WWII Mountain Memories:
Home Front to the Frontline
Testimonies of WWII Veterans and Civilians from Western North Carolina

Dewitt Talmadge Tipton

Interviewed May 14, 2003

Fred Meyer

While Dewitt Tipton's experiences are interesting and noteworthy, I found his (and his wife's) observations on what was occurring back at home to be both interesting and worthy of sharing with all who view the exhibit. They reflected a side of America unknown to many, and in this age of instant communication, forgotten by almost all.

As a member of the 160^th Combat Engineering Battalion of the 3^rd Army (Patton's group), their job was to build (and sometimes destroy) bridges  to keep the army moving, or to prevent the German Army from retaking captured ground. As described by Tipton, the 14 months (with almost no break) were very routine (but always dangerous), with little change in activity. Usually under fire, this engineering group was not atypical of other such groups. Their unit suffered many casualties, often having to function as infantry as they did their work. Constantly on the move and often working around the clock, their efforts allowed victory to happen.

One of the most noteworthy achievements of their unit (and of the entire war) was when they finished an 1896 foot pontoon bridge capable of supporting tanks across the Rhine river in 22 hours.. This is equivalent to six and a third football fields across a river with a strong current, accomplished under fighting conditions, (see picture)

As cited in the opening paragraph, I was fascinated by the response to questions asked about what was going on back in Mitchell county. The discussion started when I asked what it was like back here at home, then how the locals felt about the internment camp at Montreat, and generally what was discussed about the war. Phoebe (Tipton's wife) responded somewhat vaguely, saying there realty wasn't much discussed, and even more surprisingly other than for major happenings (or notification of locals wounded or killed in action), not much was known about the progress of the war. When I pursued this line, Tipton re-entered the conversation with some fascinating comments on the realities of Mitchell county in 1944 and 45.

Tipton pointed out that in those years, not only where there very few radios in their part of the county, most were so poor that they could not even afford telephones, and no one owned cars. As such, communication (and knowledge of anything beyond the horizon) was very limited, a concept today that would be very difficult for a child or young adult to understand. Tipton told of how, even after the war, the only way to get anything sizeable moved is if you knew someone with a cart and mule (or horse).

Other combat experiences discussed included eating under the extreme conditions they faced. Because they were constantly involved in activity more physically demanding than the foot soldier, they were fed better than most. Usually a mobile kitchen was part of their unit so they often had the luxury of hot meals, something rarely enjoyed by most in combat. Another interesting observation was on their $50 per month salary, some of which was deducted for laundry. Go figure. By the time his deduction for his mother was taken out, he ended up with $20 per month.

One of the most harrowing experiences Tipton encountered was typical of the dangers they faced. Forced to make a night assault in preparation to bridge yet another river, they had to ferry infantry across to attempt to provide cover for their next day's work. In the process of doing so, they had to cross the rapidly flowing river (at night), then return. Because of the current, they were carried away from the area where they had started, essentially ending up in enemy controlled territory both in the crossing and the return. Several of those who accompanied him were wounded, just missed being wounded or (in his case) fortunately escaped injury. As always, fate played her hand

Tipton and Pheobe told about how, in their correspondence, two of his letters were inadvertently switched in their envelopes by the censors, something apparently not uncommon. Fortunately, no one was embarrassed this time.

The day the war ended in Europe, Tipton's unit was working on a road. They saw two American staff cars driving by, with German Officers inside. Tipton said he turned to his fellow workers and said simply, 'the war's over,' and for them, it was. Scheduled to be shipped to the Pacific, by the time they had pulled back and prepared for the trip, the war in the Pacific was drawing to a close. Instead of heading further east, they returned home to Mitchell County.

After the war and before Tipton ended up working where he finished his career, he attempted farming. During those years, the State provided night schooling in farming, for which Tipton was paid $80 per month to attend. He also was briefly involved in Veteran's organizations, but dropped out "because all they ever wanted was money."

Tipton's observations on how his service career impacted him immediately after the war and later years was interesting. ...and very simple ....and speaks to his nature. He said he felt it had no impact on him...''but changed those that needed it."

[Ed. note: Document remains in its original format. All italics are represented in original document.]

