Draft:243rd Combat Engineer Battalion

• Comment: We cannot accept oral histories, nor the primary sources of the org's own archives 🇺🇦 Fiddle^Timtrent Faddle^Talk to me 🇺🇦 15:52, 16 September 2024 (UTC)

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The 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion was an engineer battalion of the United States Army that served in the European Theater of Operations during World War II.

History

The 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion was activated on October 15, 1943 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky and assigned to the XX Corps. It underwent extensive training in engineering operations. In October 1944, the battalion deployed to the European Theater, arriving in England in November. In December 1944, it landed in France and moved into Belgium to support operations during the Battle of the Bulge. The 243rd cleared roads, removed mines, and constructed bridges to aid the Allied advance. In March 1945, the battalion took part in the Rhine River crossing at St. Goar, building a floating treadway bridge across the Rhine River to establish a bridgehead into Germany. The 243rd continued bridge building and road clearing missions as it advanced across Germany with Allied forces, supporting the liberation of towns and cities until Germany's surrender in May 1945. After V-E Day, the 243rd provided engineering support and constructed facilities in the American occupation zone of Germany. In July 1945, it was transferred to the 3rd Army's area in Bavaria to continue occupation duties there until further reassignment.

Notable Members

Lt. Col. Harry E. Skinner (Commanding Officer) Maj. Howard B. Moreland Maj. Victor W. Kitti (Commanded from September 1945)

Arrival in France

The 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion arrived in France in late December 1944, disembarking at the ports of Le Havre and Rouen. The battalion's companies and equipment were transported on separate ships, with Company B and part of Company A arriving first at Le Havre on December 22nd, followed by the rest of the battalion at Rouen on December 23rd. The battalion's heavy equipment, carried on an LCT, was delayed and did not arrive until December 24th. The battalion initially bivouacked at a site known as the Red Horse Area, located approximately 25 miles from Rouen near the town of Hadiander. Despite the harsh winter conditions, the troops set up their tents and celebrated Christmas with a turkey dinner served by the mess personnel. On December 26th, the battalion broke camp and traveled 140 miles to Reims, where they billeted in a former Turf Society Club House. During this journey, the battalion suffered its first casualty when a gasoline heater exploded in one of the trucks, injuring several men.

Battle of the Bulge: 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion Operations

On December 29th, 1944, the 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion left Toul, France and entered Belgium to support Allied forces during the Battle of the Bulge. Each company proceeded to its assigned destination, with Company A traveling 125 miles to Les Fosses, Company B 117 miles to Mellier, Company C 109 miles to Rossignol, and Battalion Headquarters, H&S Company, and the medical detachment 104 miles to Le Glise. The battalion's convoy faced threats of artillery fire and air attacks as they approached the front lines. Upon arrival in Bouillon, the 1107th Engineer Combat Group assigned the 243rd to defensive positions along the VIII Corps' left flank, with Companies A, B, and C responsible for maintaining and clearing roads in their respective sectors. Throughout January, the battalion worked to remove mines, clear road blocks, fill bomb craters, and construct bridges, particularly Bailey bridges, to facilitate the Allied advance. Notable achievements included the construction of a Class 40 Bailey bridge over the Ourthe River by Company A on January 16th-17th, and the completion of several Bailey bridges by Companies A, B, and C between January 31st and February 2nd. In early February, the 243rd faced a new challenge as a sudden thaw turned the frozen roads into mud, threatening to halt the supply lines to Allied infantry units in the Siegfried Line. The battalion worked tirelessly to keep the roads open, with all available personnel from H&S Company and attached units laying thousands of yards of corduroy road in the St. Vith area. Within two weeks, the roads were reopened, allowing vital supplies to reach the front lines and enabling the continuation of the Allied offensive into Germany.

Advance into Germany and the Rhine Crossing

In late February 1945, the 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion was assigned a new area of operation in Germany, with Companies A and C, and two platoons of Company B moving to the town of Laudesfeld. Throughout March, the battalion continued to support the Allied advance by replacing temporary bridges with fixed structures and filling in craters to maintain supply routes. Notable achievements included the replacement of a Bailey bridge with a double box culvert near Schonberg, Belgium by Company C on March 2nd, and the construction and repair of several bridges by Companies A and B in the vicinity of Prum and Neundorf. On March 22nd, the 243rd was assigned to support the 76th Infantry Division, but this order was rescinded three days later in favor of supporting the 89th Infantry Division in their task of crossing the Rhine River at St. Goar and establishing a bridgehead. The 243rd was tasked with constructing a floating steel treadway bridge at the bridgehead site. Preparations for the Rhine crossing began on March 25th, with Company C and the attached 1010th Treadway Bridge Company moving their equipment to the bridge assembly area. The infantry assault crossing commenced at 0200 hours on March 26th, facing considerable resistance. The bridgehead was not secured until 18 hours later, at which point construction of the bridge began immediately. Despite challenges posed by the swift current and enemy fire, the 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion, with support from the 1010th Treadway Bridge Company, successfully constructed the floating treadway bridge, completing it at 2400 hours on March 27th. This achievement enabled Allied forces to continue their advance into the heart of Germany.

