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February opened its doors with few historical allusions, famous sobriquets or noted characters to be placed in annals of tomorrow, however, its beginning marked the end of a 'Reign of Terror' (Paralleled in thought only to France of 1793) from Le Havre to include Lesmenils. From SHAEF reserve, snow and zero weather, extensive reconnaissance throughout the Western Front for possible execution of plan A, B, or C in attack or defense, to Corps and Army assignment with hopes of a definite combat expansion, periodic sunshine, happy memories to those few who entered the walls of gay Paree and finally a sweeping right hook to cross the Roer into Rhineland.
The first day included normal administrative duties, maintenance of vehicles, weapons and equipment, and the usual dispersion of company platoons, building bridges, breaching minefields, and instructing divisional units in mines and booby traps.
As the clock moved around its 2400 hours division LT BURTON, complete with normal complement, moved out in a northerly direction with orders to bag all billets in the vicinity of Houthem, Netherlands. The march of all battalion units cleared at 1030 hours to continue throughout the day and nite for some 200 miles. Its beginning was most pleasant because of a beautiful sunshiny day, and the appearance of patches of dusty road as we moved across boundaries of France, Belgium, and Holland. During the nite a fog and mist hung in our path spasmodically to make driving or convoy control an almost impossibility. However, all pulled thru within reasonable measures of time and space. For those of us who were at the column's head a first sense of sight and hearing was embossed to include a memory of V-Bombs dropping within its target, Liege, Belgium.
Battalion complete closed into the vicinity of Houthem near 0845 hours on the morn of 3 February. Companies 'A', 'B', and 'C' closed into Meerssen, Strabeck, and Broekhem respectively. As had happened on several other occasions, adequate space was not provided for all division organizations. The battalion was alerted to move, and, of course, billets began to fly again. Repacked in combat load all went to sleep awaiting march orders as the dawn of tomorrow approached. Naturally, as all preparations had been made, liaison popped up to rescind prior alerts and thus we turned over to stay as planned near the Valkenburg Caves, historical from day of Roman Conquest.
First impressions of Holland were filled with a general likeness to many parts of our fruitful land of freedom. It was a good feeling to see clean homes, little damage, people wearing clothes similar to those which are mere memories to us now, autos made in the States, natives who could speak a bit of our own lingo, and much to our surprise, fewer wooden shoes than seen throughout our tour of France. No doubt an unexpected reaction prevailed I our minds, because we had erased many thoughts long before as we passed her dimmed torch. Peoples along the Moselle had suffered destruction and miseries of occupation before we arrived and yet these same people, from soils now filled with mines, built her massive structure in appreciation of deeds or our forefathers. Leaving these thoughts to set foot on Dutch soil was certainly good fruit to add to our passing parade.
On February 4 we were officially released from SHAEF reserve and placed under command of Marshal 'Monty' Montgomery of the Twenty-first Army Group. Down the chain of command we joined General 'Tex' Simpson's to-be-famous Ninth Army within a newly operational XVI Corps. It was early morn that Sunday when a fantastic story spread among our ranks. A passing V-Bomb appeared in the sky and at the same moment dropped a chutist. With guns loaded and peeps racing, the command section moved in to envelope for a catch and after some interrogation a message went forward to G-2 that a German chutist was captured who had bailed out of previously mentioned flying bomb. Later a Star and Stripes article appeared stating this same chutist was an American pilot and not a human bomb pilot. Also, he was most embarrassed because he could not convince American MP's of such facts.
On the hour thruout the day and nite, V-1's cleared our heads going to Liege or Mastricht. We would run out to see if we could see, but each time nothing but disappointment prevailed for all were only heard and not seen.
From this day until 19 February our schedule became routine again. Road and bridge reconnaissance, maintenance of equipment, normal administrative duties, road maintenance within division area, terrain studies complete with our first sand table, map distribution, practice of assault crossings, and laying Treadway with tank recovery units. A pause for comment came when all were much thrilled to have their mess gears filled with that wonderful American dish, ice cream. Ingredients were furnished from Company Mess reserves to various concerns in the local village to turn out a finished product we had long missed.