FORWARD

The 160th Engineering Combat Battalion consisted of four Comp­anies, Headquarters and Service Company, A, B, and C,

A, B, and C Companies consisted of three Platoons each.

Each Platoon consisted of three squads.

The Battalion suffered 23 killed and 148 wounded some twice.

There were 13 Silver Star Medals awarded.

52 Bronze Star Medals awarded.

Soldiers Medal awarded.

Croix de Guerre Medals from the French Government awarded. 1 Medal for Valor, presented by the U.S.S.R.

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THEIR EARS GREW HAIRY

They came from the countryside, small towns and cities of more than a dozen states where they had been truckers, farmers, labor­ers, salesmen, students and small business operators. Now they were Company C 160th Engineer Battalion, United States Army, The men had trained together for over a year, basic and maneuvers.

Yesterday did not matter except to the individual, today they were part of a unit whose job it was, according to the manual, "to provide for the uninterrupted advance of friendly troops and impede the advance of the enemy forces." the training program taught them that providing for the advance of friendly troops included, picking up mines, removing road blocks and other obstacles, making, improving, and maintaining roads. At rivers they learned to transport men in boats, construct standard and improvised fer­ries and erect six types of bridges, to impede the enemy advanc­es, they must lay mines, install road blocks and other obstacles and destroy existing bridges with demolitions.

Today was June 27th 1944 and they were outward bound from Bos­ton Port of embarkation to a theatre of operations where they would put to practice their training on rivers and roads where it was no longer a problem, but the real thing "WAR"

The ocean trip was to be a short one as war voyages go. Seven days brought them into the Firth of Clyde where they disembarked the next day at Gourock, Scotland. The trip was uneventful and would have been very enjoyable had it been possible, at Boston, to give the men a guarantee to the effect of its uneventfulness. The weather was described by "HELPFUL" sailors as "perfect for subs" and only on the fourth night out did the ships motion dist­ress the stomachs of a minority. The speed of the trip was due to the fact that it was one the finest ships, the "USS West Point. Her speed was such that she did not have to stay with a slow mon­otonous convoy, but it also left all hands without the comforting sight of a naval escort. The general attitude of the men, most of whom were sea born for the first time, was; "It's a good deal if nothing happens".

Gourock, Scotland was a little train station where the local RED CROSS put out cigarettes, coffee and doughnuts while a kilted group of Scottish bandsmen marched up and down the platform entertaining the men till all were loaded and the train pulled

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out, down thru Scotland, the lake country, and different sights which the men could see until midnight because of the long lingering daylight.

The men spent the next 33 days on the manor grounds of Blithfield Hall where they spent the days drawing, cleaning and repair­ing their tools, equipment and motor vehicles. The evenings were spent in the nearby towns of Rugly, Stafford and Walsall where they met a different people and new customs. The trails through this part of the country had been well blazed by "Yanks" before so the war drained resources of English hospitality were severely strained as well as the English nature. However, they withstood this fresh assault and at the termination of the men's stay both sides could reasonably conclude they benefited by the meeting.

Early, on the 8th of August, the Company left for the marshal­ling area where they stayed two nights and a day prior to hording an LST at Southampton on Aug. 10th. Two nights and a day were spent crossing the English Channel and laying off Utah beach where there were hundreds of craft unloading men and materials.

August 12tn, "Dear Mom, We are somewhere in France." Thus started many a letter and many a Mom remembered reading the same letter 26 years ago. The next five days were spent in the trucks catching up with a fast moving war that had, nevertheless, left many ruined towns in its wake. Carentan, Coutarce, Avranches, Mortain and Alencon, the southern hinge of the Alencon gap where the Germans were funneled to a death trap.

August 17th they were going up "Where the shootin is". Five years ago open war had been declared in Europe, Four years ago marked the first draft registration. A year and a half ago the last man of the Company had been inducted. On each occasion the pulse jumped a little harder. There had been much talk about what they would or wouldn't do, whether or not they'd be scared and all the other speculations about being in combat, but this was "IT" soon they'd know.

War, like all heavy drama and tragedy must produce its comedy relief points for the relaxation of its actor audience. Rarely are these bits of humor appreciated when they occur, for few can laugh in the face of death and destruction. It may be excruciatingly funny or mildly so, but if, after it's over it produces a laugh the purpose is served because the tense men relax and their over worked system resumes a normal pace.

