Wow. Now that may be a tough one. Probably my toughest one yet, but I'll see what I can personally find out about this unit.

Thanks for posting here, you never know, someone might just see this and have an immediate answer. I'll keep in touch.

How did you find out about us? Always like to know.

Thank you for your help, it is very much appreciated. Btw - I found you guys via a search on Google. Thanks again and have a great day.

Jason

I would strongly recommend trying to write to the Army Corps of Engineers. They have folders on each engineer group during the war. Some of much more extensive than others and some may only have a few pages, but it's worth a shot.

Contact Info For Army Corps of Engineers

They were a huge help to me!

Have you seen this link?

Roots Web

Marion,

Thanks for the links, very much appreciated. The "Rootsweb" link provided some information that I have never seen regarding my grandfather's service in WWII. His unit is very hard to get any information on, as it seems that they were disbanded during the Battle of Bulge and placed in other units that needed men. I also appreciate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers link. I placed a call and left a message, hopefully they can help me out as well. Anyway, thank you very much for your assistance, it is greatly appreciated. Have a great afternoon.

Regards, Jason

Jason;

The redesignation you refer to is probably derived from the soldier's mail address.

The early PC&R Groups consisted of 4 sections, the HQ being incorporated into the 2 dock sections. All mail seems to have been addressed as Hq of Hq co (number PC&R Gr)

http://users.bentonrea.com/~tinear/1054.htm

My history of these units begins with the 1054, but contains some generic info that may interest you.

I started with 1054 because my Dad was in it. But these early PC&R Groups were unusual and I intent to pursue the history of all of them.

Keep in touch.

Dusty

The 1051st, 1052nd, 1053rd and 1054th Engineers, Port Construction & Repair Battalions were organized and constituted at Fort Joseph Screven, Georgia over the years of 1941-1943. Fort Joseph Screven is 45 minutes away from me on the North End of Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia.

I actually portray the U.S. 70th CAC, "A" Battery, circa. 1940 at Fort Joseph Screven.

The 1051st & 1053rd Served in the Mediterranean/Europe. The 1054th served in the Pacific on New Guinea and in the Philippines. The 1052d I WAS in Europe but, toward the end of the war was transferred over to the Pacific only one of handful to do so.

Regards,

MARNE

Gee it's great to hear from you. As I always tell folks; you never know when information will appear out of the blue. Consider the fact that the original posting was in 2005, and....

This is great info. Thanks Marne!

Hope all is well with you.

Hey Marion!

Yes, I know its been a VERY long time... I've been doing great actually and you?

The boys in the 3rd Division Living History Company are doing well. We just finished... FINALLY... the WWII Memorial here in Savannah last November. We'd been working on establishing a WWII Monument to Savannah's fallen since the late Summer of 2006... and to see it finally come to life was simply amazing. I will post pictures of the ceremony and the

veterans who attended on that great day here in Savannah... a COLD day.. but GREAT nonetheless.

Regards,

MARNE

I finally got a chance to view the pics this morning and left some comments. I really enjoyed those and think the monument is stunning. Very different from anything I've ever seen before. It was fantastic that you had over 300 veterans show. Awesome!

Hi Jason and others,

I know this topic is really old but I thought I'd put my 2 cents in about the 1053rd. My dad, George Brown, was also part of the group. He said he built bridges and blew up bridges.

I had the great experience of traveling with him back to France and Belgium back in the 1970s when I was

a teenager. He hardly ever spoke about his time in WWII except when we were over there visiting. We went from small town to small town literally knocking on doors of bars and homes of local families he remembered. We were treated like the family of a hero and we often ate with the families...whether they were the originals or not! It was awesome. We also went to see bridges (boring for me) and places where bridges used to be (reaaallly boring for me). Of course now I wish I had listened more.

In Belgium we knocked on the door of a convent/elementary school. My dad brought us and the nuns down to the basement where, according to him, he lived on cheese, cheese, cheese. The highlight was when he walked over to a window frame he had repaired during the war.....and his initials were still carved there. It somehow really struck him. 😉

I have recently been looking through a few photos from that time. St Lo, St Malo, Porthcawl, Bournmouth, Liege, Rhinehousen Bridge, Meusse (?) Bridge, and more.

I have pictures of him (Brownie) with guys named Timmerman, Smith (Smitty), Brand, Frames, Regan, and "Heavy" Spradling.

In 8 weeks I am bringing my husband and kids to Normandy and of course I wish I had more to tell them about the 1053rd.....

Wow, what a great letter. Loved the part about

In Belgium we knocked on the door of a convent/elementary school. My dad brought us and the nuns down to the basement where, according to him, he lived on cheese, cheese, cheese. The highlight was when he walked over to a window frame he had repaired during the war.....and his initials were still carved there. It somehow really struck him. 😉

Now, what a thrill that must have been.

Thanks for joining and I hope you find our forum helpful. Would love to see the pics in the near future.

My Dad was a captain and a combat engineer. He was Cecil W. Henson (0 468 898 Captain) from Hollis Oklahoma, and was the cadet colonel of the Oklahoma A and M ROTC in 1941 (now OSU), then a "90 day wonder" straight into the service as a Second Lt. I do not do intense research, but I have all his military records and am trying to fill in the blanks. I have a Fifth Army Training Center, 39th Engineer Combat Regiment for a course in the Mines and Demolition course issued "somewhere in Africa" in March 1943. I have found the meaning of all his patches and awards, bronze star, purple heart, combat stars, theater ribbon. My biggest question is he was listed in the 1051st Engineer Port Construction and Repair when he separated in 26 Jan 1946? I was born in Dec. 1946, so he got back to school and started a family - he married before going overseas. Google groups the 1051st in with the 360th (?) engineers in Europe - I am trying to make the distinction. He started overseas in North Africa (as a platoon commander for the training for combat and the use in combat of the engineering platoon)taking up mines and building bridges, hopped the Med. and was switched to the new MOS and involved in rebuilding the ports of Naples Marseille and Le Hawre and is listed as a engineer group supply officer and proceeded to South France and "Rome Arno Rhineland" in Central Europe. He was shot through the shoulder on a patrol, recovered, returned to service but declined a Major slot to stay and work with the reconstruction of Europe. Four years, I think, was enough for him. Thank you for the opportunity to have a look at the site, I have a group photo of the 1051st I will scan and insert.

Thanks, Randy Henson 5527 3rd Street, Lubbock TX 8067907405

Hi: Touched on this in another post, but many guys who stayed in occupied Europe, often shipped home later in 45 and 46 with another unit, not necessarily their own. That is where the confusion lie.

I've even seen grave markers wrong due to this confusion

Hi: Touched on this in another post, but many guys who stayed in occupied Europe, often shipped home later in 45 and 46 with another unit, not necessarily their own. That is where the confusion lie.