I have been talking to Colonel Savre and I asked for a picture of himself and his BSM with out Seahorse in the background. Carl is making a good original for me and I am going to have it enlarged like the picture I had at the last two reunions showing the uncasing of the colors when the change came from Group to Brigade. He still hopes to get to our reunion again and I will keep you posted.
36 Engineers are rugged......John Fallon II. Capt. USA Ret.
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John,
Attached a photo of myself and CSM Murphy with the national and brigade colors.
Let me know if you want something else.
In the past few months we have had five companies return from deployment ... two from Afghanistan and three from Iraq. They all now proudly wear the 36th Engineers Rugged Seahorse combat patch.
Every new soldier that joins the brigade hears the story from me of the heroic feats of the 36th in WWII, the history of the patch and the rugged engineer limerick ... "engineers have hairy ears .... ".
If you have any infor on the 31st Combat Engineers during the 1945 in Germany please contact William Bils (removed for privacy) -------- Thanks
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April 1945 Stuttgart and Esslingen
April 1945 Stuttgart and Esslingen Hello. My Name is Billy from Nellingen Germany. I am an privat Historian of our Town History which U.S. Army Unit or Battalion occupied our Town Nellingen ? As far as my researches are, the 31st Engineer Battalion were at Esslingen and the Neckar River in April 1945. Also in Nellingen ? Nellingen is about 5 Miles away from Esslingen. Any Information and Photoraphs would be fantastic. Email me at usarmynellingen@hotmail.com Sincerely Billy
Billy, Nellingen, Germany---Army
Military Enthusiast
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My response:
I don't know much regarding the 31st Engineers, but will pass along what I do know.
I would have him contact the Army Corps of Engineer Office of History. Talk to Michael Brodhead, my dear friend. They may have a section on that unit. If so, they would be happy to provide him with the info.
Michael.J.Brodhead@usace.army.mil
Work: 703-428-6559 (primary)
Company: US Army Corps of Engineers Office of History
Work Address:
7701 Telegraph Road
Alexandria 22315-3865
He can also write to NARA in Maryland (not St Louis), to see if they have an archived documents on the unit in 1945.
Found two more (or I should say they found me), family members of the 540th, who signed my guestbook. Both sons of fathers who were officers.
I found the respective photos in my Overseas with the 540th book.
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My father was a 1st. Lt. in the 540th, His name was Thomas Ecclesine I have some photos, a book of the 540th in Europe and many letters to my mother. I also have a tissue paper map he drew which shows allied positions in preparation for a river crossing. If you would like more information please feel free to email me or call.
Bill Ecclesine
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Wonderful site. Thanks for setting it up and running it. I am the son of the late Col. Robert D Stephens from Enid, OK who was a combat engineer in the 540th for the entire duration of WWII -- participating in the landings (I believe) in Ft Lyautey, Morocco, Sicily, Anzio, Southern France, the Rhine Crossing and occupation. My father had many incredible stories about his experiences. A few of my favorite stories are: 1. A wonderful letter he wrote to his parents (published in the local paper) telling them about his experiences when he was suddenly detailed to be part of the security detail for FDR during the Casablanca and Teheran conferences. He said he learned to eat really fast because he was usually the last served at elaborate meals where the big guys were meeting/eating. He wrapped up the letter with something to the effect, that he wished his pals could have been there for they would know we are led by good men and fighting for a good cause (will try to post the letter on the website). He also told me he had a run in with one of FDR's sons (a General?) who wanted to get into FDR's car while he waited for the president (it was a bitterly cold day). My dad told him he would not be allowed to enter the car for it was designated for someone else. FDR's son blew his stack and yelled my dad asking if he did not recognize him. My dad said yes, but would not allow anyone to enter the car until the designated person showed up. 2. He also claims he and 11 other engineers were the first US soldiers, trained by the Brits in North Africa, to be mine/demolition experts (his CV said he was the senior Mine Warfare Engineer in the Mediterranean Theatre) and these in turn trained hundreds of others. As a kid my dad would often use cocktail napkins to draw schematics of German mines and how he and his pals would develop a countermeasure and then the German would introduce additional changes and a never-ending war. Does anybody know if the 540th indeed was one of the first trained in mine warfare? 3. My dad told me that during the crossing of the Rhine he was put in charge of testing the "Ducks" -- which he said no one knew exactly how to operate. He put one of his men into the Duck and he drove it into the river and it immediately sunk because they failed to put in the "plug." I have pictures of this incident which are fairly funny with the last shot being a soldier swimming out of the sinking Duck. My dad kept load of records and materials, including more than 100 letters from this period of time. I wlll try to share some of these with this website.
Here is a couple Items "liberated" by the 36th.The flag is hand stitched and found hanging in an abandoned post office.The braided fringe is gold colored I only know the cap was once worn by an officer.
