Hello Marion,
Thanks for the info. Sorry, can't help the gentlemen. We had no contact
with Engineer units, other than our own kind, during the war with one
exception. That was an Engineer Combat or General Service, Battalion or
Regiment who was rebuilding a railroad bridge on the Durance River at
Meyraguess in Southern France not long after the August 15 1944 landing.
The bridge was a Bailey, a triple/triple and the longest Bailey put up to
date at that time, reportedly. The length I have forgotten if ever knew.
But it was so long it required two supporting piers to hold it up. Our job
was to pump out the water in pier footings created by driving sheet piling
into the river bed. With the water out concrete could be poured. We used
fire trucks and trailer mounted fire fighting pumpers 24/7 for several days
and then moved on north with the advancing 7th Army of which we were a part.
Have no pictures, just memories as enlisted could not have cameras.
Aloha,
Jim
Marion's note: Posted this here for our friend and forum member Jim Davis.
James G. Davis, Member and Historian
1204th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon
World War II
Author: "Fire Fighters in Fatigues - The 1204th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon - A History"
http://www.maui.net/~r11/index.html
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"