179th Engineer Combat Battalion

[Walt's Daughter]

Hi - I corrected the three links which were no longer viable. Everything works now, so there should be quite a bit of information available to you and others seeking this same information.

 

Good luck to you with your research. Happy to have you on board.

 

M1

[colinhotham]

Kevin,

All I can add to what you know is that the 179th was part of the 1139th Combat Group and XX Corps.. I can trace it through to March 28th when they supported the crossing of the River Rhine at Mainz. By the 22nd April XX Corps were southeast of Nuremberg. 40 miles on they were involved in building a bridge over the Danube and on the 2nd of May they arrived at the Inn river which marked the border with Austria.

XX Corps were given the mission of making contact with the Russian Army which they did on May 7th at the Enns River.

If you can get hold of a copy of US ARMY IN WW2, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS THE WAR AGAINST GERMANY. Published 1985 by the CMH. CMH pub 10-22 it contains many references to the 179th & xx Corps, especially page 531 on.

Colin.

[Kevin Wilkins]

Many thanks! I discovered a publication that looks like a unit history of the 179th in several libraries in the USA. I will try and obtain a copy of that. I learned today that a copy of our relative's army record has been found by his widow and a copy is being forwarded to me by my Mom. She says according to the time line therein, the unit was in Germany until April 15, 1945 when it was sent to Austria.

 

As soon as I receive my copy of the record, I will post any relevant info.

 

I'm still most interested to hear from anyone else who has info on the 179th.

[Walt's Daughter]

I COMBINED THREE separate postings which are related to this unit. Hope it doesn't confuse anyone...

[Walt's Daughter]

Found this book today, which can be read in its entirety on the web. It mentions the 1139th group.

 

http://westwall.elvamie.nl/Patton's%20Pawns%20-%20The%2094th%20US%20Infantry%20Division%20at%20the%20Siegfried%20Line.html

[militaria7]

Good Afternoon,

 

I am seeking information on a Sgt. Clem D. Lee who served in World War II with the 179th Enginner Combat Battalion. I am wriitng a bio for his Find-A-Grave memroial, #89054411. He was killed in action on 9/25/1944. His headstone (private purchase) states he was in Company "C", 90th Division, 179th Enineer © Bn. Now, unless I am mistaken, there is no such thing as the 90th Division - but there is a 90th INFANTRY Division as we all know. I searched some of the 90th ID sites, and there is no mention of the 179th being attached to the 90th at any time that I could find. And in an earlier post in this forum from a few years ago, it was asked if the 179th was part of the 90thID for some reason, and the answer was no. So, what give with the headstone?

 

Also, if anyone has a roster of men assigned to the 179th, I'd like to know what it says about Clem Lee. I specifically need to know where he was killed and if there is a diary or something talking about the action in the area where he was killed I'd like ot hea about that. But any info anyone has will be appreciated!

 

Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR (RET)

[SonofaMP]

Hi Rick, The 179th Engineer Combat Bn was under command of the 1139th Engineer Combat Group, XX Corps, Third Army.

On 23 August 1944, the 179th ECB was in support of Combat Command A, 7th Armored Division for the crossing of the Seine River at Tilly, a villiage about a mile north of Pontierry, France.

 

you will find this account in the book: The Corps of Engineers, The War Against Germany, by Alfred Beck; pages 387 & 388

you can read or download a copy here:

http://archive.org/s...00beck_djvu.txt

 

Corporal Clem D Lee, Army Serial Number 38510826 was buried at the Temporary Cemetery, Andilly Cemetery, Lay St. Remy, France.

The records show he was a Corporal at time of death, not a Sgt.

 

 

When an Corps engineer combat bn was placed in support of a river crossing, it was a temporary assignment and they were NOT attached to any Infantry or Armored Division. Most references to the 90th Infantry Div is the 179th ECB was in support of the 358th Inf Reg, 90th Inf Div, for the Saar River crossing in December `44.

[Walt's Daughter]

Strange how that wound up on his headstone, but mistakes have been known to happen.

 

When researching "bastard" (self-supporting) engineer units, it's often confusing, for even I (early on), believed that all units were part of a division. My father's unit, the 540th was also a self-supporting engineer unit, and was not a permanent part of any division They were usually under the direction of a Corps or Army, such as the 5th or 7th Army and the VI Corps. They often supported and/or were attached to various others units during the war. In other words, they were assigned where best needed.

 

The 90th Infantry Division had an engineer unit, but it was the 315th Engineer Battalion (see attachment) - archived file - General Order 421

315th EB GO 42 1.pdf

[SonofaMP]

Been reading 90th Inf Div documents and at the time period we`re looking at ( 25 Sept) the 90th was attacking Metz, and the 179th ECB may have been in the area. There is a mention of Company B of the 179th , on 1 October being attached to a Task Force of the 90th Div.

Attachments of this type rarely show up in Division or Regiment operation accounts.

[SonofaMP]

The general area were Cpl Lee was killed is about all were going to get from online records. XX Corps, & 90th Inf Div were holding a 16 mile front on the west side of the Moselle River on the line of Metz - Thionville. The 1139th Engineers Group would have been in suport of at least 2 divisions, probably 3, and their engineer combat battalions could have been any where from the Meuse River Crossing at Verdon east to the Moselle near Thionville.

 

I would suggest the best way to get the exact details on location on his death is to obtaian his I.D.P.F. ( Individual Deceacd Perrsonel File).

Requesting an I.D.P.F. , Individual Deceaced Personel File

Write a letter

Include the text:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby make a request for the Individual Deceased Personnel File for (Enter the name of the serviceman or woman). (Enter the name) died or was killed-in-action while serving in the military during (Enter the name of the War).

 

Provide as much of the following information as is known:

•Full name:

•Military service (serial) number:

•Entered Service From:

•Branch of the service:

•Division, unit information:

•Date and place of birth:

•Date and place of death:

•Relationship to the deceased:

 

Send your letter of request to one of the following addresses:

 

Department of the Army

US Army Human Resource Command

ATTN: AHRC-FOIA

1600 Spearhead Division Avenue Dept. 107

Fort Knox KY 40122-5504

 

( Fort Knox is the reccomended adress)

 

Or Send your letter of request to:

US Army

Human Resources Command

Attn: AHRC-PAO(FOIA), Room 7S65

200 Stovall Street

Alexandria, VA 22331-0400