1010th Engineer Treadway Bridge Company

[j_riederer]

My grandfather recently passed away and I am trying to get any and all information regarding his company as possible...I have already contacted the national archives and hopefully they will be able to get some information for me....but I was hoping anyone here might have any information...we have several photos my grandpa took during the war including one of his group...I guess my first question would be, how many people would you expect were in his company? There's a picture of about 10-12 people, is that his company possibly? Or are they a lot larger? There is absolutely ZERO information on the 1010th on the internet...several other treadway companies have their own websites or there's tons of information on them, but not the 1010th...does that mean they were less significant, smaller, etc? Again, I appreciate any help at all you may be able to provide!

 

Jeff Riederer

Grandson of James A Riederer

[SonofaMP]

Hi Jeff, welcome to the forum, there`s not much about the 1010th probably because of the late date they arrived in europe, which appears to be around March 1945, only 2 months before the end of the war. They have Campaign Credits for Central Europe & Rhineland and Occupation Duty, Germany 20 May - 14 August 1945.

I found a mention of them in a veteran`s memoir who was in the 1010th but was transfered to another unit. He says the 1010th was training at Camp Ruker, AL. in 1943 at the time he was with them.

There is 2 mentions of them in 12th Army corespondence available at fold3.com. the first is correspondence from 12 Army Group dated 13 march 1945, signed Bradley asking if the 1010th & other units can be eguiped and sent to the army areas by 31 March 1945.

http://www.fold3.com/image/#286802612

 

another followup reply dated dated 17 March 1945

http://www.fold3.com/image/#286803142

 

Judging by this correspondence the 1010th probably got to the front during or shortly after the Rhine River crossings.

[j_riederer]

Wow that's more information than I have come up with after doing lots of searching thank you very much! For all the stories my grandpa had I would have definitely thought that he was there longer. I did find one document that congratulated all the groups that helped cross the Rhine and his company wasn't mentioned, but for some reason I thought he said that his company was there...I have a picture he took of the bridge over the Rhine but maybe he got to it after it was already set up.

[SonofaMP]

Hi Jeff, the document you mention probably just lists the units participating in the assault crossings of the Rhine. After the intitial assault crossings and the bridgehead expanded clearing the east bank of the Rhine, the front lines were many miles from the crossing sites and many more bridges were built at sites closer to the front to shorten supply lines & move followup units across the Rhine. These bridges got little or no mention or credit given to the units that built them, the assault bridges got all the ink and photos. So it`s entirely possible the 1010th did build a bridge accross the Rhine. If you can get the unit records from NARA, they`ll show the bridges built by them & where they were.

 

You`ll find information on the orginization of an engineer treadway bridge company in Field Manual 5 -5, Engineer Troops

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/docs/FieldManualsWWII/FM%205-5%20%20Engineer%20Field%20Manual%20Engineer%20Troops.pdf

 

Normaly treadway bridge companies were assigned or attached to armored divisions for river crossing working with the armored engineer battalions. In the case of the 1010th`s arrival dates they may have been under the command of ADSEC, ( Advance Section, Com-Z) but 12 Army Group Hqs would issue orders for bridge building.

[Walt's Daughter]

Hey Jeff, a warm welcome to you. Sorry I didn't post earlier but it's been one busy week for me. But you are in good hands with Larry, so...

 

Yes, do try getting in touch with NARA in Maryland to obtain any unit reports. Please see our research section for further suggestions on where to gather more info:

 

http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/engforum/index.php?showtopic=23

 

[Walt's Daughter]

Jeff,

 

Would you be able to share that picture of the bridge? Sure would love to see it.

[j_riederer]

Yeah, I'll grab it from my parents and scan a couple...might be a couple days but I'll post it up when I can get it

[Walt's Daughter]

Fantastic. Thanks.

[SonofaMP]

Hi Jeff, your grandfather wrote his memoirs of the war, ask your parents if they know about it or have a copy.

An article with some of his memoirs appears in the Watertown Daily Times Posted: Saturday, November 7, 2009.

In the article it states "Riederer remembers that his company's biggest effort was the assembly of a bridge over the Rhine River from St. Goer to St. Goershausen, Germany."

 

http://www.wdtimes.c...f93aa63576.html

[Walt's Daughter]

Oh holy cow. Isn't it amazing what you can find on the net. Nice catch there, Larry!