History of the 337th Engineer Combat Battalion

[Walt's Daughter]

Hi TD. Welcome to the forum. Larry and I look forward to helping you.

[MD Ayres]

Janis, My name is Michael Ayres and I am the son of Capt Dennis A Ayres, CO, Company B, 337th Engineer Combat Bn. It appears that Alex Roguskie was in my fathers company. Dad died in 1998. Other than a few humorous antidotes he rarley talked about his experiences. On Christmas Eve my daughter found two boxes of documents in his attic. I have just started going through them. The first things I have read are a series of letters to his family in Benham, Ky written between May 1 from just "Italy" to May 27 from "Milan, Italy". In the first letter he was optimistic that the war was almost over, then entusiastic about rotation home with 97 points then bitterly disappointed he was ordered to the Pacific. He mentions the killing of the german general, supporting the 10th Mountain, Bailey bridge repair, writing commendation recommendations for "his" men (seems that was effective given the listing of awards posted on the blog), etc. Many of the items are covered in the History paper you posted. I also located his 201 file and his service records from draft through discharge. I have yet to locate anything personel before May 1, but there is more to comb through and another box at his house. My interest is building the history of the 335th AAA S/L Bn and its odyssey from the US through Africa, Sicily and Italy.

 

Michael

(email removed for privacy/hacking)

[Walt's Daughter]

Welcome Michael. Oh btw, I removed your email address, for that's one of our rules on the forum. Forum members can reach each other through private messages, if they are logged on.

 

If "outside" readers want to reach a member with info, they simply need to contact me, and I will put them in touch with each other.

 

This keeps down the spammers and hackers. It only takes ONE robot to hack your account and then you're in for big trouble... :unsure: So I'm saving everyone a huge headache down the road.

 

Anyhow...

 

How exciting regarding your family's find.

 

Can't wait to see some of photos, letters, etc.

[SonofaMP]

It`s been a year, but finaly came across information on the 185th Engineer Combat Battalion..

 

Lineage of the 185th Engineer Combat Battalion

 

Originally Battery "A", 213th Coast Artillery Regiment, Anti-Aircraft.

The 213th Coast Artillery Regiment, Anti-Aircraft was organized in 1922 in Allentown, as a PA NG unit.

Unit was a descendant of the 4 Inf PA 1874.

 

213th CA Regiment inducted into federal service, 16 September 1940

Battery "A" expanded into 3rd Battalion, 213th CA Reg 13 June 1942

213th CA Reg inactivated 1 April 1944 in Naples Italy

3rd Battalion reorganized & redesignated 337th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion, 1 April 1944

337th AA Searchlight Battalion inactivated on 24. September 1944, Civitavecchia, Italy

The entire personnel was transferred to the 185th Engineer Combat Battalion, which was activated on 25 September 1944.

185th ECB was attached to the 1338th Engineer Combat Group, Fifth Army.

 

Brief History:

"The 185th Engineer Combat Battalion, was originally Battery "A", 213th Coast Artillery Regiment Anti-

Aircraft, upon induction into Federal service on 16 September 1940. The next months were spent in training

until the U.S. entered the war in December 1941. At that time, the unit departed from Fort Eustis in

two hours and rushed north to protect New York harbor. The battery was expanded into the 3rd Battalion,

213th Regiment, on 13 June 1942, after additional cadres were added.

On 1 November 1942, the unit left New York harbor aboard the U.S. Army transport "John Ericson" for

Casablanca. The regiment operated in North Africa until 13 October 194-3 when it departed for Naples.

The battalion maintained Naples defense positions until 1 April 1944, when the unit was reorganized into

a separate battalion, the 337th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Searchlight Battalion, which continued the air

defense of Naples until after the fall of Rome.

The unit moved to Civitavecchia on 26 June 1944 and maintained anti-aircraft positions around that

port until inactivation on 24. September 1944. The entire personnel was transferred to the 185th Engineer

Combat Battalion, which was activated on 25 September. Four days later, the battalion moved near

Sernallino, was attached to the 1338th Group and began a six weeks` course in engineering training."

[Walt's Daughter]

Whew, now that was a mouthful! Thanks for your hard work. Bravo! It's nice to be able to finally shed some light on this subject, no?

[Steve0104]

Hello Enrico,

Are you familiar with Pietramala? I would love to find some verification on the location on where I think the temporary cemetery was located. Here are a few pics. The location is very close to where the hspital was located. any help would be appreciated.

[Walt's Daughter]

I wrote to Enrico on Facebook today.

[angatti]

I posted an update on the topic dedicated to the 169th Engineer Combat Battalion, but the update is about the story of the 337th Engineer General Service Regiment and the 1338th Engineer Combat Group.

The activities of the various battalions forming the 1338th are linked with the story of the 8th EVAC in Pietramala and the 56th Evac in Scarperia.

The following is the link to the document:

 

The story of the 1338th Engineer Combat Group and the 337th Engineer General Service Regiment

 

Marion, please feels free to move this post in the right place.

[Walt's Daughter]

I will take a look. Thanks for your post.

[angatti]

Hello Enrico,

Are you familiar with Pietramala? I would love to find some verification on the location on where I think the temporary cemetery was located. Here are a few pics. The location is very close to where the hspital was located. any help would be appreciated.

Hi Steve0104

,

I found in Fold3 the following pictures about the U.S Military cemetery in Pietramala:

 

http://www.fold3.com/image/48720693/

 

http://www.fold3.com/image/48720695/

 

The position you indicated is correct.