My uncle, Cpl. Dean Belmonte, served in Co. C, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, XIII Corps, Ninth Army, during 1944-1945. His unit built bridges across the Roer River under fire during Operation Grenade, and supported the 84th, 102nd Infantry, and 5th Armored Divisions across the Rhine and Elbe Rivers.
I have minimal info about the unit, and I am hoping to learn more about his particualr unit and Engineers in general. I am a retired Air Force officer and the author of a book, Italian Americans in World War II (Arcadia, 2001). I look forward to participating in these discussions.
Thanks to all the veterans who are on this list, I appreciate your service to our country.
Well we FINALLY get to chat via the forum. For our forum members, it seems Pete was fated not to become a member, or so it seemed, due to some very weird behavior with the administration section of my software. Well he was patient, I was persistent and it paid off.
So welcome to our humble home. I hope we will be able to shed some light for you.
Your book sounds interesting, especially since that is part of my heritage. My grandparents were from Sicily. Came over around the early 1900's. Part of my mom's brothers were born there. The rest of her brothers and sisters, in Detroit. How did you come to write the book?
Don't forget to look for assistance in the Research section, as it lays out several different avenues to pursue (many of them free), to discover info regarding your uncle's unit.
I will look up some data for you too, and place it here later.
Warmly,
M1
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Thanks very much for the info on the 292nd and the Roer. I'm very happy to add that to my small trove of 292nd history. I have the daily situation reports for the 1149th Engineer Combat Group for February, 1945, and these mention the autobahn bridge and the 292nd. The history you've attached show just how important that bridge was to the XIII Corps effort.
I'm glad to hear that you're a fellow Italian American. I wrote the book in the late 1990s. I was at that time in the American Italian Historical Association, writing and presenting papers and articles about Italian American history, hoping to get a job as a college instructor upon retirement from the Air Force. One of the members of the Association suggested that I write a local history and try to get it published by Arcadia Publishers. At that time I was corresponding with a number of Italian American WWII vets and collecting their histories, and I proposed such a book to Arcadia. They accepted the proposal, and I continued my correspondence and writing. The result, after corresponding with about 50 Italian American vets, is a nice collection of stories woven together with almost 100 photos that the men so freely shared. It was published in 2001 and it was a great, happy experience for me.
If there are any Italian American vets on this site who'd like to share their experience, I'd be happy to correspond with them (I cannot guarantee I will write another book, although I'd like to do just that some day).
The first site has photos of some projects and happenings in the outfit in 1945 in Europe. The second, from Wild Bill Guarnere's forum, has some info which, I think, comes indirectly from a 292nd vet. I submit them here so that, if anyone else is searching, perhaps they can use the info.
Three cheers for your line of thinking...Anyone doing a search will pick up on all the available links you've come across in your search, here and elsewhere. That is always my mode of thinking.
Rocky: Once again thank you for standing up for my engineers. Man, we need more folks like you. Guys who were actually there and can vouch for my men. Bravo!
BTW, Lee was reading some of your posts this evening, and was commenting on what a heck of a guy you were. Said he was glad that you and I got together. I was happy to hear that.
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"
Thanks for the welcome. I give you a big salute -- I have read about the Rapido (I think the book is The Real Tragedy of the Rapido) -- a grueling assault for sure. I've never been in that kind of combat, but muddy boots aren't bad, all things considered.
I know you are justifiably proud of the CIB. The vets with whom I've corresponded felt very proud of that award. In fact, Gen. Joseph Stillwell, who commanded US troops in the China theater during the war, desired that award above any other accolade (and he was actually awarded the DSC for heroism). He received the CIB award just prior to his death in 1945; I think an exception was made in his case since, if I'm not mistaken, it usually is not awarded to officers of high rank.
Thanks so much for the information. As a proud Grandson of a 292nd veteran any information is appreciated. If you ever decide to post the after action reports you spoke of above then please let me know. I'd be truly interested in reading them hoping maybe they can expand the limited knowledge that I have on grandfather's unit.
Thanks so much.
Gary L. Gates
Proud Grandson of Randall Gates
Mechanic, A and H&S Companies, 292nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 1149th Engineer Combat Group
For our forum members, it seems Pete was fated not to become a member, or so it seemed, due to some very weird behavior with the administration section of my software. Well he was patient, I was persistent and it paid off. 
