and left specific units of assignment. In 1994, the battalion was reactivated and designated as the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power), stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA. 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. 138. Alongside those are the plaques with the names of the Sherborne men who were killed in World War II. After practicing law for 55 years, I'm sure you have more than a few stories to tell. If so, when? We can actually determine the exact aerial missions that your individual Army Air Corps pilot flew. One day I woke up in my foxhole covered with frost and I realized that I had lost most of my hearing. His training continued on board ship in the Pacific. LENNEP, GERMANY.2 of the 60th Infantry Regt. April 9, 1945: Co "C" converted the railroad bridge in WISSEN to take vehicular traffic. I will be able to say, I know the man behind the book! 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. March 14, 1945: The Battalion moved to DUISDORF, in the vicinity of BAD GODESBERG, GERMANY in preparation for the crossing of the RHEIN RIVER. Captured several prisoners. 65. 137. One of the first waves at Omaha Beach. on April 28, 2010. 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. Bob Darino Germany weather house cherry farm pie Berlin Telefunken Eisenhower concentration camp Governor's Island souvenir P-38 Zeiss Ikon subway. February 5, 1945: The Battalion moved from BELGIUM to STOLEBERG, GERMANY. - Present Carthage Armory Carthage, Missouri, United States 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. During the action at Post #3, the enemy infiltered [sic] around Post #4 in strength of approximately two squads. 135. The exact battles your WWII veteran took part in. 61. 44. continues to support the 9th Inf. I have gone back to the Digby property several times and I have found the remnants of the 228th Hospital, and this past October, I found the site of the explosion and I placed American Flags in memory of those who were killed and prayed for their souls. October 23, 1944: Co "A" relieved from attachment to 297 Engr. I am an amateur artist and I just had a one-man show with 40 paintings. 111. moved to vicinity of VILLEDIEU-LES-POLES. 234th Engineer Combat Battalion liberated Holtum. This tradgedy took place in the grounds that housed the 228th American Hospital in Sherborne, Dorset, UK. December 25, 1944: At 1800 hours the Bn. Gp. September 8, 1944: Co "A" dismantled the Inf. 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. 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. HURTGEN FOREST, GERMANY99 Find out whether your WWII veteran was awarded valor medals for gallantry in action or for wounds received in the line of duty. November 24, 1944: Co "C" constructed a Class #40 Bailey Bridge over the timber trestle bridge at MULARTSHUTTE. 83. In October 1943, the battalion left Boston for England and spent months in England training. The Bridge site was heavy mined; T/5 George Oatinbaker was killed by a mine which exploded when his bulldozer passed over it. 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. VII CORPS from February 1, 1944 to April 2, 1945. 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. was across the river without tanks and anti-tank guns and it was being counterattacked by SS troops using flame-throwing tanks. Francis R. Fulton, Capt. Ancestry.com and our loyal RootsWeb community. Frank Capuozzi was born in Naples. #1 of Companies A, B & C arrive at bivouac area in vicinity of St MARIE-DU-MONT. Gp; Co "C" joined the Battalion at ERZEE, BELGIUM. Recon. Thank you very much for your service to our country and sharing your experiences with us. June 24, 1944: Co "C" constructed a Class 40 timber trestle bridge at St MARTIN-DE-AUDOVILLE. The battalion served at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, England, France, Belgium, and Germany Contains the following type (s) of material: memoir, unit histories Available on site only KaRonda Fleming, Public Affairs Office, TF SAFE improves electrical safety in Iraq by Joan Kibler, Training prepares 249th for six-month Iraq duty by Julie LeDoux, Fort Belvoir Eagle, Soldiers Power Up Peace in Iraq, Afghanistan by SSG Michael Carden. Robert James was in the shower aboard ship when the alarm went off. At 0100 hours on August 7, 1944 Capt. Over several days from June to early July 1944, the unit went by parts from England to Vierville, France. HERBORN, GERMANY2 294th Engineer Combat Battalion - 1944. GAVRAY, FRANCE.6 At 2330 hours the Battalion