Gathering Info
I gathered information at an exponential rate thanks to ever-increasing sources, including but not limited to the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of the Army, WWII sites, technical sources, magazines, WWII engineers and other veterans, forums, new friends via the Internet, and NARA. I never expected that this much would be available to me, and I’m just sitting here grinning from ear to ear.
In August of 2004, I received hundreds of pages of documents from Michael Brodhead, Office of History -Army Corps of Engineers. Michael took the time to painstakingly copy 540th Engineer records that include, a short history, a complete lineage and honors account, the order of battle, a summary of historical dates and events, a roster of enlisted men and officers who received honors, awards and decorations, a roster of battle casualties of enlisted men and officers, a great pictorial (it reminds me of a scrapbook) with captions of their tour of duty in France, a complete history with a forward from Colonel Marvin, their commanding officer and more…
As a favor to Michael, he asked if I would mind being the contact for anyone seeking knowledge on the 540th Combat Engineers and wondered if he could direct them to me because his office simply lacks the time and resources to handle many requests. So I have happily taken on that assignment and will be more than willing to share what I have, should someone desire copies, etc.
In November of 2005, I hired a great private researcher, Carolyn Billups, who painstakingly began copying thousands of pages of documents from the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. These documents include daily, weekly, and monthly journals, private entries by 540th officers, lists of awards and decorations, etc. As you can imagine, I have burned some midnight oil and have a lot of work ahead of me.
My goal was to provide a concise history of the 36th, 39th, and 540th Combat Engineers and present it in a manner that was both educational and easy to read. Now had to order up 48-hour days to get this accomplished, without neglecting my husband, my job, or the rest of my life. So, thanks for bearing with me while I compiled the ever-growing stacks on my desk. Essayons!
Photo courtesy of Peter Heckmanns’ – In Honored Glory – Thanks, dear friend
Who They Were and What They Did
I am asked all the time, “What did combat engineers do?” Here is a brief, yet concise picture of “our boys” and the part they played in the war.
By WWII, the Army Corps of Engineers had almost 150 years of experience in national wars and non-military civil works projects. But when faced with the events in Europe in the spring of 1940, it became necessary for the engineers to adapt to the ever-changing technology and the new tactics employed by the German Army. This was made easier at this point by Congress’s appropriation of additional funds for our national defense, which allowed the army, along with the engineers, to expand and prepare for a new, more rapid form of warfare.
The primary mission of combat engineers is to keep the army moving to attack and impede the enemy. The engineers’ functions included, but weren’t limited to:
- Bridge (mobile, floating, fixed), rail, & road construction, maintenance and yes, destruction/demolition!
- River crossings by ponton/raft, motor-powered assault boats
- Port & harbor rehabilitation (clearing, re-opening)
- Landing & maintaining a beachhead on a hostile shore
This includes:- laying beach roads for vehicles
- unloading/loading supplies, vehicles & personnel from transports & liberty ships
- Specialized work on camouflage
- Water supply and sanitation
- Map production
- Maintenance of vehicles
- Mine warfare (laying and removing/defusing)
- Forestry
- Administrative work necessary to support combat forces
- Establishing & maintaining supply/ammunition dumps
- Building barracks, depots, and similar structures
- To function as infantry when and where needed
- Rescue & road patrols, bridge and road reconnaissance
- Clearing of rubble, debris/wreckage & entanglements/obstructions
Army Organization
In the late 30’s the army was revising its basic organization of the infantry division and using three instead of four infantry regiments, creating a more flexible and maneuverable force. The typical setup included having an engineer battalion that was permanently assigned to a division, with three companies per battalion.
There were also engineer regiments, such as the 36th, 39th and 540th combat engineers, that survived and operated as separate entities and were attached to field armies (the 5th and 7th Armies) or to corps headquarters (such as VI Corps). These units usually acted on their own or were sometimes “attached” to divisions such as the 3rd, 34th, 36th and 45th Infantry Divisions, when the need arose. The 36th, 39th and 540th also served as infantry units and all saw action in the ETO campaigns.
The 36th Combat Engineers consisted of three battalions, while the 540th and 39th consisted of two battalions. Because of this, the 36th saw more action as infantry because they could be used as a typical regiment in combat with two battalions up front and one in reserve.
The engineers’ role in amphibious warfare was not considered until shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. It was then taken into consideration that an advancing army would have to move across vast expanses of water and the ability to seize beaches would be a key requirement. It was apparent in the 1940’s that the Axis controlled almost every major port in Europe, making this a critical Allied concern. By mid-1941, the Corps of Engineers embarked upon an aggressive program of revising its military units and equipment, and although not fully ready for the fight, they had done much to adapt to the new demands of modern combat.
