NarrativeHistory10

1. t/o AND e.

(b) Company M, 272 Infantry Regiment, attached to this Battalion for Engineer work from 22 Frebruary 1945 to

28 February 1945.

3. OPERATIONS

(a) Combat Missions.

(1) On 4 February 1945, this battalion was ordered to furnish a demolition team consisting of one officer and 9 EM to

the 9th Infantry division for the mission of closing the Stotten conduct in Dam #6 of the Roer Dams .................

The Stotten conduct lead to generators located in Heimback ............ and the mission consisted of closing the gate

controlling the flow of water in the Stotten conduct and then destroy the controls so the gate could not be opened

again. On 5 February 1945 another demolition team consisting of one officer and 8 EM were requested to work

with the first demolition team and whose specific mission was to inspect Dam #5 for prepared demolitions after the

first demolition team had closed the gate of the Stotten conduct. Missions were cancelled on 7 February 945. and

both teams returned to Battalion area by 071800 February 1945.

(2) On 10 February 1945, Company "B" of this Battalion was alerted to support an assault river crossing of the 2nd

Ranger Battalion between Dam #4 and Dam #5 of the Roer Dams located in the vicinity ............... Five (5) weasels

were issued to Company "B" for use in the crossing. Also, foot bridges each of 96 feet long were constructed in

Battalion area which Company "B" was to install across the stream after the initial assault of the 2nd Ranger Bn.

The footbridges were to be used for getting supplies across the river and for evacuating the wounded. On 10

February 1945, a special reconnaissance of the area between Dam #4 and Dam #5 was made for possible assaults

crossing sites. At 111300 February 1945, a special reconnaissance was made for possible footbridge sites in the

vicinity of Dam #5. Assault crossing was cancelled on 11 February 1945. and Company "B" reverted to Bn. control

at 111800 February 1945.

(b) Roads.

(1) ..................For the first ten days of the month, maintenance of the roads consisted primarily of removing snow which had fallen in the month of January. On approximate 11 February 1945, the weather became warmer and occasionally rained during the remainder of the month. The warmer weather and rain caused frost heaves in some sections of the roads, causing some of them to become impassable and others to become in critical condition. Two different methods were used to repair section of roads which had been damaged by frost heaves. One method consisted of removing the base of the road and laying corduroy bound together with Sommerfelt track. A four inch layer of small rock was then spread over the top of the Sommerfelt track. The other method consisted of removing the base of the road and relaying a new base of 10" rock which was covered with a top course of 3" rock. This method was found to be considerable better if there was sufficient rock and time. ..............

......................................The Battalion maintained seventy-four (74) miles of road ................... during the month of February. Primary road maintained was from Eupen .......... to Monschau........... to Hofen ........... Other roads maintained consisted of secondary roads in the vicinity of Eupen............Mutzenich..........., Kalterherberg..........., Monschau..........., Ingenbroich............, Rohren............., Hammer............, Dedenborn............., and Hofen............. Three thousand one hundred and twelve (3112) cubic yards of rock were used for improving road surfaces and filling craters during the month. Three thousand eight hundred and fifty (3850) feet of revetment were installed along shoulders of roads during the month.

(2) Company "C" repaired road ..............by relaying a 10" base course and three inch top course of rock. A double lane twenty-two feet wide and three hundred and fifty feet long completed by 261200 February 1945.

(3) Company "A" constructed 70 feet of corduroy ............. at 261700 February 1945.

Attached heavy equipment consisting of: R-4's, D-7's, D-8's, Power shovel, Road Patrol (grader), Quickway crane and 7 yd Rock Crusher. These were from the508th, 610th and 112th Engineers, and were used by the 146th during the month of February 1945.

(c) Bridges.

(2) Company "a" completed building a 110 ft. TS, Class 40, Mailey Bridge ............ at 012400 February 1945. Company "A" changed the Bailey Bridge from a TS, Class 40, to TD, Class 70, by 031900 February 1945.

(3) Comanay "C" completed building a 90 ft. DD, Class 70 Bailey Bridge ............. at 031200 February 1945. Construction of the bridge was highlighted by the demolition of a building on the near shore which was blocking the approach of the bridge.

The Company "C" bridge can be seen in the backgound picture of this page, in the town of Monschau, Germany. The building that had to be partially demolished appears on the right side of this background picture.

This, and other bridges at Moschau, Germany built in February 1945 are pictured in the Photo Archive section of this Website

at : www.146thecbwwii.org/MonschauBridges.html ( to go there, copy / paste or type this URL into your browser address line).

(4) Company "A" constructed a one way, 15 ft. class 20, timber bridge .............. at 091500 February 1945.

(5) Company "B" constructed an 80 ft. DS, Class 40 Bailey Bridge .......... at 061700 February 1945

(6) Company "C" constructed a class 30, 11 ft. span, timber bridge.............

(7) Company "A" removed Bailey Bridge ............ and filled crated on 25 February 1945.

(8) Company "A" removed Bailey Bridge ........... and filled crater on 27 February 1945

(9) Company "A" constructed a 50 ft. class 12, timber bridge ........... on 26 February 1945.

(d) Mines, Barriers, and Demolitions.

(1) Company "B" wired in enemy minefield ........... and wired in minefield located from .......... to ...........

(2) Company "C" removed 86 pounds of enemy prepared demolition on bridge.............

(3) Removed demolitions from enemy prepared abatis of 35 trees ...............

(4) Company "B" fenced in enemy minefields from ........... to ........... to ........... to............

(5) Company "A" removed 750 pounds of enemy prepared demolitions from bridge ...........

(6) Company "B" wired in enemy minefield extending from ............to...........t0 ..........to...........

(e) Miscellaneous.

(3) Company "C" constructed a 250 ft air strip from ..........to ......... which was completed at o51415 February 1945.

(5) One NCO from Company "A" and one NCO from Company "C" acted as Engineer Technical advisors on expedient stream crossing for 38th Cavalry Squadron Training maneuvers from 19 February 1945 to 23 February 1945.

(7) Operated two water level gaging stations and one (1) CP between Dam No 4 and Dam No 5 of the Roer dams Located in the vicinity of .......... Operated gaging station from 14 February 1945 to 28 February 1945. Readings were

made hourly and reported to Group Headquarters every three (3) hours.

(j) Enemy Activity

(1) Water level gaging detachment CP ............ received 18 rounds of enemy shells of undetermined size on 14th and 15th February 1945.

(2) Company "A" received enemy artillery shells (air bursts) in vicinity of Einruhr from 210100 Feb 45 and 221430 Feb 45.

(3) Water level gaging detachment CP ............ received enemy shelling between 221100 Feb 45 and 221430 Feb 45. Shells were of light caliber either 88MM or 75MM.

(4) Water level gaging CP ............ on Dam #5 received three (3) enemy shells at 231230 Feb 45.

(5) At 231830 Feb 45, a jeep of Company "A" was taking lunch to some bridge guards when stopped just west of Hammer ............ by an officer who warned of going further on the road, because of sniping he had received. Upon inspection of the jeep, several bullet holes were found.

(7) Water level gaging CP ....... on Dam #5 received heavy enemy mortar fire between 261500 Feb 45 and 270600 Feb 45.

(8) Two enemy soldier were seen on Dam #5 in the vicinity .......... at 261045 Feb 45 and were driven off by our mortar fire. Two man enemy patrol appearing to have shovels and picks were seen on Dam #5 at 270035 and were driven off by our mortar fire.

(9) Water level gaging CP ........... on Dam#5 received 10 enemy shells of medium caliber at 271930 Feb 45.