1278th engineers

[Walt's Daughter]

This was sent to me and written by Michael O'Connor

 

I have been doing a lot of research on my grandfather (1278 Engineer Combat Battalion) and would like to send some info/ articles I have written for your review, plus get some of your take on doing this sort of research.

1278th.pdf

[Jeeper704]

This is very interesting.

Thanks for sharing.

 

One little remark though; some of the 5th Fallschirmjägermen wore parts of US clothing to keep them warm in the freezing cold.

They were not impersonating US soldiers.

Some of them were shot as saboteurs or spies unfortunately.

But this explains the reports of enemy spies and saboteurs dressed in US gear everywhere in the area of The Bulge.

 

The real impersonators were the troops under Otto Skorzeny.

Panzerbrigade 150 if I recall correctly, made up partly of dressed up German vehicles and tanks and partly of captured US vehicles.

Some men spoke fluently English, some had only very basic knowledge.

 

Erwin