Up to this point the password and countersign had not been too important, but now there were possibilities of enemy patrols, etc, so the entire Company, being still a little on the trigger happy side due to their greenness was very anxious to make the proper word come forth quickly. This night the words were point­er setter. A few stray bullets "Zinged" thru the bivouac area and everyone was up in arms hunting "Snipers". One of the men meeting a comrade in the darkness, challenged him and the safety on his rifle clicked ominously. The man thus challenged completely forgot the password, but knowing speed was of essence if he were to con­tinue living, hurriedly, blurted out "bird-dog". The next day, when events of the night resumed their proper importance, this little episode was good for a bit of kidding all the way around.

While this was taking place back in Company Headquarters; the three line platoons moved into position four miles east, where their mission was to defend a bridge over the railroad tracks on the western edge of Chartres. One platoon had squads on the far side of the bridge while the other two were deployed on the flan­ks. Shortly after dark the Armored Infantry moved through the Company position in their attack and the fire works began. Only a few large shells landed close enough to be observed, but the air was full of machine gun tracers from both directions causing the men to have a very friendly regard for their foxholes. Towards morning the fighting died down, and the 18th was spent alternately guarding and sleeping until evening when they withdrew to the bivouac area for the night.

On Aug. 19th the Company went to an area 4 miles south of Dreaux where they set up a perimeter defense which they maintained without incident till the next afternoon, when they returned to the old area west of Chartres.

August 21st found the Company on the road again for a 60 mile jump that placed them 4 1/2 miles northwest of Malesherbes. On the morning of the 22nd the platoons moved toward Girenville where they paused long enough for the Infantry to clear out the town before moving in to repair a half blown bridge. Two of the plato­ons repaired the bridge and maintained a ford while the other platoon stayed in reserve. A German tank provided the only thrill of the day when it fired one round which passed about three feet above head level and penetrated a building behind the bridge site.

On the 23rd one platoon was attached to the Infantry for the purpose of removing demolitions from bridges while the other two platoons were guarding the bridge at Girenville and clearing a road near La Chappell. Next morning the platoon still with the Infantry set out with a task force to reconnoiter a town and det­ermine the condition of its bridges. The bridges were found to be in need of considerable repair so another route was taken by the Infantry to catch up with the rapidly, retreating German Army. That afternoon the platoon was assigned the job of constructing and operating a ferry across the Seine River at Montereau.

Going into town late that afternoon with the Infantry filing by on either side of the road, the platoon leader and his Sergeants were slightly surprised to note the Infantry hitting the ground ever so often. Closer observation revealed small clouds of dirt flying where mortar shells, aimed at the Infantry, were lan­ding a few yards off the road. It was unanimously decided that all the noise was not due solely to outgoing stuff so simultaneo­usly and without any discussion all occupants of the Jeep bailed out and dived into the ditches. After a minute or two it became obvious that the Jeep in its stationary position was making a good target so everyone piled in and the driver, without urging, made rapid time into town. A ferry site was selected and the party returned to the assembly area for the men and equipment. Just as the loading was being completed an artillery barrage was laid in on the exact area causing the men and trucks to leave with more than ordinary haste. The platoon set about constructing a ferry, but important parts were missing so it was four o'clock on the morning of the 25th before the ferry, with improvisions, made its first trip. The other two platoons had arrived in the meantime and constructed a second ferry at daybreak.

Breakfast, which the cooks had brought down, was about over and the platoon carried on when suddenly it seemed that all "Hell broke loose". A Company of Germans had infiltrated to the right flank across the river and set up mortars and machine guns in a brick walled factory yard. One minute all was quiet with a few men still finishing breakfast when "wham"; a mortar shell broke among them and machine and burp guns opened up raking the men on the shore and the ferry which was caught in mid stream, as well as a work security party on the far shore. One ferry was knocked out at the onset and in the face of heavy fire the men were dire­cted by an Infantry Divisional Engineer Officer to take the other one across. This one got to midstream when the enemy just walked their fire up the water and riddled the boat. By now the fire was so heavy and pinpoint, deadly the men were directed to withdraw from the river front until artillery could neutralize the enemy positions.

