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Nevin emailed me the other day. I decided to post it here because others may be looking for info on the 49th too.

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Hi Marion,

I am trying to do research on my Great Uncle... a WWII US army veteran.

He was in the 49th Engineering Combat Battalion. B Company

Name: William Mattie.

Enlisted April 1942 in Boston Mass.

Discharged Oct 1944

Service: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland.

Would you know any details on how I can find any history specific to the 49th Engineering Combat Bn? Photos, books, stories etc.

I have already contacted National Personnel Records in St Louis. According to their records his files were lost in the fire back in 1973.

Thank you for you time.

Nevin Gaudet

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Okay here we go. I hope this helps. I will continue looking too.

Yes you are correct, he was part of VII Corps.

http://www.jeroenkoppes.com/ww2/units/7th%...0US%20Corps.htm

You may want to contact Janet Williamson and see what she can tell you about the 49th. Looks like she has some info, even though she is looking for more specifics too. I have not talked to her, but am passing on the info that I saw on a board. janet.williamson2@verizon.net

"My father Olan Coy Cowardin was a truck driver and power shovel operator in the combat engineers in Europe in WWII, Co. A, 49th Engineers. He served between Sept. 1943 and Dec. 1945 and was at St. Lo, The Battle of the Bulge, D-Day and others. He once told me about being where a Concentration Camp was just liberated and the condition of the prisoners.. I would like to know which camp it was. He also told of driving off the ship at Normandy D-Day and how scary it was. I would like to know more about the method of building the long ramps from the ships and how this was all managed."

Here is a link on the seaborne assault that was Task Force U. The 49th were part of this assault.

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/BOOKS/WWII/utah/utah3.htm

Here is a link for the divisions and units that were part of the Normandy assault June 6 & 7th. You will see his unit listed under the 101st Airborne Division. I will try and find out more. I have several friends that belonged to the 101st and in fact I am having lunch with them next month.

http://www.dday-overlord.com/fepeng.htm

Here is the gentleman you should contact regarding the 49th CE.

49th Engineer Combat Battalion

Mr Wilbur Vickers

1209 Ambridge Dr

Louisville, Kentucky 40207-2467

I am hoping to have more unifying details later but this should get you started. You may also wish to see the research suggestions I have listed on my board. I strongly urge you to contact the army corps of engineers. They are a wonderful wealth of info. You may also want to contact Richard Horrell, especially if you come to spot where you aren't getting any further. It is a pay-for service, but he is a good friend and has a 5000 plus book library at his personal disposal. If you do contact him, please tell him I sent you. I would appreciate it.

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/eng...hp?showtopic=23

Warm regards and the best of luck to you. Do not hesitate to ask for more help.

My grandpa Ernest Napier was a carpenter, his rank was PFC in HHC 49th Combat Engineers during WWII. I have pictures of him during the war and I have a few of his buddys at Camp Carson Colorado - I think one was named Guy Mills and a Lt. Christian?

Where could I post the pictures so they might possibly be identified?

I also have some sketchy information about the unit's reorganization and deployment dates and places I would like to share.

Thanks!

You can post them right here on this page with your post. The easiest way is to send them to me and I will post them for you. Let me know if you need anything else.

You can find Ernest Napier's page here:

Memories of Ernest Napier

Hi, My name is James D. Neville.

My father, now deceased, was with the 49th ECB from start to finish. He joined them as a Second Lieutenant, fresh out of Fort Belvoir OCS, in Camp Carson as part of the initial cadre, and served on the battalion staff througout the war.

I am currently conducting research in order to publish a book on the history of the 49th Engineer (Combat) Battalion in WW II. I have managed to locate two other veterans, and the daughter of another deceased veteran, from whom I've received photographs and information. I have the factual information I need to outline the story of the stateside training and oversees operations of the battalion. I nee the personal experience of 49th ECB veterans to 'flesh-out and humanize' the story.

I would like to hear from any other living veterans of the 49th ECB or the families of deceased veterans. I have a questionnaire that I would like to provide ot the evetrans to capture their WW II memories as members of the 49th ECB.

Particularly, I am in need of good reproducible quality photographs to illustrate the book. Photos of the 49th ECB veterans themselves in uniform in WW II, and general photos taken by veterans of the battalion;Colorado, Louisiana, UK, North Africa, continental Europe. Photos of construction projects (ie., bridges) in training or actiual operations, or enemy fortifications breached would be of particular value. I have, for example, a photo of a sawmill operated by the battalion in Belgium during December 1944.

Thanks in advance,

Jim Neville

Good luck in your endeavor. I am right in your court. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. Would love to help.

We'd love to see some of the photos and of course would love to hear about the history of the 49th ECB's.

The best to ya...

It appears there hasn't been much activity on this forum for a while.

I recently viewed Ken Burns series "The War". I was interested not only because of its documentation of its history, but because my father went through it.

The reason I'm writing in this forum is that my dad was also in the 49th combat engineers. I do not know what company, however.

He died a couple of years ago.

He, like many, had little that they wanted to share after their experiences there. He was a quiet man, so all the more reason that little is known about it. My mom may know more. I've been drilling her, and she's willing to gather all that she can to assist in piecing together as much as we can of that there is what may be tucked away.

I'll contintue. I just wanted to let you know that I'm out here and will continue to share what I can when its discovered.

Ken Webb, Edmonds, WA

Welcome Ken:

Yes it's unfortunate, but until you posted yesterday, there has been no activity in this area regarding the 49th since 2005! A real shame, but who know what else we can find out in the interim, right?

I hope you are able to piece together at least a brief history with the memories and items your mother is willing to supply. Yes, DO get them before it's too late.

Unfortunately you are amongst the thousands of sons and daughters who are desperately trying to find out anything they can about their fathers. But always remember there is a ray of hope; my story is one of those hopeful cases and shows that anything IS possible.

I am going to try and email a few of the people who posted here and see if I can get in touch with them for you.

You can find Ernest Napier's page here:

 

Memories of Ernest Napier

This goes to Ernest Napier's grandson.

If he would like to talk to my Dad, he said he could call him. He has fond memories of Ernest and funny things too. Dad, Guy H. Mills used to read his letters from home to him and write letters for him too. Ernest at the time could not read or write. I will give you his phone number and you can post it or blank it out. But Dad asks if you will give it to the guy and hope he calls him.

Barbara

Guy Mills

P O. Box 224

Bluewater, NM 87005

505 876 2651 That is for anyone that wants to talk to Dad from the 49th Engineers B co.

and Battalion Headquarters, where he was transferred after 6 wks because of his specialization of Demolition,.

You can find Ernest Napier's page here:

 

Memories of Ernest Napier

This goes to Ernest Napier's grandson.

If he would like to talk to my Dad, he said he could call him. He has fond memories of Ernest and funny things too. Dad, Guy H. Mills used to read his letters from home to him and write letters for him too. Ernest at the time could not read or write. I will give you his phone number and you can post it or blank it out. But Dad asks if you will give it to the guy and hope he calls him.

Barbara

Guy Mills

P O. Box 224

Bluewater, NM 87005

505 876 2651 That is for anyone that wants to talk to Dad from the 49th Engineers B co.

and Battalion Headquarters, where he was transferred after 6 wks because of his specialization of Demolition,.