Please see our Links Pages for further information on the Army Corps of Engineers.
Engineer Info
Many thanks to Michael J. Saxton for the following 1301st Newsletters
3060th Topographical Engineer Company
Table of Organization – April 1942 – HQ and HQ detachment, Eng Bn and Regiment
Letter sent home June 5, 1945 – 257th Engineer relates history of his unit
History of the 187th – An Engineer Memoir
Commendation to the 187th Engineers – the relief of Bastogne
The History of the 341st Engineer Regiment, July 29, 1943-March 22, 1946
Unit Journal for the 157th Engineer Regiment
35th Engineer Regiment – later the 1122d Engineer Combat Group (35th & 145th Eng Bns)
1284th Booklet – many thanks to Don McCollum for his contribution
History of the 138th Engineer Combat Battalion
History of the 1254th Combat Engineer Battalion
History of the 179th Engineers – part one / History of the 179th Engineers – part two
Inscription from Niers Canal Bridge – 251st Engineer Combat Bn – thank you Phyllis Setzer
251st Engineer Combat Bn – Address Roster – CO C
1251st Engineer Combat Bn – Roll Call – many thanks to veteran Dick Deise for supplying this info
Engineer Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) – compiled by the American Society of Military Insignia Collectors
Builders and Fighters: US Army Engineers in World War II – The Volturno River Crossing
Builders and Fighters: US Army Engineers in World War II – Engineers in Sicily
3rd Army Crossing of the Rhine – info thanks to Don Prasse
Derrick of Dauntless – History of the 324th Engineer Combat Battalion – Col J R Neale
Derrick of Dauntless – History of the 324th Engineer Combat Battalion – part two
Spotlight on the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion – as featured in National WWII Museum’s V-Mail Newsletter – Spring 2011
A Brief History of the 207th Engineer Combat Battalion – info thanks to Jim Benz
Please see individual Engineer Pages for specific info on each VI Corps unit
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 1 – info thanks to Richard Elverson
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 2
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 3
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 4
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 5
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 6
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 7
344th Engineer General Service Regiment part 8
The Role of the American Engineer in WWII – Eugene Reybold – The Military Engineer February 1945
The Bailey Bridge – John A Thierry
Engineer Branch History – Dr. David Ulbrich
Engineer Unit Types – a database I compiled on engineer units in WWII
A Brief History – US Army Corps of Engineers
Corps Traces a Long History – taken from US Army Corps of Engineers
Background of Amphibious Operations – mentions 36th & 540th
The United States Army in WWII – Engineers – by Rich Anderson
History of the Chief of Engineers’ Golden Castles
History of the Tank Dozer – an Army Corps of Engineers invention
Oldest US Army Office to Serve in WWII was an Engineer
Engineering the Victory – The Story of the Corps of Engineers
3rd Div’s 10th Engineers – Point Calava, Sicily 1943 – by Ernie Pyle
Note: I would like to thank Tom Ricks, Washington Post Military Correspondent, for confirming my suspicions regarding missing paragraphs in this article.
Mapping and Engineering the War – by Ernie Pyle
Amphibian Engineers in World War II
Aviation Engineers in the Southwest Pacific, WWII
Engineers also acting as infantry
Training in World War II: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion
Cleanup in the Aleutians
Inseparable Bonds of Engineer Service – by Col Mike Morgan – with assistance from Mari Ippolito, Marion Chard, and Gene Kuentzler
US Army Corps of Engineer History – Vignettes
Launching a Bailey – T/3 Ludwig Mactarian (provided by A. Kincer)
I had always assumed that the WWII posters featuring the men and women who fought for our country were just artists’ renditions. Still, I learned quite differently after receiving an email from a daughter of Master Sergeant (Ret) Vincent G. Leckey.
She also sent me this photo of the mural that was displayed in Grand Central Station during the war. Vincent is pictured on the left.
I am honored to feature Vince on my site. (New link needs to be established. Thank you for your patience.)
Pick and Shovel Man – submitted by Al Kincer – 48th Combat Engineer
Here is an email I received from Al Kincer on May 2, 2006
“Plaque located at The Engineer Center honoring Sgt. Joe Specker, 48th Combat Engineer. Joe was the only Engineer of WWII awarded the Medal of Honor.”
Thanks to my dear friend “Moose” for supplying me with the following cartoon.