As a result of that tragic morning the Company suffered 34 casualties, 7 men killed, and 27 wounded one of the wounded later dying in an Evacuation Hospital. C Company withdrew to the bivouac area that afternoon with heavy hearts. Up to this point the war had been an adventure to some, but the stark reality of its horror, pain, fear, death and waste was indelibly engraved on every mind. The cries of the wounded and dying, the thud of bullets into soft flesh, the stupefying sight of a comrade being blown in parts by larger shells, the dignity of men being absolved as he grovels into the earth to escape death while raw fear burns in ever fiber of his being, that was war. Glamour, adventure and heroics were only incidental by-products of figments of the mind on the part of the uninitiated.

The next week saw the Company following in the wars wake but taking no active part till they arrived at Chary on the Meuse River a short distance from Verdun on Sept.1st. Here, the Company had the cheerless distinction of being the most forward troops in the sector. The Armored Forces and Infantry were strung out behind them, waiting for gas before they could proceed across the tread way bridge the men were about to build. The three platoons constructed the bridge while Company Headquarters furnished the security detail. Upon completion of the bridge, two platoons secured crushed rock and built up the approach on the near side while the other platoon constructed a road leading away from the bridge and guarded an unblown bridge across a canal half a mile forward.

The bridge had just been completed and the men were at their own tasks when Jerry put in his appearance. Tonight, it was to be

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an aerial heckling, heralding by the approaching irregular beat of motors that characterize German planes. In a moment the first plane came in, releasing a string of flares so bright and reveal­ing that a man felt naked. Their target was supplies they'd been unable to take with them from Verdun, but they hadn't notified anyone to that effect ahead of time, and their faulty aiming dropped bombs within 150 yards of the mess truck so the men were justified in developing a marked allergy to the area.

Again there was humor in the proceedings which was not appre­ciated until the next day. One man, going for cover across an embankment, hit a wire fence full speed and rebounded like a wre­stler coming off the ropes, and then he blindly picked himself up and repeated the exact performance. Three or four men would dive into the same hole at fractional intervals like a deck of cards being mixed. One officer headed for the bridge, saying it was the safest spot if it were the target. One non-com taking shelter on the marshy bank of the river, called a group of men who came in so fast they overshot the mark and ended up either head-first or feet-first in four feet of mud and water.

The terrifying thing about being bombed is the feeling of complete helplessness that grips one. Foxholes offer fair protec­tion from small fire and shell bursts, but a large bomb does not have to hit direct to do its damage. Then, when it’s released it starts to whistle, low at first, increasing with every foot of fall. Each moment stretches into years as the bomb comes down and the whistle expresses so dominantly on each man that he feels sure it can't land any place possibly but squarely in the middle of his neck. This took place in less than half an hour and no real damage was done so the Company completed its mission and was relieved the next morning.

The next three days were occupied in cleaning equipment and standing by for further orders. On Sept. 5th and 6th, the men, aided by French workers, were engaged in repairing the railway between Etan and Verdun.

On the 6th the Company moved forward with a combat team headed for the Moselle River. Early on the morning of the 7th, one plat­oon was attached to a task force that fought its way to the river at Dorna. The platoon's assignment was to construct and operate ferries again. However this site, which was under the guns and forts defending Metz, was abandoned after two days of futile eff­ort. In the meanwhile the rest of the Company had moved to Chambley, a short distance from Arneville, where it was joined by the other platoon, withdrawing from Darnal.

Here on the Moselle, from Nancy to Thienville, the entire Third Army was to write a bloody epic of U.S. Military History. The toughest core of resistance was centered on Metz with its 27 protective forts. No army had successfully taken Metz by storm for 1500 years and now, a Nazi O.C.S. with its fanatical, battle experienced students was only a part of the determined forces who had most emphatic orders to prevent its capture this time.

Sep. 9th and 10th found the Company standing by, awaiting momentary orders to proceed to the river at Arneville. On the 11th, one platoon went down to construct a treadway bridge, but the artillery and mortar fire became so heavy they were forced to retreat with the artillery fire literally following them up the hill. The entire Company made many more efforts that day to get the bridge in, but the deadly fire from guns manned by the Nazi O.C.S. instructors kept them from completing the mission. On the 12th, these efforts were successful, aided by a smoke screen put up by a Colored Chemical Warfare unit.

