243rd Engineers

[S-3 188th Engineer Combat Bn]

I have a booklet entitled, "Crossing of the Rhine River by Third US Army" which includes a map which shows all the crossing sites and lists the 243d Engineers at Saint Goar. My father was there in the 188th Engineers. I have the entire booklet scanned and if anyone wants it I can email it to them. My email is "don at prasse dot com".

Crossing of the Rhine River by Third US Army (Map).pdf

[Walt's Daughter]

Wow, thanks! Sure appreciate that. Great informational map. I will have to include that on the main site too. Very helpful.

 

Oh and warm welcome to you.

[twzimmers]

My Dad was in the 243rd Engineer Combat BN. Originally called the 983rd Engineer Battalion, they were activated 15 Oct 1943 at Camp Breckenridge, Ky. There is a book on file which has been digitalized and available over the Internet. Google "243rd Engineer Combat Battalion." My Dad was with Company A, 2nd Platoon and was there at S. Goar, tying knots to bind the rubber rafts, which were used for the Treadway Bridge over the Rhine in late March 1945. Today there are no bridges across the river to St. Goarhausen. I f anyone has an interest, I can share some additional information. Most of what I know came from the aforementioned book,plua a little from old letters and an old journal.

 

TW

[Walt's Daughter]

Fantastic. Always like to hear good news. I will google that and add to our site. Great info. Yes, please share whatever you can. People all over the world come to this site for info on the engineers.

[Walt's Daughter]

Hmmm, I just looked it up and it says they do have an E-copy but it's copyrighted and not available to the public.

[twzimmers]

Regarding the crossing of the Rhine operations by the 243rd, here is is what took place: On 25 March, at 1700 hrs, CO's of Companies B and C met with officers of the 1010th Treadway Bridge at a house near the river's edge to discuss how the bridge was to be built. Company B was assigned the actual construction and stood ready to act soonafter the assault by the 89th Infantry. This began at 0200 hrs on 26 March. Due to enemy resistance, it took 18 hours to secure the bridgehead. At this point bridge construcion began immediately. Company C constructed the pontoon rafts. Current was swift and 2 powerboats were swept away. Company A was called in to assist in placing the pontoons by hand. A and B Companies set up kitchens along the river bank to keep the construction going. Despite sporadic enemy fire, no damage was done. At 2700 hrs on 27 Mar, the bridge was completed. Company A was used for bridge security and set up machine guns along the bridge. St. Goarhausen lay directly across the river. A consideraqble amount of wine was discovered in the cellar of a local Gasthaus. (Later, the troops were celebrating). My father was with Company A. He said that General Patton's tanks crossed that bridge. His unit was proud that not a single knot tied to the pontoons had failed.

[Walt's Daughter]

I love reading this. Find it oh so fascinating.

[parker]

I just got around to reading this. Once again the Engineers come through.. and in style. Was it Piper who said "Those Damned Engineers"? As Marion says "no bridge too far". Thanks for sharing.

 

Parker

[Walt's Daughter]

Yup, the German's pegged the phrase, "Those Damned Engineers". That occurred when Pieper encountered Pergrin's 291st Engineers during the Battle of the Bulge.