51st Engineer Combat Battalion (United States): Difference between revisions
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=== 13 June 1942 - Activation of 1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment === | === 13 June 1942 - Activation of 1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment === | ||
On 13 June 1942 the [[1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment (United States)|1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment]] was activated in [[Camp Bowie, Texas|Camp Bowie]], [[Texas]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |publisher= |edition=Reprint 1988 |location=[[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]], [[Virginia]] |pages=4}}</ref>. | On 13 June 1942 the [[1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment (United States)|1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment]] was activated in [[Camp Bowie, Texas|Camp Bowie]], [[Texas]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |publisher= |edition=Reprint 1988 |location=[[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]], [[Virginia]] |pages=4}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |pages=9}}</ref>. | ||
=== 18 March 1943 - Reorganization of 51st ECR to 1111th ECG, and the 1st Battalion into the 51st ECB === | === 18 March 1943 - Reorganization of 51st ECR to 1111th ECG, and the 1st Battalion into the 51st ECB === | ||
On 18 March 1943 the 51st Engineer Combat Group was reorganized into the 1111th Engineer Combat Group, which was put under the command of Colonel [[Harry Wallis Anderson]]. 1st Battalion was also reorganized now as the 51st Engineer Combat Battalion, and put under the command of Captain [[Robert Brooks Yates]]<ref name=":0" />. | On 18 March 1943 the 51st Engineer Combat Group was reorganized into the 1111th Engineer Combat Group, which was put under the command of Colonel [[Harry Wallis Anderson]]. 1st Battalion was also reorganized now as the 51st Engineer Combat Battalion, and put under the command of Captain [[Robert Brooks Yates]]<ref name=":0" />. | ||
The new 51st spent their time in March 1943 at [[Macomb Reservation State Park, New York|Macomb Reservation State Park]], nearby [[Plattsburgh, New York|Plattsburgh]], [[New York]], apparently the reservation being a cold barren post. At the reservation the 51st learned how to build a dismantle [[Tactical military bridge|tactical military bridges]]. They would combine H-10 grade steel bridge and wooden trestle over the [[Salmon River, New York|Salmon River]] at nighttime, and then the next day recover the bridge. On the frozen Lake Champlain they also conducted pontoon exercises, building a 30ft high timber trestle bridge<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |first= |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |publisher= |edition=Reprint 1988 |location=[[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]], [[Virginia]] |pages=5 |language=}}</ref>. | The new 51st spent their time in March 1943 at [[Macomb Reservation State Park, New York|Macomb Reservation State Park]], nearby [[Plattsburgh, New York|Plattsburgh]], [[New York]], apparently the reservation being a cold barren post, that was suffering a hard winter. At the reservation the 51st learned how to build a dismantle [[Tactical military bridge|tactical military bridges]]. They would combine H-10 grade steel bridge and wooden trestle over the [[Salmon River, New York|Salmon River]] at nighttime, and then the next day recover the bridge. On the frozen Lake Champlain they also conducted pontoon exercises, building a 30ft high timber trestle bridge<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |first= |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |publisher= |edition=Reprint 1988 |location=[[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]], [[Virginia]] |pages=5 |language=}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |pages=10}}</ref>. | ||
=== April 1943 - Stay in New York === | === April 1943 - Stay in New York === | ||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
=== September 1943 - End of training, moving towards service overseas === | === September 1943 - End of training, moving towards service overseas === | ||
In September, the battalion transported by train at the maneuver area of XIII Corps which was near [[Elkins, West Virginia|Elkins]], [[West Virginia]]. There they participated in a ten day exercise, activities including road, landing strip, and a Bailey bridge construction<ref name=":1" />. | In September, the battalion transported by train at the maneuver area of [[XIII Corps (United States)|XIII Corps]] which was near [[Elkins, West Virginia|Elkins]], [[West Virginia]]. There they participated in a ten day exercise, activities including road, landing strip, and a Bailey bridge construction<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />. They also acted as demonstration troops for the [[Engineer School, Fort Belvoir|Engineer School]] at [[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]], [[Virginia]]<ref name=":4" />. | ||
=== October 1943 - At Fort Dix === | === October 1943 - At Fort Dix === | ||
| Line 46: | Line 46: | ||
=== 26 June 1944 - Crossing the channel === | === 26 June 1944 - Crossing the channel === | ||
After the members of the battalion waited for a week, they finally crossed the channel in their ships, and landed in Normandy, | After the members of the battalion waited for a week, they finally crossed the channel in their ships, and landed in Normandy, landed on D+21 (26 June)<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />. | ||