One man of the Company was killed and six were wounded, a small price in the overall picture, but not small to the men or their families. All the men paid a price that cannot be totaled or repaid. History shows that there have always been wars and for this reason many claim it's part of a man's nature and there will always be wars. Very few are the men who lay under shell fire that will concede it's a normal thing to kill or be killed. Life becomes immeasurably more attractive when one is faced with the prospect of losing it. Thus, at Arneville, as at all "hot spots", the high pitched, nerve tearing scream of the 88's that only warn the quick, the short sibilant note of the mortars, often unheard over the greater battle noises and the long drawn out shriek of the heavy artillery, all extracted a price that is not recordable

It was here that the classic reaction of a colored soldier is supposed to have occurred. He was posted well forward as an observer at the bridgehead, when he was asked over the field phone how things were. He replied, "Suh, all I know these shells keep saying: Yooooooo ain't going back to Ala-BAM-a".

During the next four days some of the men wounded at Montereau and new replacements came to the Company while it was engaged in maintaining the bridges and roads in the vicinity.

On the 17th the Company constructed a bailey bridge across the Marne canal adjoining the Moselle at Vandiers. This was accompli­shed under intermittent artillery fire that barely overshot the bridge site.

The next six days were spent on road work and guard duty in that same vicinity. The 23rd, 24th and 25th, were occupied on infantry and infantry practice, obstacles course for the training of infantry replacements.

For almost six weeks, until Nov. 5th the men had a welcome relief from work under fire as they maintained roads and bridges in the vicinity of Pagny su Moselle. They were billeted in homes now, for the first time in France, staying in a place long enough to become a little acquainted with the people. During this period the Company drew but one assignment fraught with possibilities. On Oct. 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th, the men hacked a road thru the woods up to the guns of formidable Fort Driant, across the Moselle for Gorzo. Here they saw the American artillery shells bounce off the forts walls like B.B. shot and witnessed at first hand a dive bombing attack that was somewhat more effective. During the three days occasional shells ploughed the woods up a bit, but fortunat­ely the German Garrison wasn't fully aware of what was going on or their guns would have made the woods untenable.

Until Nov. 9th the Moselle River was probed at various places for a new crossing. When they finally started an assault crossing it was at Uckang, under heavy machine gun fire, mortar and artil­lery fire. It was estimated that 5000 shells came into the area in a 24 hour period, 2100 of which fell in the first four hours, completely pinning the men down. One of the men who had seen four D days; in Africa, Sicily, Italy and Normandy, said it was the heaviest concentration of artillery fire he had ever experienced. Miraculously, the only casualty sustained by the Company was one man, wounded. The Company continued to supply and support the Infantry there for three days.

Nov. 13th the platoons constructed a tread way bridge at Mall-

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in, again artillery and mortar fire and the other platoon maintained it for two days afterwards. On Nov. 15th the Company left to guard a bridge at Thionville. On the 16th they put a 740 foot heavy pontoon bridge across the Moselle back at Uckange where once the expected enemy fire was not forthcoming. This was a record bridge for its size at the time.

Nov. 17th, 18th and 19th the Company moved six times only to find that each time a proposed job was cancelled. On the 20th they constructed a 705 ft, heavy Pontoon bridge across the Moselle at Metz and maintained it for 9 days under intermittent artillery fire. The greatest problem here though, was the constant rise and fall of the temperamental Moselle which necessitated the constant adding and removing of sections in the bridge to make it conform to the current water level.

Thus ended almost three hectic months on the Moselle River, no mean obstacle itself, in its fall rain, swollen condition that made any Engineer work difficult without the added occupational hazards of enemy resistance.

Nov. 30th the Company moved to Bouzonville, where for four days they were guarding two Bailey bridges and clearing roads while one platoon was engaged in still maintaining the heavy pon­toon bridge at Metz.

For four days, beginning the 5th of Dec. the platoons alterna­ted at Lisdorf Germany, assisting other units at a proposed bridge site over the Sarr River under heavy artillery, mortar and small arms fire. On the 9th two platoons attempted to put a ferry across the river at this point, but the fire was still prohibitive.

