I was contacted by Jim, the son of Sergeant Benjamin Volga earlier this month. He wrote to say that he was happy that someone was remembering the combat engineers of WWII. His dad passed away several years ago and is still truly missed.

Benjamin served in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, & Central Europe. Jim still has his dad's hardcover unit history photo book as well as a German officers metal stickpin which he took off an officer. He said his father did not talk a lot about the war but he knew he had seen plenty of it.



05-12-05

Hi Marion,

Here is a history of the route march of the 160th. Starts with date of debarkation to VE day. As you can see it was quite a trip. 56 areas & 270 days in a combat area. Will send more on my father and some stories later.

Thanks
Jim Volga

  • Billet Or Bivouac
  • Battalion Command Post
  • Omaha Beach, France - 12 Aug 1944
  • St. Mere-Eglise - 12 Aug 1944
  • Bricquebec - 13 Aug 1944
  • Louvigne - 15 Aug 1944
  • Chartres - 17 Aug 1944
  • Dreux - 19 Aug 1944
  • Chartres - 20 Aug 1944
  • Boigniville - 21 Aug 1944
  • Reclose - 24 Aug 1944
  • Nonville - 25 Aug 1944
  • Courtavant - 28 Aug 1944
  • Montmarte - 29 Aug 1944
  • Sillery - 30 Aug 1944
  • Suippes - 31 Aug 1944
  • Verdun - 01 Sept 1944
  • 15 Miles W. of Metz - 06 Sept 1944
  • Chambley - 07 Sept 1944
  • Rembercourt - 28 Sept 1944
  • Angevillers - 03 Nov 1944
  • Rombus - 20 Nov 1944
  • Metz - 24 Nov 1944
  • Buzonville - 30 Nov 1944
  • Anzeiling - 11 Dec 1944
  • Roeser Luxembourg - 22 Dec 1944
  • Neudorf - 31 Dec 1944
  • Angelberg - 23 Jan 1945
  • Senningen - 28 Jan 1945
  • Elzange France - 22 Feb 1945
  • Klemmacher Luxembourg - 24 Feb 1945
  • Trier Germany - 07 Mar 1945
  • Waldholzbach - 18 Mar 1945
  • Oberthal - 19 Mar 1945
  • Kaiserlautern - 21 Mar 1945
  • Oberthal - 24 Mar 1945
  • Gau Weinhein - 26 Mar 1945
  • Mainz - 28 Mar 1945
  • Leusel - 01 Apr 1945
  • Wabern - 04 Apr 1945
  • Reichensachsen - 10 Apr 1945
  • Lancensalza - 12 Apr 1945
  • Apolda - 14 Apr 1945
  • Zeitz - 16 Apr 1945
  • Lichtenfels - 18 Apr 1945
  • Mistlebach - 20 Apr 1945
  • Michefeld - 21 Apr 1945
  • Amberg - 23 Apr 1945
  • Burglengenfeld - 25 Apr 1945
  • Nittenau - 25 Apr 1945
  • Altenthann - 26 Apr 1945
  • Sulzbach - 26 Apr 1945
  • Donaustauf - 27 Apr 1945
  • Oberschneiding - 30 Apr 1945
  • Simbach - 02 May 1945
  • Brombach - 03 May 1945
  • Malching - 04 May 1945
  • Lambach Austria - 05 May 1945



Hi Marion,

Here is what have pertaining to my father's service.

  • Benjamin Charles Volga Sergeant 160th Engineer Combat Battalion
  • Entered Service on June 28 1941
  • Honorably Discharged on November 15 1945 Fort Devens, Massachusetts


Some stories my father had told me pertaining to his service:

My father had been assigned to guard a group of German prisoners work detail. All of the prisoners complied in the work detail except one officer whom was rather arrogant and said he would not work because of the terms of the Geneva Convention stating that prisoners
could not be made to work so much distance from the front lines. My father, fed up with arrogance told the officer that if he did not start to work with the others he would plant the end of the bayonet affixed to his M1 Carbine in the officer's hind quarters. He related that the officer still refused to work so as he put it, he did what he had to do. After the officer was patched up he became the most aggressive worker in the bunch.

Very brief encounter with General George Patton: After finishing a bridge Patton came by and asked my father, "Sergeant is this bridge ready for use?" My father said, "Yes sir!", and that was his brief encounter with General Patton.

While the men were gathered for chow on the bank of the river where they were working on a bridge, the Germans started to mortar their position. Just a few were shot, but the man 4th back from my father who was combing his hair lost most of the top of his head to one of the mortar shell fragments. He said no one ate after that.

After my father and myself viewed the movie Patton starring George C. Scott, I asked my dad if Scott's portrayal of Patton was correct. He said he looked a lot like him but the real Patton was meaner than Scott's version.

While marching a group of German prisoners to their destination, some soldiers had taken the Waffen SS prisoners out of the line and shot them dead on the spot.



Photos - 06-24-05

One of the pics below shows the bodies of slave laborers ready for burial after the Germans killed them when they heard that the Americans were close by. My father's company was the first to see this, as they were the first into the Ohrdruf concentration camp just after the German pullout.





Just a little note on our family heritage, which all comes from the Ukraine.

  • My Uncle Vasil, my grandfather's brother, served in the US Army WWI 2nd infantry division.
  • My father's brother Walter, United States Marine Corp - Veteran WWII Pacific Theater
  • My father's other brother Frank, United States Army - Veteran WWII Pacific Theater