Similar histories 540th and 36th

[Walt's Daughter]

I sent the following information to Captain John Fallon of the 36th, this morning. It's interesting to intertwine the histories of the two units, especially in the very beginning...

 

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Dear John:

 

Thought you'd like to see just how closely the 36th and 540th were. In fact the 540th WAS three bns in the beginning! Read on...

 

The 540th Engineer Shore Regiment was activated at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts on 11 September 1942, and consisted of Regimental Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, three Battalions and a Medical Detachment. Lieutenant Colonel Kasper commanded the Regiment and the Executive Officer was Major Bishop. The original Regimental Staff consisted of Captain Connors, who was Plans and Training Officer as well as Intelligence Officer, Captain Bunch, Regimental Supply Officer, 1st Lieutenant Sass, the Regimental Adjutant, 2nd Lieutenant Lassogard, the Personnel Officer and Captain Smith, the Regimental Surgeon. The Battalion Commanders were: Major Foote, First Battalion, Major Hamilton, Second Battalion, and Captain Hughes, the Third Battalion.

 

On 11, September 1942, the First Battalion was transported by rail to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, followed four days later by the Second Battalion. At Fort Bragg, both battalions worked with the 36th Combat Engineer Combat Regiment, were entirely re-equipped, received new replacement personnel and began a rigorous amphibious training program. On 25 September, Lieutenant Colonel Kasper was relieved of command of the 540th Engineer Shore Regiment to assume command of the 532nd Engineer Shore Regiment located at Camp Edwards Massachusetts, and Lieutenant Colonel George W Martin, took over the command of the 540th Engineer Shore Regiment. Three days later Regimental Headquarters, Medical Detachment and Headquarters and Service Company moved from Camp Edwards to Fort Bragg. In order to further the realistic aspects of amphibious warfare, the First and Second Battalions moved to Camp Bradford, Virginia, located on the Atlantic seacoast. There working with the United States Naval units and the 36th Engineer Combat Regiment, they soon welded all their components parts into smooth, efficient shore engineer parties.

 

Three important changes occurred at this time: the Third Battalion which remained at Camp Edwards was deactivated 3 October 1942 by War Department orders; Major D.J. Manning was designated Commanding Officer of the First Battalion on 5 October, relieving Major Foote who returned to the Engineer Amphibian Command at Camp Edwards, and Captain D.G. Savage was designated Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion while Major Hamilton was transferred to Regimental Headquarters. On 14 October, the Medical Detachment and Headquarters and Service Company left Fort Bragg, North Carolina by rail for Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, a staging area for processing troops for overseas duty. The following day Regimental Headquarters and the two battalions (less F Co) moved to Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation and boarded ship. Regimental Headquarters and the First Battalion were attached to the 60th Infantry of the Ninth Division, and the Second Battalion (less F Co) was attached to the 47th Infantry of the same Division. The medical Detachment and the Headquarters and Service Company were assigned to the following convoy. The attachments were made for the purpose of coordinating the infantry mission with those of the Shore Regiments, and to create a Regimental Combat Team capable of forcing a landing and maintaining a beachhead on a hostile shore.

 

There followed a short but intensive training maneuver of these two teams in the Chesapeake Bay, along with landing exercises on the Solomon Islands. Throughout this period, huge quantities of supplies, fuel and ammunition were loaded upon the ships which were increasing in number into a great convoy. On 23 and 19 October respectively, the First and Second Battalions left the continental limits of the United States as part of a huge convoy, TF "A", whose mission and destination were cloaked in secrecy. On 25 October 1942, the 540th Shore Engineer Regiment was re-designated as the 540th Engineer Combat Regiment.

 

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You will notice a very interesting fact; the third bn of the 540th was deactivated within a few weeks the third bn of the 36th was activated!

 

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From the 36th's history-

 

...On 1 September 1942, a third battalion was assigned to the regiment...

 

Very interesting,

Mare