On the 11th and 12th one platoon was engaged in clearing mines and debris from the streets of Saarlautern, Germany, another was dismantling the heavy pontoon bridge across the Moselle River at Metz, France while the remaining platoon was unloading heavy equipment at Bouzonville, France.

From the 13th to the 20th two platoons at a time were engaged in clearing debris, mines and booby traps in Saarlautern, under intermittent artillery fire that forced them to live in cellars at night and often, make a quick dive for one in the daytime,

The past three weeks were distinguished not only because they were the first on "Holy German Soil", but by the fact that it was

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the Company's first contact with the famed Sigfred line. At this point the Sarr River divides the City of Saarlautern, its east bank studded with pill boxes and houses that closer examination revealed to be reinforced concrete fortresses. Protected in this manner, the enemy put up very stubborn resistance. Not only did the enemy shell a good distance behind the lines and in Saarlautern itself, but their command of the road leading down to the town made every trip in and out of it an extremely hazardous proc­edure. Once inside the town the men felt relatively secure in the cellars, but mail and supplies had to come in and the platoons had to be rotated for relief. The road was strewn with the wreck­age of less fortunate vehicles and the men could be reasonably pardoned for regarding each trip, especially the slow one out, as a direct invitation to destruction. It all contributed to making those three weeks the most protracted period of suspense and apprehension the Company had been subjected to.

On Dec. 22nd the Company tracked north toward the Ardennes, along with other units of the Third Army, bent on stemming Von Rundstedt’s counter offensive in Luxembourg and Belgium. The Compa­ny was billeted in Livange, Luxembourg, where they spent the Chr­istmas Holiday, digging defensive positions and preparing road blocks in various parts of the Grand Duchy.

On New Year's Eve the men were just settling down to dinner in new billets in Munsbach, Luxembourg when a German plane, returned from an unsuccessful mission over the Airport on the outskirts of Luxembourg City, was forced to release its one remaining bomb which fell uncomfortably close. The incidence drew our antiaircr­aft batteries in the vicinity into action and the ensuing short fight in which the plane escaped added a spicy touch to their turkey dinner. The counter offensive still had not lost all its threatening aspect so the first seventeen days of the New Year saw the men maintaining defensive positions and sanding icy roads in and around Luxembourg City.

On the 18th of January, the platoons, with the kitchen, went up to the Saur River in the vicinity of Bettendorf to construct a tread way bridge. The next day the bridge was put across in jig time despite harassing, indirect artillery fire. They guarded and maintained the bridge on the 21st under heavy mortar and artillery

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fire. The maintenance and security of another bridge at Gilsdorf was added to the Company duties on the 21st.

Jan. 22nd the rest of the Company Headquarters moved up to Medernach, where the platoons and the kitchen were staying. The Company's duties now consisted of maintenance and security of two Baileys, one Treadway, and an Infantry support bridge. One platoon disassembled the Infantry support bridge at Gilsdorf while the remaining two platoons continued to maintain the other bridges on the 23rd. During the 24^th. and 25^th, one platoon cut timber for Infantry shelters while the other two remaining at the bridge. The Company was relieved of these duties on the 28th when they moved to Hamm, a couple of kilometers from Luxembourg City. For the next five days the men sanded roads of the surrounding area.

Feb, 5th the Company returned to Munsbach where for five days one platoon and a squad from another were detached to Junglinster to guard one of the most powerful transmitters on the continent, Radio Luxembourg.

Feb. 6th the three platoons moved to Scheindgen where they awaited final orders to move to Echternacht and make an assault crossing of the Saur River. With pillboxes and fortifications of the Sigfred Line thick along the east bank, this was to prove itself the worst experience of the Company in spite of the fact the casualty list did not run as high as at Montereau and the artillery was not quite as intense as at Uckange.

