2. CHANGES IN ORGANIZATION
f. Attachments and assignments of the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion.
(1) Attached to the 1128th Engineer Combat Group _ - per VOCG, V Corps from 15 March 1945 to 27 March 1945.*
* Date of the Rhine crossing shown in the background photo.
(2) Attached to 1121st Engineer Combat Group as of 1200 27 March 1945.
4. STATIONS
a. Kalterherberg, Germany from 4 March 1945 to 4 March 1945.
b. Dedenborn, Germany from 4 March 1945 to 7 March 1945.
c. Einruhr, Germany from 7 March 1945 to 8 March 1945.
d. Bleibuir, Germany from 8 March 1945 to 9 March 1945.
e. Schonau, Germany from 9 March 1945 to 11 March 1945.
f. Bruck, Germany from 11 March 1945 to 17 March 1945.
g. Gelsdorf, Germany from 17 March 1945 to 28 March 1945.
h. Heiderbreisig, Germany from 28 March 1945 to 29 March 1945.
i. Bendorf, Germany from 29 March 1945 to 31 March 1945.
j. Niederelbert, Germany from 31 March 1945 to ................
10. FORMER AND PRESENT MEMBERS WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN ACTION
a. Engagement - - Action at Vossenack, Germany on November 6 and 7, 1944 when the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion (less Company "B" ) was committed as Infantry to reinforce the 2nd, Battalion, 112th Regiment, 28th Infantry Division in the defense of that town and driving the enemy out of it.
(1) Name
AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS (Posthumously)
Pvt. Doyle W. McDaniel
b. Engagement - - In support by Company "A". 146th Engineer Combat Battalion, of the 38th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron in operations against the enemy in the vicinity of Monschau and Mutzenich, Germany, on 17 December 1944.
(1) Names
AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR
Cpl. Edwin Khire
Pfc. Steve Brockevich
STEPHEN PIPKA
Captain, CE
Historical Officer
2. ATTACHMENTS
a. (1) From 1 March 1945 to 15 March 1945, the Battalion was attached to V Corps and further attached to 1121 Engr (C) Group.
(2) From 15 March 1945 t0 27 March 1945, the Battalion was attached to 1128 Engr (C) Group for operations.
(3) From 27 March 1945 to 31 March 1945, the Battalion was attached to V Corps and further attached to 1121 Engr (C) Group.
b. 2d Bn, 273 Infantry Regiment of the 69th Infantry Division supported the 146th Engr (C0 Bn, for engineer work from 18 March 1945 to 25 March 1945.*
* The 69th infantry Division was attached to V Corps at the time. It was one of a few Infantry Divisions which integrated blacks into their fold.
See : http://www.bjmjr.com/ww2/milton_graham.htm and : http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/documents/eto-ob/69ID-ETO.htm
3. OPERATIONS
b. Roads
(2) Maintenance was carried on in Corps and Division area from 1 March 1945 to 15 March 1945 ......................................
improving road surfaces, removing debris, and removing road blocks. When manmade road blocks were found to be obstructing the flow of traffic in towns and villages, the Burgermeister of the town or village was contacted and told to remove the obstacles immediately. Results were satisfactory. As the front lines moved forward, this battalion took over the maintenance of the 2d Inf Div
MSR's from the 2d Engr C Bn whom this battalion was supporting for engineer operations. ........................
(3) On 15 March 1945 this battalion was released from 1121Engr C Group control and attached to 1128 Engr C Group for operations. The 1128 Engr (C) Group who was working in Army area, assigned this battalion the mission of widening the 1st Army MSR...................approximately 5 miles of road. The road when completed was to have a 22 foot road surface with 4 ft shoulders.
Approximately 600 men of the 2d Bn.273 Inf Regt. 69th Inf Div worked with this battalion for 7 days and assisted in widening road by digging new ditch lines and loading and unloading rock. Four (4) officers and eight (8) EM of this Bn worked with the Infantry acting as engineer technical advisors...................................... On 27th of March 1945 this Bn reverted to 1121 Engr (C) Group control..........
Road was 90% completed.
(7) Co A constructed 150 ft of corduroy road and covered with base course of rock................
(8) The Battalion maintained 175 miles of road during the month of March.
c. Bridges.
(1) Co B installed 24 ft of treadway on top of damaged Bailey Bridge ............ on 7 March 1945.
(2) Co B completed 50 ft of CL 40, DS Bailey Bridge ...........at 082200 March 1945.
(3) 130' of DD. Bailey Bridge, of 508 Engr L Pon Co attached to this Bn as of 091000 March 1945, and relieved as of 150800
March 1945.
