157th Engineer (C) Battalion Photographs

[brian m]

Marion,

 

I saw your request for some activity so I figured I would post some photos of the 157th. I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to visit with another veteran of the 157th, Sgt. Alton Heimbach. He and his wife, Marie, welcomed me to their house and we had a wonderful visit together. I have included some of the photographs Mr. Heimbach allowed me to scan below. He also had a wonderful collection of the 157th group reunion photographs which I would also like to include on this site (I know you were talking about having a separate site for each outfit and I have a bunch of stuff ready for it!).

 

I tried to upload the post and it says there were too many photos so i am going to reply with more photographs... Hope it works!

 

This is my Grandfather Sgt. Frank Altman of C Company (from the Frank Altman Collection)

 

Here is C Company working on the Seine River Bridge (from the Frank Altman Collection)

 

Siene River Bridge using barges to support the Bailey Bridge (from the Richard Purcell Collection). I am still looking for the full story on my Granddad, but Mr. Heimbach does remember him helping to bring the barges down river for use on the bridge. As of right now, that is the last I know of what he was doing before being shot through the leg by a straffing ME-109 that occurred sometime during the construction of the bridge.

 

Completion of the Seine River Bridge. The sign reads "To Berlin Courtesy of 157 ENGR" (from the Richard Purcell Collection)

 

I am always looking to hear from those who were in or worked with the 157th (or related to someone who was) so if you read this post please to comment or feel free to contact me. (Marion removed email adddress for sake of privacy. If anyone needs to get in touch with a member, simply go through the forum. Please do not list email addresses, for you will be bombarded by SPAM bots. Trying to save you the hassle).

 

Marion,

 

I also wanted to know if you had any photographs (or point me to the links here at the site) of the Rhine River Bridge at Mannheim or the treadway bridge south of Worms? As you know these were the bridges the 157th assisted the 540th with.

 

Thanks,

 

Brian

[brian m]

157th A Company (from the Frank Altman Collection)

 

157th with rock quarry (from the Frank Altman Collection)

 

157th with road scraper. The gentleman in the photograph is my Granddad's good buddy Sgt. Smokey Bowers. He must have been very photogenic as he is in a lot of the Signal Corps photographs and the movie of the 157th building the Seine River Bridge! (from the Frank Altman Collection)

[brian m]

Time for a swim near Saltzburg Germany

left to right T4 Roxton, Pfc Seitz, Pfc Heiner (from the Frank Altman Collection)

 

At the waterfall in Golling Austria. (from the Frank Altman Collection)

 

Jerry Fulkerson, Galago, Charles Glatfellow, Louie De Gidio, Phil, Lrubly, Vernon, Richard Purcell (kneeling) (from the Richard Purcell Collection)

[brian m]

Richard Purcell (kneeling) (from the Richard Purcell Collection) aiming for the pillbox

 

Pill box but probably not the one Mr. Purcell was aiming at (from the Richard Purcell Collection)

 

Unknown bridge - if this one looks familiar to anyone let me know! (from the Richard Purcell Collection)

[brian m]

Unknown soldier, but one of my favorite photos. (from the Frank Altman Collection)

 

 

Sgt. Alton Heimbach and my grandfather Sgt. Frank Altman after the war in Austria. (from the Alton Heimbach Collection)

 

Blown span of the Autobahn with the Pascal Bridge in the background. (from the Richard Purcell Collection)

 

Pascal Bridge. (from the Richard Purcell Collection) The Autobahn bridge was blown up by the Germans just a few days before the end of the war. Once the ended, some of the bridge building was performed by the German POWs as can be seen in the photograph. The bridge was named after Tec 4 Pascal of the 157th who drowned during the construction of the bridge.

That's all for right now!

Brian

[Walt's Daughter]

Those are fantastic. What a great way to start of my Sunday morning. Thanks so much Brian. Can't wait to add those to the photo gallery!

 

Loved the pic of the blown Autobahn with the new bridge built behind it. Wow! I'm glad you had the names to go with so many of the faces in the other images. I wonder if Harold Whiting will recognize anyone from these pics. Let's hear from you Harold.

[Walt's Daughter]

Marion,

 

I also wanted to know if you had any photographs (or point me to the links here at the site) of the Rhine River Bridge at Mannheim or the treadway bridge south of Worms? As you know these were the bridges the 157th assisted the 540th with.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Brian

 

Oh absolutely. Simply visit the photo gallery. Some of those pics will be interspersed in various 540th folders, but I have another folder labeled Engineer Bridges and then a subfolder within that one named Germany. Look through those sections - http://www.6thcorpsc...gineer Bridges/

 

There are also pics on the Photos Page - see Rod O'Barr's collection.

[Walt's Daughter]

After I perused all the pics, I realized you posted about visiting with Alton. Spectacular. Was this just recently? So I take it he is still with us?

[brian m]

Yes Mr. Heimbach is still here and we had such a nice visit. His wife also make a wonderful Shoe Fly Pie! This was a couple weeks ago and i can not wait to get back out there. I also just got a new photograph of the 157th guys from ebay that was taken at the Seine River Bridge site. I need to get that to Mr. Heimbach as well as my other buddy, Mr. Purcell who live just a little ways from me. I can identify two people in that photograph but i am betting Mr. Purcell can help with a few more since it is his squad leader in the photograph.

 

The only thing from keeping me from these visits is that i am expecting my secopnd little boy any day now (due Dec 1st!). We are usually up in Pitsburgh right now visiting family but since we are almost ready to pop we stayed home and that has given me some time to dedicate to the 157 research. One thing i have noticed is that a lot of the photographs and video of the 157th that was taken by the 165th and 166th Signal Detachments. I am guessing getting this information now may help narrow down my searches when i go to the national archives (if they are separated or searchable by the outfits taking the photographs?

 

Speaking of which, here is a -new to me- video on youtube (79th infantry at Mantes Gassicourt,France) showing the Seine river bridge built by the 157th. The video quality is not so good but it is definitely recognizable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UbJTCNYI_w&lc=gFtPMi3x0phC4Vw_TpzMvD5TgHriVE1Ty2L2eJnHN1Y&feature=plcp

(the bridge shots are near the end of the video)

 

Thanks for the photograph links Marion, i will have to check them out this evening.

[brian m]

I just read through my previous post and saw too many typos. I guess I will have to sit up and type (instead of lying on the couch) for my future posts