The first wave was assembled on the river bank early on the morning of Feb. 8th, when the whole area was lighted by flares from the German side. The first wave was launched and successive waves were coming down to the site when small arms fire, heavy artillery and 120 MM mortar transferred the flare lit scene into a thing that paled "Dante's Inferno". The swift current of the flood swollen river whirled the shell tossed boats around and around, snipers on the bank opened up and everything became conf­usion. The men became separated due to lost or riddled boats. Two of them joined the Infantry and were pinned down across the river for four days. Others took refuge from the terrible shell fire in various cellars and houses where they ran into booby traps and it was two days before the majority were all accounted for. The cas­ualties then formed a list of two killed, four missing, and fifteen

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wounded. Subsequently the four missing were found dead.

In the meantime the Company moved to Syren on the 8th where they stayed for two days, and moved to Delhem where they maintai­ned a CP for two weeks. During this period the platoons were at Busse, Remich, Assel and Greiveldange where they maintained road blocks and kept tab on the German forces on the opposite side of the Moselle River. Also, during this period, one platoon made an unopposed assault crossing of the Moselle River at Elinen.

On the 22nd the Company moved down to Budding, France where they were engaged in road maintenance work for two days.

Feb. 24th the Company returned to Luxembourg to the village of Bech, about a mile from Remich, where they were on the Moselle River that formed the boundary between Luxembourg and Germany. For thirteen days the men labored across the river in Germany mainta­ining the main supply route to our forces driving towards Trier and the Rhine River beyond Coblenz. This consisted of filling shell holes, raising the road shoulders and in general keeping the roads in shape to support the rapidly moving heavy traffic. They also removed demolitions from bridges, culverts and neutral­ized booby traps where ever they might endanger our troops. Along with the road work the men worked on a floating Bailey bridge and maintained its approaches during this period. The last five days saw two platoons clearing a bomb shattered railroad yard at Wincheringe, Germany and helping with the track work, getting things in shape for an ammunition depot.

The Company moved thirty miles to Trier on March 7th where they headquartered until the 18th. The men spent three days on road maintenance again and started construction on a Bailey bridge at Quint, on the 10th, finishing it on the 11th. Then for four days the men guarded and maintained this bridge as well as a Treadway bridge at Fohren and another bridge at Dorbech. For the next three days the men rested as much as possible while waiting for moving orders to proceed with an Armored Division on its drive southeast from Trier to the Rhine.

On the 18th the Company went to Weiskirchen where five squads built a Bailey bridge nearby at Akrettnich and the other four rebuilt a culvert near Wadern.

On the 19th and 20th the Company billeted in Oberthal from

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where the men went to do road maintenance and check for demolitions in the vicinity.

The Company went to Kaiserlauten for two days on the 22nd where some of the men checked bridges, culverts and buildings for demo­litions which they removed along with a few booby traps.

On the evening of the 23rd the Company retimed to Oberthal where they stayed till the 26th. One platoon maintained a Bailey bridge near Otcenhauser while another platoon maintained the MSR between Nonweiler and Coblenz. The other platoon also worked on the cribbing and piers of the Bailey bridge.

At three o'clock in the morning of the 26th the Company started on a seventy mile jump that brought them to Armsheim, a marshalling area for Engineer Troops and equipment, where they spent the night before shoving off to the Rhine River, the most feared job for Engineers in the ETO. One bridge had been captured intact across the Rhine and a couple of others had been built, but this was still the river the Company had been apprehensive about since their first experience with rivers in France. The rest of the Army could worry about Berlin, but once across the Rhine, the Engineers felt that anything more would be anti-climax.

On the evening of March 27th the Company moved into Mainz on the Rhine and one platoon was immediately dispatched to work on the approaches for the contemplated bridge in a small basin off the river where the LSV's and other Navy craft were to load pers­onnel and equipment for the assault crossing. The platoon worked most of the night while the area was under heavy artillery, mort­ar and small arms fire.

The next day at 1300 hours virtually the entire Company inclu­ding Company headquarters personnel started work on a Treadway bridge which was finished at 1150 hours the next day. the completed structure was 1896 feet long, the longest tactical bridge in the world built under fire. The job was finished with no casualt­ies, the last shell being fired at the bridge the previous evening. The area around the bridge was now under cover of an extensive smoke screen and all hands felt 100% better than they had been for weeks.

For the next two days, a few squads at a time worked on a mine boom with a net stretched upstream from the bridge to protect it 

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from any floating mines the enemy might send down the river to blow out the bridge.