(4) Co C replaced treadway bridge with steel culvert ........... on 11 March 1945.
(5) Co A completed constructing 130 ft of DD, CL 40, Bailey Bridge .............. at 101900 March 1945.
(6) Co B reinforced timber bridges ........... on 12 March 1945.
(7) Co C installed 48' of treadway bridge ............ Time of completion: 111045 March 1945.
d. Mines, Barriers, and Demolitions.
(2) Removed and destroyed eight (8) s-mines located in vicinity of road block ......... on 5 March 1945.
(3) 118 teller mines and 30 Riegel mines were found along shoulders of roads in assigned sector and destroyed on 6 March
1945.
(5) On 5 March 1945, S-mines exploded in ground after being stepped on by personnel.
(6) On 5 March 1945, D-7 Dozer damaged by AT Mines at bridge .......... Three mines exploded, one after the tractor had
passed over it which indicated mines were armed with delay firing mechanisms.
(7) Co C checked area in the vicinity ........... for mines for a hospital unit on 7 March 1945 -- No mines found.
(11) Road and shoulders cleared of mines on the following roads:
.............(GEMUND) ............... (HERGARTEN), from ........... (GERBUIR) ............. (LUCKERATH) ......................
.............(MECHERNICH) ................. (GREITENBEHDEN) ............(NOTHSR) ........... (MONSTEREIFEL), ..........
(12) Co C checked building in MECHERNICH ............ for booby traps For V Corps Hq on 10 March 1945.
(13) Enemy ammo dump located on both sides of road .................. on 9 March 1945.
(16) Enemy ammo dump located along road .............. on 10 March 1945 and along road ............ on 11 March 1945.
(17) Bn destroyed enemy ammunition and explosives that were laying loose along assigned roads.
(18) Cleared road and shoulders of mines to 20 ft or fence line ........... on 13, March 1945.
e. Miscellaneous.
(2) Operated two (2) water level gaging stations and one (1) OP between Dam #4 and #5 of the Roer dams ........... Readings
made every hour and reported directly to Group Hqs every 3 hours. Relieved by Army at 081200 March 1945.
(3) Enemy 88 mm gun complete and undamaged located in a shed ............ on 8 March 1945.
(4) ME-109Airplane in good condition located in a barn ........... on 9 March 1945.
(5) Co A guarded, until released by MP's, friendly plane (thunderbolt) that made forced landing ............ Plane made forced
landing at 230900 .... March 1945, after being damaged by enemy flak.
(6) Co A tested improvised magnetic road sweeper by sweeping right hand side of road ................. on 26 March 1945. It took one (1) hour and 15 minutes to seep 6-1/3 miles of road with 10 ft of roadway being swept. ................
(7) Bn furnished 39 vehicles, 78 EM an one (1) officer for 1121 Engr C G Provisional Truck Companies as of 29 March 1945.
(8) Bn used one (1) 6 T Prime Mover W/Trl, one (1) 4 T Prime Mover W/Trl, and one (1) 2-1/2 T Cargo of 610 Engrs L Equip
Co for assisting this Bn in moving by shuttling on 30 March 1945.
f. Water Points operated during the month.
During the month of March the Battalion operated 12 Water Points, at different locations, with a total output of 216,770 gal.
g. Divisional Support Missions.
(1) From 01 March 1945, the 146th Engr C Bn was put in support of the 9th Infantry Division for Engineer Operations.
h. Quarries operated during the month.
During the month of March the Battalion operated 7 quarries with a total output of 7,304 cu yds.
j. Enemy activity.
(1) Four (4) enemy PW's captured ................ on 13 March 1945.
(2) Four (4) PW's captured at .............. and 7 German PW's captured .......... on 10 March 1945.
(3) Forty-seven (47) PW's captured ................ and turned over to 2d Division MP's on 10 March 1945.
(4) 15 Hungarians and Czechs captured .......... and turned over to 2d Div 10 March 1945.
(5) 25 Germans and 51 Rumanians captured ............... and turned over to 11th Armored Div on 10 March 1945.
(6) Received light mortar fire in vicinity of water level OP #5 at 011200 March 1945. At 011800 March 1945, SP ahells landed
within 300 yds of OP #5 and at 012100 between 10 and 15 medium caliber shells landed in the area.
(7) During the night of 1 March 1945, communication lines between gage reading station 5b and OP #5, were cut in 5 different
places by enemy patrols.
(8) Three (3) enemy shells of medium calibre were received in vicinity of water level OP #5 at 282100 Feb. 45.
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