1289th Combat Engineers

[CombatGirl]

Hello all! I am currently doing research on my Grandfather who was in the 1289th Combat Engineer Battalion. I have hit a wall in my research and am hoping to find some leads here. My husband is currently serving his second tour in Afghanistan so military history is very important in our family :)If you have any info on this group please let me know... My grandfather was also with the 3939th QM, I have some pictures of him and his buddies in europe as well as what I believe to be the Phillipines. Any help is appreciated!

 

<3 CombatGirl

[SonofaMP]

Hello, welcome to the forum and a Thank You to your husband for his service.

Do you have your grandfathers discharge documents or his service record? If you could provide his name & serial number ( if you have it) it will help in the research.

The 1289 Engineer Combat Battalion has Campaign Credit for Central Europe and Occupation Duty Germany, 2 May - 5 July 1945.

The 3939th Quartermaster Gas Supply Co. has Campaign Credits for Normandy, Northern France, & Rhineland. Assault Credit for Normandy 6-7 June 1944,

The 3939th Quartermaster Gas Supply Co. was attached to the 1st Special Engineer Brigade for the Normandy Invasion.

[Walt's Daughter]

Welcome Combat Girl. We've already spoken via email, but wanted to personally welcome you here too.

 

Will write more later, but gotta fly; literally, so will pick up later from my hotel room...

 

All the best to you and your husband.

[SonofaMP]

One of the photos sent to me by Combat Girl. Maybe one of our friends from Europe can identify this building (church?) and it`s location. I`m thinking the picture would have been taken in Germany between May & July 1945. The men would be members of the 1289th ECB.

[Walt's Daughter]

Great photo. Hope someone has an answer.

[Walt's Daughter]

Combat Girl, you are not going to believe this, but while at Fort Leonard Wood this weekend, I had a chance to go through their archives. Mind you, I only had a few hours, but while there, I ran across a document for the 1289th. Talk about serendipity.

 

It is composed of two typewritten letters by a gentleman named, Captain Charles (Chuck) Sweningsen, addressed to his cousin. They were in turn donated/shared with the office of history at FLW.

 

Enjoy. So happy to be able to do this for you. As soon as I saw it I said, "Hey, I have someone on my forum who just requested info on this unit, just this week."

 

These are now public domain. I checked to make sure there wasn't anything personal in these.

 

 

Jan 2014

 

FOR SOME REASON, THE FILE COULD NO LONGER BE DOWNLOADED, BUT I FOUND A COPY ON MY DISK FROM FORT LEONARD WOOD, AND HAVE RE-UPLOADED IT TODAY!!!!

1289th EN BN materials.pdf

[CombatGirl]

Combat Girl, you are not going to believe this, but while at Fort Leonard Wood this weekend, I had a chance to go through their archives. Mind you, I only had a few hours, but while there, I ran across a document for the 1289th. Talk about serendipity.

 

It is composed of two typewritten letters by a gentleman named, Captain Charles (Chuck) Sweningsen, addressed to his cousin. They were in turn donated/shared with the office of history at FLW.

 

Enjoy. So happy to be able to do this for you. As soon as I saw it I said, "Hey, I have someone on my forum who just requested info on this unit, just this week."

 

These are now public domain. I checked to make sure there wasn't anything personal in these.

 

 

 

I'm have the biggest smile on my face right now! Thank you for thinking of me. The people I have contacted on this forum have been truely amazing. Thank you so much!

[CombatGirl]

I'm have the biggest smile on my face right now! Thank you for thinking of me. The people I have contacted on this forum have been truely amazing. Thank you so much!

 

I meant "I have". See I can't even type correctly!

[Walt's Daughter]

Funny I didn't even notice it. I saw the content and not the individual words. I got the gist!

 

BTW, you are VERY welcome. WE are truly one big family here.

 

[SonofaMP]

Excellent find Marion! The letters are probably just as good as a unit history minus the S-1 personel reports.

It will help tremendously in the research. It should help in the location of the church picture posted earlier. The letter stated that they were in Troisdorf, which is on the Agger River across from Seigburg in the area where another new member Christoph is from!