01-21-2021, 12:03 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-21-2021, 12:04 AM by lowellsilverman.)
I have been writing tributes to the WWII fallen as part of a national initiative, Stories Behind the Stars. My latest article is about the heartbreaking story of a member of the 815th Engineer Aviation Battalion who sacrificed his life saving his brother during the bombing of the 95th Evacuation Hospital at Anzio: https://www.fold3.com/page/653611524/rob...lreaney-jr
I identify in my articles what component of the Army a soldier was in, but I'm a little bewildered by this case. I originally would have assumed the engineer aviation battalions were in the Army Air Forces since they did construct airfields. However, Shelby L. Stanton's book World War II Order of Battle (which is only about Army Ground Forces units) does include them with other Army Engineer units. His text only mentions "Engineer aviation units occupied an ambiguous position between the Corps of Engineers and the Army Air Forces throughout the war, Some theater commanders short of engineer troops used aviation engineers for any priority construction job, while others reserved them for air force projects only." That doesn't clear things up much at all! I was hoping someone here could. Thanks!
I identify in my articles what component of the Army a soldier was in, but I'm a little bewildered by this case. I originally would have assumed the engineer aviation battalions were in the Army Air Forces since they did construct airfields. However, Shelby L. Stanton's book World War II Order of Battle (which is only about Army Ground Forces units) does include them with other Army Engineer units. His text only mentions "Engineer aviation units occupied an ambiguous position between the Corps of Engineers and the Army Air Forces throughout the war, Some theater commanders short of engineer troops used aviation engineers for any priority construction job, while others reserved them for air force projects only." That doesn't clear things up much at all! I was hoping someone here could. Thanks!