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Hi Mary Ann,
I am glad to hear from you. My Dad was from Geneva Ave, Dorchester (Boston) in the 1940's, he moved to Rockland in 1956. He passed away at age 88 in April of 2006.
My son just completed his BS Eagle project which was preserving military uniforms at a local private library. He started to raise my interest in my fathers army years. I don't have a lot of time to search for info, but little by little I hope to do research via the computer.
I have a long way to go understanding the breakdown and ranks of the Army! Thanks for the info, does that mean company A and C were at the same locations at the same time?
Janet
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Marion,
I read the post of Mar 23, 2005 that talks about a baily bridge across the Volturno. Could you please let me know what book you found this information in as I have a photo of this bridge and the caption reads, "Mundorf Bridge over Voltuano near Raviscanina. This is from the pamphlet my father came home with...The 344th Goes Traveling 1942-1945 edited and printed by Carl G. Long
Thanks for your help.
Janet
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Janet:
I hope you will find the following helpful. I've shared this army lesson a few times over the past few years, and in fact just sent this info to a new friend the other day. Welcome to the army! 
This is using the VI Corps units as an example. The 344th was also a "bastard" or separate unit. Read on...
This may also help you "picture" it. Each of the "bastard" or separate engineer units were all regiments. Each regiment has either two to three battalions, each battalion has three companies, plus HQ, H&S Co's etc. Here's a breakdown for the four units I am researching:
36th Engineer Regiment - 2826, 2827, 2828th Battalions
2826th - A, B and C Companies
2827th - D, E and F Companies
2828th - G, H and I Companies
39th Engineer Regiment - 1st and 2nd Battalions
1st - A, B and C Companies
2nd - D, E and F Companies
540th Engineer Regiment - 2832nd and 2833rd Battalions
2832nd - A, B and C Companies
2833rd - D, D, and F Companies
1108th Engineer Regiment - 48th and 235th Battalions
48th - A, B and C Companies
1108th - D, E, and F Companies
Many times companies were in the same area, but each company within a regiment could be given different assignments, so they did not necessarily work together.
A company was further broken down into the following:
1 company = 3 to 4 platoons (normal for an engineer unit)
1 platoon = 3 squads
My dad was 540th Combat Engineer Regiment (or later in the war, Group), 2833rd Battalion, H&S Company, 4th Platoon
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
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Could you give me the exact link for this post? There are too many instances of "Volturno" and I want to make sure I refer to the correct one. Thanks!
Marion,
I read the post of Mar 23, 2005 that talks about a baily bridge across the Volturno. Could you please let me know what book you found this information in as I have a photo of this bridge and the caption reads, "Mundorf Bridge over Voltuano near Raviscanina. This is from the pamphlet my father came home with...The 344th Goes Traveling 1942-1945 edited and printed by Carl G. Long
Thanks for your help.
Janet
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
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Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2007
Janet:
I hope you will find the following helpful. I've shared this army lesson a few times over the past few years, and in fact just sent this info to a new friend the other day. Welcome to the army!
This is using the VI Corps units as an example. The 344th was also a "bastard" or separate unit. Read on...
This may also help you "picture" it. Each of the "bastard" or separate engineer units were all regiments. Each regiment has either two to three battalions, each battalion has three companies, plus HQ, H&S Co's etc. Here's a breakdown for the four units I am researching:
36th Engineer Regiment - 2826, 2827, 2828th Battalions
2826th - A, B and C Companies
2827th - D, E and F Companies
2828th - G, H and I Companies
39th Engineer Regiment - 1st and 2nd Battalions
1st - A, B and C Companies
2nd - D, E and F Companies
540th Engineer Regiment - 2832nd and 2833rd Battalions
2832nd - A, B and C Companies
2833rd - D, D, and F Companies
1108th Engineer Regiment - 48th and 235th Battalions
48th - A, B and C Companies
1108th - D, E, and F Companies
Many times companies were in the same area, but each company within a regiment could be given different assignments, so they did not necessarily work together.
A company was further broken down into the following:
1 company = 3 to 4 platoons (normal for an engineer unit)
1 platoon = 3 squads
My dad was 540th Combat Engineer Regiment (or later in the war, Group), 2833rd Battalion, H&S Company, 4th Platoon
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Oh my, what have I gotten into? It might take me a while. Sounds complicated!
Thanks
Janet
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This information was taken from:
The Corps of Engineers - The War Against Germany - Authors: Alfred M. Beck; Abe Bortz; Charles W. Lynch; Lidia Mayo; And Ralph F. Weld - Publisher: Department of the Army - The book describes in detail the role of the Army Corps Engineers in various campaigns, from North Africa, Italy, as well as Central and Western Europe, from 1941-1944. Includes photos, maps... -
============================== Here's the post from 2005:
I found info and will be posting it here later today!
Okay, I'm back. It's not much, but it's a start. The following info is in regards to the 344th General Service Engineer Regiment.
This is during December of 1943 in Italy. Bridge building was very difficult at this time due to enemy fire and the weather. Some of the engineering companies tried building bridges at night, while some still preferred the daylight so they could be protected as much as possible by counterbattery fire that aerial reconnaissance directed.
The winds and floods were causing havoc on December 30 and a company of the 344th Engineering General Service Regiment was building a Bailey bridge across the Volturno near Raviscanina. While the engineers were putting concrete caps on the stone piers of the demolished span, a high wall of water plunged down the river and quickly washed away concrete and equipment. On the 31st, high winds and subfreezing temperatures ended all the work for several days. The gale ripped own company tents and blew away, buried and destroyed personal equipment.
NEXT
During June and July much of the 5th Army forces departed to prepare for the invasion of southern France being planned for mid-August. The army lost VI Corps and the French Corps. That loss amounted to seven full divisions and also the loss of non-divisional engineers units that included the 540th Engineer Combat Regiment, the 48th Engineer Combat Bn and the 343rd and 344th Engineer General Service Regiments. These units would now be under 7th Army control.
NEXT
This takes place in southern France on October 2, 1944. The 344th repaired a 410-foot single-track structure over the DOUBS River at Dole, using thirty-foot high timber bents, with standard Bailey forming the the span. Opening the Dole route brought railheads north to Vesoul and Bescanon.
NEXT
Seventh Army engineers divided the responsibility for rail rehabilitation after October 30th. At various times, the work continued to involve the 40th, 94th, 343rd, 344th and the 540th Engineer Regiments and also the 1051st Engineer Port Construction and Repair Group.
The following info is in regards to the 334th General Service Engineer Regiment
This takes place in North Africa in January of 1943. The newly formed 5th Army was operating eight training schools. The 17th Armored Engineer Bn, the 334th Engineer Combat Bn, the 39th and 540th Engineer Combat Regiments, and two separate engineer battalions, the 378th and the 384th, took part in training exercises with live fire, the object being to make men battle-wise in the shortest time frame possible.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
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Thanks Marion, for explaining the breakdown. Other than waiting for info from the vetrecs archieve is there a way to find out the Battalion number, and platoon number my Dad would have been in? How did you locate it for your Dad? Would it be on any documents my Dad would have? I believe I answered my own question that Company A, B, and C of the 344th did not all train at Camp Claiborne if Virginia's Dad is pictured in camp in Michigan. I did find out that my Dad's discharge has Company C 35th Engineers Combat Battalion instead of Company A 344th. Would this mean he made a transfer during the war and his records would be filed under the discharge info?
I love the idea of you starting the sister site and each unit could have a page. I would love to put the photos and names I have for the 344th A Company on the site. If I could ever help out from the Massachusetts area, I would be happy to. Thanks for your patience. Janet
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