The men spent April 1st, 2nd and 3rd at Ober Glen from where they worked on a bridge serving the MSR near Alsfield. Next, the Company spent five days at Wabern where they worked on a bridge across Fulda River near Griffe and another near Guxhagen. The men also built a plank roadway for a hospital near Malsfield.

At Badsooden Allendorf the men built a Treadway bridge across the Wena River on April 9th and worked on a fixed bridge the fol­lowing day. The town had only been cleared that morning, but there was no enemy opposition at the bridge sites. On the 11th the Company moved to Ifta, leaving one platoon behind at Bad SoodenAllendorf to finish the work on the fixed bridge and provide for its security.

On April 12th the Company moved into Ingerslehm where they stayed for two days while repairing the MSR in the vicinity of Micherstadt. While here, some of the men got to see at first hand some of the ill-famed torture camps. This one at Ohrdruf, -with the dead victims stacked like cordwood, left no doubt in the men's minds about the truth of Nazi atrocities. It will be very diffic­ult for any German Propaganda in future years to convince men who have fought in the ETO that any peace terms, that might be impos­ed, are too harsh.

The Company moved to Apolda for a five day stay on the 14th. The first job, on arrival, was to round up and transport 540 pri­soners to the POW collecting point at Weimer, Germany. The follo­wing days were spent constructing a bypass to the MSR Autobahn near Mellingen, Germany, maintaining and providing security for a Treadway bridge at Maus, Kuntz and Camberg. Apolda, an average size German town was dubbed oddly enough, "The city of free love" by Napoleon's Army in the last century.

On the 19th the Company moved to Lichtenfels where they stayed overnight, the next day moving on to Pittersdorf where civilian work crews were aided repairing roads in the vicinity for four days.

The 23rd saw the Company moving into Amberg and two squads were engaged clearing debris from the streets. Early the next morning the men went to Shwandorf, a very badly, battered little

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town where they constructed a Treadway bridge and removed road blocks. One platoon maintained the bridge that night while the other Platoon returned to Amberg.

On the 25th the Company moved into bivouac in a field near Alenthan where they awaited orders for an assault crossing of the Danube River at Frenghofen. There was a heavy pre-assault, artillery barrage, but the platoon successfully completed their assault mission in three hours. Another platoon constructed and operated a ferry under indirect artillery fire that fell both short and beyond, but not in the river itself. The other platoon operated a ferry under similar conditions at Donaustauf after being strafed while going to the river. These operations put across the river, part of the forces that encircled Regansburg, a short distance down the river. One feature of the assault that's indicative of German morale at this time, was the fact that the enemy machine gunners, sat upon the far shore in perfect position to sweep the river, simply held their fire and surrendered to the Doughs who landed in the first assault wave.

Company Headquarters moved to Fortsmuller on the 26th and two platoons worked out of there, maintaining and providing security for the Treadway bridge over the Danube at Sultzbach. On the eve­ning of the 29th one of the men, Walking by a farm a quarter of a mile from the Company, was shot in the hip by two "SS" men who made good their escape before members of the Company arrived on the scene.

On May 1st the Company moved into Landau where one squad oper­ated a ferry and another constructed a mine net boom across the Isar river while four more squads were occupied maintaining the approaches to the Treadway bridge across the river.

The next three days the Company moved each day staying, succe­ssively at Rottersdorf, Pfarkirchen and Rothol Munster, Germany

On May 5th the Company entered Austrie, the sixth foreign cou­ntry it has entered since leaving the States, and billeted in one of Hermann Goering's estates at Whimsbach.

The next day the Company moved to Sattledt. They were engaged in road maintenance in the vicinity and two squads were at Steir across the river from the Russians, when the long awaited word came, that Germany had surrendered unconditionally and the war in

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the E.T.O. was over.

It was over, but the feeling of relief was tempered by the memory of 14 Comrades who died in battle and the 54 Purple Hearts that had been awarded to the men wounded in action, some of them twice. Due to these battle casualties, other accidents, sickness and the transfer of some men to the Infantry, during the grim critical battle of the bulge, much less than 50% of the men who sailed from Boston Harbor, a little over ten months before were present with the Company on V-E day.
 

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