On Sunday night I had the pleasure of speaking with a member of the 1251st Battalion Combat Engineers. That was my fathers unit and I've been struggling to find anything on the unit. One of the few sites that they were listed on the web, is about a monument in St Louis dedicated to Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. There they were.... listed with the Combat Engineers. So...I emailed the webmaster and asked where they got the info placing their name on the monument. Several weeks passed and I got a call from the president of the organization that had a phone number of a member of the 1251st. So I called the gentleman. It was a wonderful talk. He doesnt remember my father (there were 550 of them) and started by saying that it was a long time ago and he didnt think he remembered much. We chatted a long time and he had lots to tell me about where they were during the Bulge (on the road to Antwerp, in case the Nazi's broke through Bastogne), their time at bridge school, demolition work, and their building the bridge over the Rhine at Dusseldorf. We also talked about their work in building parts of Camp Tophat. They did a lot of the cement work (thus starting my fathers obsession with the gray stuff). We talked about the M-1, Ernie Pyle, Hitlers death....
He was pleased to hear the story of my fathers return to the Rhine: In the 70's my father was sent to Germany on business. He was in Dusseldorf and found a cab driver that had been there during the war and remembered where the bridge was. He took my father to the spot and my father got out of the cab and walked down the river bank a bit. I asked him how it felt to stand there after all those years. He smiled and said " It was nice to stand there and not be shot at". I hope that for every soldier in every war, that they get to return to the battle sites and stand in peace.
I am so happy for you!! 
:glasses: 
:blob3: 
I know what that feels like so I can bask in your happiness. Congrats!
It's been a long time coming huh??
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
That's really great.
They were on the road to Antwerp?
Can you explain please?
Does he remember any places?
Erwin
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
https://ardennes-breakthrough-association.com/
That's really great.
They were on the road to Antwerp?
Can you explain please?
Does he remember any places?
Erwin
Hi Erwin,
Just noticed your reply. Sorry it took so long to get back to this. I don't know anything else and was going to post here to ask. All that he was able to tell me was that their very first engagment was to be taken by truck about 8 miles (maybe kilometers) from Bastogne and were told that if the Nazis started heading toward Antwerp they were the last defense. They had no artillery support and could hear the German artillery. They did have some skirmishes, but fortunatly did not have to deal with the German forces head on. I'm looking for any and all info on this section of the Bulge. After that they went to Holland and were involved in using plywood boats (he called them assault boats) to rescue some Brittish troops.
He was very helpful, but he kept saying "It was a long time ago"....
Darlene
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
No need to apologize, Darlene.
I am not here every day either.
I know that many Engineer units were sent to the font as a sort of "emergency infantry" to try and stop or slow down the German advances during The Bulge.
Maybe that was the case with this unit too.
I wish I had a place or location as it would make it easier to find where the unit was during that offensive.
Engineer units served well in The Bulge.
They not only served as infantry, but some made it the Germans very difficult by blowing up bridges, blocking roads, etc for many hours and in some cases even days ..... time which was desparately lost for Mr. Jerry.
Interesting to hear they helped build Camp Top Hat which was near Antwerp.
For many years, a lot of US material was dug up there, going from dogtags to kitchen utensils etc.
It was a large transit camp where GIs went through on their way home.
If you want, I can mail you some pictures or post them here.
Just let me know.
Erwin
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
https://ardennes-breakthrough-association.com/
Erwin,
I would love to see some pictures. I wish that I were better at sending pictures, because I have some great ones of how Camp Tophat used to look. I wonder if any of the folks that visit this page were processed through Tophat. The Cigarette camps would be a really interesting topic to run here.
Among the pictures that my fathers unit mate sent me were of the remnants of some mine fields they helped defuse. We tend to forget that part of the job.
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
Some pictures from Camp Top Hat, Antwerp, Belgium.
Movie theater.
815th AAA Bn guarding German PoWs.
German Kettenkrad (damaged).
Top Hat.
AA gun with "kill rings".
Erwin
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
https://ardennes-breakthrough-association.com/
Glad you found those to share with Darlene and the rest of us. 
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Taking a deep breathe, gritting my teeth,,,,I'm going to try to post a picture. Marion, if I mess it up, please kill the post.....
Bandbox at Camp Tophat
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
https://ardennes-breakthrough-association.com/
Great article on Tophat. They had all kinds of sports teams there including football, baseball and basketball there to help kill time. My fathers unit was being readied to be sent to the Pacific.
This is a picture of the Chapel that my fathers unit built 3rd platoon, B company 1251st Battalion Combat Engineers. Aside from wedding, funerals and christenings, this was probably the last time my father went to church.....
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
Very nice photos, the one of the Chapel is interesting.
I was trying to find the site where they showed the stuff that was unearthed in that area, but so far I have had no luck.
I also have been thinking about the area where your father might have been (8 kms or miles from Bastogne, coming from Antwerp).
It might have been the Longchamps - Bertogne area.
Was that in December 44 or January 45?
I still believe they were not attached to a division, but operated under Corps command or even Army command.
Be aware, I could be totally wrong here.
Eventhough I know a lot about The Battle of the Bulge, I do not know nor pretend to know all about it.
Merry Easter! :armata_PDT_25: 
Erwin
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
https://ardennes-breakthrough-association.com/
It would have been January of 45. It was their first assignment after arriving in France at the end of Dec 1944. You're correct that they were assigned to several armies or Corps throughtout the war. The guy that I spoke with said they even did a very brief stint with the Brittish Army. It is all a mystery. I had a laugh when I started doing this research. I am used to doing research on the US Civil War and have never had any problems finding info on any unit. What a suprise to me that it was easier finding info on things that happened 140 years than 60 years ago. Perhaps because the scope of the war was smaller and entire armies had reunions until 75 years after the war.
Erwin.... I know Europe is on a different time zone..... but Easter?
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend, inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
I saw that you mentioned Cigarette Camps in one of the above posts. Well we have discussed that here:
Oh you are probably wondering why I am here Christmas morning at 8:41? Well hubby is still sleeping, so thought I'd put some time in until he gets up and we can open da presents!!! Wake up! Wake up!! 
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
MERRY CHRISTMAS--M-1--it's 8:00 K.C. KS.TIME. 34DEG.SNOW TONITE. went you
know where. Put a wreath with a big red ribbon there. Dinner with kids today. hugs
Rocky
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