Securing Gains and V-E Day

Following the successful Rhine crossing, the 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion was transferred to the 1102nd Engineer Combat Group on March 28th, 1945. The battalion crossed the Rhine using the newly constructed bridge and moved to new areas of operation, with Headquarters, H&S Company, and the Medical Detachment settling in Hinterwald, while A and B Companies bivouacked near Dachsenhausen, and C Company near Becheln. Throughout April, the battalion continued to support the Allied advance by constructing and repairing bridges, as well as securing captured enemy assets. Notable achievements included the construction of timber trestle bridges across the Fulda and Haune Rivers by Companies A and B on April 8th, and the construction of a 140' double single Bailey bridge across the Weisse Elster River at Berga by Company A on April 17th. On April 22nd, the 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion was transferred from the 3rd U.S. Army to the 1st U.S. Army. In early May, the battalion organized reconnaissance parties to confiscate and dispatch enemy engineering materials to designated depots. On May 8th, 1945, Germany's unconditional surrender was announced, marking the end of World War II in Europe. The 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion celebrated V-E Day with a mixture of relief, gratitude, and sobriety, as thoughts turned to the ongoing war in the Pacific and the realization that the job was only partially finished. The following Sunday, Mother's Day, was designated as a memorial day, with the battalion attending church services to honor their fallen comrades and give thanks for the war's end in Europe.

Post-War Operations and Occupation Duties

Following V-E Day, the 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion continued to support Allied efforts in Germany. On May 12th, Company C began a four-week training program for 34 new men assigned to the battalion from a Reinforcement Depot. The battalion also assisted in various tasks, such as firefighting at a German ammunition dump and operating Engineer Material Collecting Points. In late May, Company B moved to Gera to relieve the 168th Engineer Combat Battalion in the operation of a Redeployment Assembly Area (RAMP), while Company C took over the administration of a German Prisoner of War camp in Erfurt. The camp processed an average of 7,000 prisoners per day, with a peak of 40,000 processed between June 30th and July 1st. In June, the battalion was transferred to the XII Corps and moved to Bavaria. On July 2nd, the entire battalion was together for the first time in seven months, bivouacking outside Nuremberg. In their new area of responsibility, the battalion maintained roads and carried out construction projects, including a baseball diamond, rifle range, combat range, and a bridge over the Danube at Deggendorf. Throughout July and August, the battalion underwent changes in command due to redeployment and readjustment. Lt. Col. Harry E. Skinner was transferred, with Maj. Howard B. Moreland assuming command, followed by Maj. Victor W. Kitti in September. The 243rd continued their occupation duties, with Company C constructing a large Prisoner of War enclosure in Regensburg and Companies A and B working on various construction projects. As the war in the Pacific ended and the battalion prepared for their eventual return home, they reflected on the challenges of readjusting to civilian life and the importance of remaining vigilant in the face of the scars left by the war, both in Europe and at home.

Campaign Participation Credit

The battalion earned campaign participation credit for operations in the Battle of the Bulge, Crossing of the Rhine River, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns of World War II.

References

Oral History Interview with Robert Bass, May 22, 2008. United States Army. 1945. Retrieved 16 June 2024.

"The Rhine Crossings in World War II". Washington, DC: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 16 June 2024.

United States Third Army Engineers (1945). Crossing of the Rhine River by Third US Army (PDF) (Report Documentation Page). Department of the Army, Washington, DC. p. 38. Retrieved 16 June 2024.

Russell, Lia (11 November 2008). "World War II vets recall horrors of Buchenwald". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 16 June 2024.

Hokanson, William. "The Forgotten Epic Defense of St. Vith, Belgium in the Battle of the Bulge" (DOC). 7th Armored Division Association. Retrieved 16 June 2024.

Andrews, Frank L. The Defense of St. Vith in the Battle of the Ardennes, December 1944 (DOC). 7th Armored Division Association (Master's thesis). Retrieved 16 June 2024.{{cite thesis}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Brumback, Roger A.; United States. Army. Engineer Combat Battalion, 243rd (1945). 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion : Activated: 15 October 1943. Germany: The Battalion. p. 113. Retrieved 16 June 2024 – via FamilySearch International.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)