bivouac area was bombed by several bombers using anti-personnel bombs. August 26, 1944: Co "A" constructed reinforced Infantry Support Bridge 504 ft. in length across the SEINE RIVER at MELUN in 5 hours. Let me repeat how exciting it is to hear from someone who was part of the 294th. 126. Division whose mission was to seize and hold the west bank of the ROER RIVER south of DUREN. Wikizero - 90th Light Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) From 1955 until 1960, the 249th Engineer Battalion (Construction) was stationed at Kleber Kaserne, ((Kaiserslautern, Germany)). She dissipated his fortune and after he died, she was sued by his children. He heard some firing from another gun and turned around just in time to see a horrifying sight. It was their third mission over Berlin and they were heading home. June 10, 1944: The Battalion Executive Officer and U.P. It's rotten losing men at any point in the juncture, but so sad that all these men were killed in training. Shipped out to England to prepare for the Normandy invasion, the eighteen year old got "scared as Hell" when he was briefed on the German defenses. On his first raid in North Africa, reconnaissance platoon leader John Souther captured a hundred Germans with no losses to his own unit. And even better that you got the chance to visit with Jean Treasure. From Taunton, I was transferred to the Topographic Engineers in Leicester in the Midlands. Naturally, we were warned by security to keep quiet or we would end up being taken to Leavenworth Penitentiary in Kansas. I have been wearing hearing aids since 1946 and I am now profoundly deaf. October 11, 1944: A 6 man German patrol was found between Post #1 and #3 - two of the enemy were killed and four escaped. 46. 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. (with 4th Cav. I remember walking in snow up to my crotch in Belgium. EmailPhone, Research A World War II Veteran (WWII WW2). Part 1 of 2. Seeking records of 111th Engineers Combat Batta | History Hub The battalion was organized and under the command of only three captains. January 22, 1945: Co "C" (with the 4th Cav.) About 400 miles east of Newfoundland, we hit a terrible storm with 70 foot seas. August 15, 1944: Bn. Bn. 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. (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. July 5, 1944: Co. "B" repaired damaged bridge at BAUPTE under artillery fire. The division was inactivated at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on 27 November 1945. 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. This was a Pile Bent Bridge with 3-story trestle bents on the piles, 55 feet high. In May 1945, when the war ended in Europe, the battalion was moved to Plattling, Germany where they built a camp for displaced refugees. 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. Engineers Unit Rosters and Unit Photographs - WorldWarTwoVeterans.com In England he boarded another ship for he knew not where. Then he got acquainted with giant mosquitoes. After all, he was the son of a chef. The 237th Engineer Combat Battalion served with distinction under 1st Army during WWII. July 29, 1944: Co "A" cleared hundreds of wrecked enemy vehicles from the streets of RONCEY and other roads in the vicinity. He came in as a replacement to a tank destroyer battalion. 81. With a commandeered ambulance full of casualties, he threaded his way through the ordeal thanks to luck and guile. Explore military combat reports and casualty records tounderstand the battlefield experiences and sacrifices of your WWII veteran and their military unit. 68. 812th Engineer Company | Lineage and Honors | U.S. Army Center of 40 Bailey bridge in SHEVENHUTTE, GERMANY. 284th Combat Engineers 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: 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. The Bn. Power Surge, 249th Engineer Battalion Responds to Electrocutions in Iraq by LTC Paul B. Olsen, P.E. 39. August 14, 1944: VII Corps jumped off with the 3rd Armd. Sewell, Sgt. 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. The main difference lies in the divisional structure. 50. July 17, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac at TRIBEHOU. 294th Engineer Combat Battalion - 1944. 26. June 21, 1944: Battalion moved to new bivouac in the vicinity of MONTEBURG. July 25, 1944: The Battalion witnessed the "Carpet Bombing" of the breakthrough zone by 2,000 U.S. So how about it? 70. His father worked as a chef in America and as soon as he became a citizen in 1939, he sent for the rest of the family.