The only break in a continuous routine drive happened to Company 'B'. Combat Command 'B' was alerted to move to the front so Toiler B's morale ascended skyward. 8 February found them on German soil in the vicinity of Breberen. Their assignment was to repair a network of roads in that area in preparation of their Combat Command's advance. Mission was fulfilled, however plans were changed and Combat Command never moved from their bivouac area. Division Artillery did assume ground positions to pour a volley or two of shells in the direction of the Roer.
At 1245, 19 February Headquarters and Headquarters Company reinforced with one platoon form Company 'A' and one platoon from Company 'C', cleared Houthem and closed at 1500 in the vicinity of St Joost, Holland, near Echt. Company 'B' stayed in Breberen to continue their work while Company 'C' moved to Brachterbeck and Company 'A' paused near Meerssen. This was our shortest move since leaving the web footed country Senator Huey Long helped carry to flood lights.
Our new positions were rather disappointing because we relieved the British 7th Armored Division in a purely defensive tactical situation. Naturally we began to wonder why our presence when Combat Command 'R' dug in between the Mass and Roer Rivers from Linne to St Odilienberg and Combat Command 'B' did likewise along the Roer to extend to Vlodrop. Our picture was very limited because we knew nothing of the massive plan to be executed in the near future. One thing was sure now -we were a front line division deployed with two Combat Commands abreast and Combat Command 'A' in reserve.
Surely Toiler Command Section drew all spot lights during the day. British artillery was still in position along the main drag of St Joost and they were lobbing shells into a sector of a fluid front line some 6000 yards away. About dark a 25 pounder let go over our CP. Its counter battery deafened our ears and removed large particles of plaster from the ceiling. Without hesitation Colonel PODUFALY and his crew, lead by CAPT DAVIS, hit the floor for all available cover. In a moment's notice all was clear, however, in a fog of newly acquired battle indoctrination all were pleased to realize a friendly shell moved out rather than an enemy coming in.
A new phase of the battalion was now to take place, only its effects were still of unknown value for we were only a small hinge near Roermond about which the Canadian and Ninth Armies were swinging. Immediately we began our march of routine functions including a larger sand table study. Soon after 0245 hours, 23 February, Division Artillery opened its guns to make a feint of a direct push while Corps buddies of the 35th Infantry Division swung south to cross the Roer River near Hilfarth, Germany. During the course of time a few officers and men made their debut on the streets of Paris for some seventy-two hours. Colonel PODUFALY and a skeleton staff plus one platoon of Company 'A' moved to the vicinity of Linne to aid Company 'C' in its mission with Combat Command 'R' to move a limited direction toward Roermond. The task force complete made it necessary for Capt JONES to branch out to establish a sub depot of Engineer Supplies and in the mad rush of coordination he found himself directing Engineer material traffic in the middle of St Joost junction.
Meanwhile Corporal Albert and Technician Fifth Grade Calderwood of Company 'B' went out with a 22 man patrol from the 88th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. Their mission was to reconnoiter along the Roer for anti-tank emplacements, minefields and to capture prisoners for information. Mission was complete except for that which pertained to prisoners.
Following this LT BEI and his boys, (Byers, Sergeant, Allen, Rich, and Paludi), of Company 'B' together with a few men from the 49th Infantry Battalion crossed the Roer in an assault boat to gather information on obstacles. In so doing Pfc Allen became the casualty of 'B' Company when he was slightly wounded by the fragments of a hand grenade.
Things began to pop as our troops started to function as real combat soldiers, leaving the days of garrison behind somewhere near our forgotten Pont a Mousson. Stories were flying in all directions and no doubt many were overshadowed by the fact that time did not permit to capture each as it passed in its own little circle.
