Chapter XIV, Corps of Engineers: The War Against Germany


1 Unless otherwise noted, detail for this chapter is derived from Harrison, Cross-Channel Attack, and from Samuel E. Morison, "History of United States Naval Operations in World War 11," vol. XI, The Invasion of France and Germany (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1957).

2 War Department, Historical Div. OMAHA Beachhead, 6 June-13 June 1944, American Forces in Action Series (Washington, 1945) pp. 8-16.

3 Ibid., pp. 20-28.

4 Operation Rpt NEPTUNE, OMAHA Beach, 26 February—26 June 1944, 30 Sep 44, pp. 62-66.

5 Dept of the Army, Historical Div. UTAH Beach to Cherbourg, 6 June-27 June 1944, American Forces in Action Series (Washington, 1947), pp. 4-7.

6 Ibid., p. 9.

7 Ltr, Eisenhower to Marshall, 6 May 44, Eisenhower personal files.

8 Coll, Keith, and Rosenthal, The Corps of Engineers: Troops and Equipment, pp. 472-76; Ltr, Senior Member, Joint Army-Navy Experiment and Testing Board, to CinC, U.S. Fleet, 18 Dec 43.

9 Col E. C. Paules, Notes on Breaching Under-Water and Shore Obstacles and Land Mine Fields, Mar-Apr 44, Incl 1.

10 Engineer Operations by the VII Corps in the European Theater, vol. II. "Normandy," p. 2; Rpt, Lt Col J. T. O'Neill, Summary of Activities of the Provisional Engr Gp, 8 Jul 44 (hereafter cited as O'Neill Rpt), in ACE Bd Rpt 253, ETO, Engr Rpt on Landings in Normandy, 5 Oct 44.

11 O'Neill Rpt; AAR, OMAHA Beach Provisional Engr Spec Bde Up, Operation Rpt NEPTUNE, pp. 62-66; Engr Opns VII Corps, vol. II. "Normandy," p. 3.

12 Cdr. Francis Douglas Fane, USNR, and Don Moore, The Naked Warriors (New York: Appleton, Century, and Crofts, 1956), p. 21; Rpt on the Work of U.S. Naval Combat Demolitions Units, Naval and Air Support folder, Adm 493, ETOUSA Hist Sect. Unless otherwise cited the section on underwater obstacles is based on these two sources and on O'Neill Rpt and Engr Opns VII Corps, vol. II, "Normandy."

13 HQ, V Corps, Prefacing Plan, Underwater and Beach Obstacles, OMAHA Beach, in Engineer Special Brigades on OMAHA Beach, Notes and Data Used in Connection with Operation NEPTUNE, OMAHA Beach, Prov Engr Spec Bde Up (hereafter cited as Notes and Data NEPTUNE).

14 Ltrs, Gerow to Kean, 10 Apr 44, and Kean to Gerow, 13 Apr 44, copies in Notes and Data NEPTUNE; O'Neill participated in the planning for OMAHA along with Colonel McDonough, commanding officer of the 112th Engineer Combat Group, and Lt. Col. Patillo, V Corps representative at the Obstacle Training Center to study British methods and techniques. O'Neill Rpt.

15 Bradley, A Soldier's Story, pp. 260-61.

16 Hist 146th Engr C Bn, Jun—Dec 44; FO 1, 299th Engr C Bn, 28 May 44, in Notes and Data NEPTUNE.

17 Hist 1106th Engr C Gp, Jun—Dec 44.

18 Rpt, T/5 Royce L. Thompson, Sep 44, in folder, U.S. Training Center, Adm 533, ETOUSA Hist Sect.

19 For criticism by officers of the 299th Engineer Combat Battalion demolition teams on the inadequacy of the Navy briefings, as well as the length of time spent in marshaling areas with "nothing to do," see interviews with Capt. William J. Bunting and Maj. Milton Jewett, in Notes and Data NEPTUNE.

20 Lt Clifford L. Jones, The Administrative and Logistical History of the European Theater of Operations, vol. VI, "Neptune: Training for Mounting the Operation, and Artificial Ports," March 1946, in CMH. Unless otherwise noted, the rest of this chapter is based on this source and on Heavey, Down Ramp! The Story of the Army Amphibian Engineers. For the assumption by the Navy early in 1943 of landing craft operation and amphibious training, see Coll, Keith, and Rosenthal, The Corps of Engineers: Troops and Equipment, pp. 385-90.

21 Hist 1st ESB, Jun 42—Sep 45.

22 Rpt, HQ, 6th ESB, to TAG, thru CO, OMAHA Beach Cmd, 20 Jul 44, sub: Operation Rpt NEPTUNE (hereafter cited 6th ESB NEPTUNE Rpt).

23 Col Doswell Gullatt, Operation Rpt NEPTUNE, 6-26 Jun 44, inclusive, HQ, 5th Engr Spec Bde, 20 Jul 44 (hereafter cited as 5th ESB Gullatt Rpt NEPTUNE).

24 6th ESB NEPTUNE Rpt; 5th ESB Gullatt Rpt NEPTUNE; De Arman, Hist 5th ESB; Hist 6th ESB, 1944.

25 T/4 Clifford L. Jones, Notes on UTAH Beach and 1st ESB, Feb 45.

26 Ruppenthal, Logistical Support of the Armies, Volume I, pp. 348-49.

27 Hist 1st EBB, 6 Dec 43-1 Nov 44; 1st ESB (UTAH), pp. 22-24.

28 Bradley, A Soldier's Story, pp. 247-49.

29 OCE ETOUSA Hist Rpt 9, Marshalling for OVERLORD (United Kingdom), 1946, pp. 10-18, and fig. 1, Marshalling Areas for OVERLORD, Liaison Sect, Intel Div. ETOUSA Adm file 547.

30 Southern Base Section History, Aug 43-Aug 44 p. 4, Adm 601, ETOUSA Hist Sect.

31 Hist 604th Engr Camouflage Bn.

32 Hist 1306th Engr GS Rgt.

33 Col Fenton S. Jacobs, Western Base Section, vol. II, p. 349, Adm 603D, ETOUSA Hist Sect. The account of WBS activities is based on this source.

34 Bradley, A Soldier's Story, p. 247; OCE ETOUSA Hist Rpt 9, Marshalling for OVERLORD, p. 58.

35 Hist 5th ESB, p. 60, Adm 120, ETOUSA Hist Sect.

36 De Arman, Hist 5th ESB. Unless otherwise noted, this account of the 5th Engineer Special Brigade plans is taken from this source.

37 FO 1, HQ, 1st ESB, 10 May 44, Adm 493, ETOUSA Hist Sect.

38 5th ESB Gullatt Rpt NEPTUNE; Jones, Notes on UTAH Beach.

39 De Arman, Hist 5th ESB.

40 1st ESB, Boat Assignment Table, an. 2 to FO 1, Adm 493, ETOUSA Hist Sect; Ruppenthal, Logistical Support of the Armies, Volume 1, pp. 372-73.

41 Fane and Moore, The Naked Warriors, p. 51; O'Neill Rpt; Engr Opns VII Corps, vol. II, "Normandy," p. 9.

42 Hist 147th Engr C Bn, 29 Jan 43-4 Mar 46.


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