Company 'C' had a busy day trying to stay behind Combat Command R's forward elements in its lunge thru obstacles up the road from Linne. Platoons and squads were sweeping mines on roads, antitank ditches, abatis and around each little pot hole. Sgt Maschio and squad moved forward under sniper and burp-gun fire to clear Riegel mines from an abatis for which action T/4 Schmidt was highly commendable. Pfc W. P. Brown probed for box mines - while thus engaged he accidentally stepped on a Shu mine to become Company C's first casualty. Sgt Tenpenny and Co. did outstanding work in assisting a tank to place treadway over a heavily mined antitank crater; however while being moved into place the treadway struck a Shu mine, which upon exploding injured CAPT RICKARD. Down he went to become our first Officer casualty, but all was well because another week found him returned to assume command of Company C again.
Company B had its second casualty when Pvt John A. Clark received a pellet from a German 'S' mine while helping platoon to remove mine along a road leading to Friest.
During the cover of darkness LT SHERIDAN gathered an all-engineer patrol of Rock, Hornecker, Szilagyi, Liebeman, Campbell and McMahan with a mission of ROER RIVER reconnaissance for flood stage, assault crossing sites and other engineer information pending a possible Division crossing. Engineer data was gathered, however casualty number three occurred as Liebeman was hit with S/A fire from our own Infantry while returning thru the lines.
T/5 Craig of the medical section also broke into the news when initiative carried him into the surgical field. A tanker received a blow from mines which partially removed his lower limbs. With the aid of another Medic, Craig whipped out an Engineer knife, 4 blade w/clevis, dagger or some implement of war (he really doesn't remember) to remove the tanker's hanging leg. Job complete he went out to retrieve a lost H/T so the casualty could be evacuated. Said vehicle was found in a lane covered with mines, so Craig mounted to drive thru what was left without interference and much to his own surprise, came thru without a scratch.
On the 27th, Paludi and Lavendoski became number 4 and 5 casualties of Company B as they were patrolling and removing mines respectively.
These few days had mounted to such an extent near our southern boundary that time was wasting for us to hold our defensive positions or waste men and material in a direct assault. The 35th Infantry had bridge the ROER near HILFARTH so at 1800 we left our home in ST JOOST to swing South and East and thence North and East to aid in the Rhineland break-thru.
As we marched during the night our column was stopped numerous times because of road bottlenecks and two-way traffic on a one-way MSR. Soon after we passed SITTARD heavy artillery fire and bombardment continued thru-out our trip.
We, as many other units along the ROER, were surprised to see old man river in its rescinded stage. True enough its valley still had standing water due to dams being blown some 2 weeks ago. After stopping about 0400 28 February in DOVERACK, Germany, many asked where in the hell was the ROER RIVER. Much to their amazement they were told the lazy stream was crossed some few miles back. Company A had marched with its CC preceding Division Headquarters and our own move fulfilling its mission of assisting movement thru obstacles.
During 28 February Company's 'B' and 'C' marched with their parent combat units following a line of march after CCA until road space was available to make drives to disrupt enemy resistance. Also, the 999th Treadway Bridge Company joined us to give necessary bridging materials for immediate use in crossing the many obstacles in front of Division leading elements.
Little can be said at this time or our thoughts of German soil because as the month ends we have only penetrated its crust. All towns and villages in or path from the ROER to our first stop were destroyed to an extent as we had visioned long before our arrival. As the hour passes its 2400 mark to close the month's official length, our A and B Companies are well forward giving their best to accomplish all Engineer objectives.
The battalion strength on 1 February was 32 Officers, 3 Warrant Officers, and 615 enlisted men; the strength on 28 February was 33 Officers, 3 Warrant Officers, and 624 enlisted men.
The following changes in officer personal took place:
1 February: 1ST LT ROBERT E. GARRETT, 01787011, appointed CAPTAIN.
6 February: MAJOR J. E. VICK, JR., 01101253, reassigned and joined from the 34th Evacuation Hospital, France.
2ND LT ROGER W. SHERIDAN. 0533232, reassigned and joined from the 34th Evacuation Hospital, France.
20 February: 1ST LT ROY CAMPOS, 01112070, sick and lost to the 95th Gas Treatment Hospital, Netherlands.
26 February: CAPT WALLACE O. RICKARD, 01100741, slightly wounded in action near LINNE, HOLLAND.
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