=== 26 June to October 1944 - Helping First Army === | === 26 June to October 1944 - Helping First Army === | ||
During the next four months the 51st would participate in providing combat engineer support for First Army. They mostly worked on road repair and maintenance, mine clearing, engineer reconnaissance, and water supply. At the same time the battalion suffered a total of six wounded from an exploding stray artillery shells and a German plane strafing<ref name=":2" />. | During the next four months the 51st would participate in providing combat engineer support for First Army. They mostly worked on road repair and maintenance, dumping crushed rock on [[Carentan, France|Carentan]]'s roads, mine clearing and sweeping, engineer reconnaissance, and water supply/water points. At the same time the battalion suffered a total of six wounded from an exploding stray artillery shells and a German plane strafing<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />. | ||
During the Normandy campaign, there was one event in which there was an ammunition-dump fire. The quick thinking and heroic action of men from the battalion saved many lives and equipment<ref name=":4" />. | |||
==== August 1944 - Yates is hospitalized ==== | |||
During the month of August, Yates was hospitalized for an unspecified reason<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |pages=11}}</ref>. He possibly was one of those six who either got wounded from a stray artillery shell or German strafing. | |||
=== 4 September 1944 - Moving to Soissons near Paris === | === 4 September 1944 - Moving to Soissons near Paris === | ||
| Line 56: | Line 61: | ||
=== 17 September 1944 - Moving towards Germany === | === 17 September 1944 - Moving towards Germany === | ||
On 17 September , the battalion moved 110 miles east of Soissons towards Germany, almost to the [[Luxembourg|Luxembourgish]] border. They started building bridges there<ref name=":2" />. | On 17 September , the battalion moved 110 miles east of Soissons towards Germany, almost to the [[Luxembourg|Luxembourgish]] border. They started building bridges there<ref name=":2" />. | ||
=== Mid September - Capture of 60 Germans === | |||
In the middle of September, eight men of the battalion quelled and captured 60 German paratroopers after an intense firefight<ref name=":4" />. | |||
=== 1 October 1944 - Moving to Malmedy, Belgium === | === 1 October 1944 - Moving to Malmedy, Belgium === | ||
After two weeks of building bridges new Luxembourg, the battalion was moved to [[Malmedy, Belgium|Malmedy]], [[Belgium]], where they began keeping busy with themselves training as infantry<ref name=":2" />. | After two weeks of building bridges new Luxembourg, the battalion was moved to [[Malmedy, Belgium|Malmedy]], [[Belgium]], where they began keeping busy with themselves training as infantry<ref name=":2" />. | ||
=== 22 October to December 1944 - Sitting in the Ardennes sector operating sawmills for First Army === | === Between 1 and 22 October 1944 - First Army's timber-cutting and winterization program === | ||
After having trained as infantry for three weeks, for two months the battalion began operating 30 sawmills throughout the Ardennes sector in order to produce lumber for constructing winter quarters for the troops of the First United States Army<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />. | In the month of October First Army had begun a winterization and timber cutting program in order to build quarters for the troops of First Army for the winter of 1944 to 1945<ref name=":4" />. | ||
=== 22 October to 17 December 1944 - Sitting in the Ardennes sector operating sawmills for First Army === | |||
After having trained as infantry for three weeks, for two months the battalion began operating 30 sawmills throughout the Ardennes sector in order to produce lumber for constructing winter quarters for the troops of the First United States Army<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />. Specifically, they were operating sawmills in the vicinity of [[Dinant, Belgium|Dinant]], [[Rochefort, Belgium|Rochefort]], [[Hotton, Belgium|Hotton]], [[Érezée, Belgium|Érezée]], [[Ciney, Belgium|Ciney]], and [[Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium|Marche-en-Famenne]]. This operation was part of the First Army's winterization and timber-cutting program. The 51st had cut 2,600,000 board feet since the debut of the program back in October<ref name=":4" />. | |||
===== Between 1 and 17 December 1944 ===== | |||
Between 1 and 17 December 1944 the battalion produced on average each day 58,717 board feet, the maximum ever having reached being 80,600 board feet in a day<ref name=":4" />. | |||
During this time the 158th Engineer Combat Battalion had been charged with Marche-en-Famenne's defense area<ref name=":4" />. | |||
====== 14 December 1944 - Major Yates returns from the hospital ====== | |||
After having been in the hospital for several months since August, the easygoing Major Yates, now the 51st's executive officer, returned to the battalion<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5" />. Yates would take over the battalion's area covering Trois-Ponts<ref name=":5" />. | |||
====== 15 December 1944 - Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Fraser assumed command ====== | |||
A day after Yates returned, Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Reed Fraser assumed command of the 51st, a newcomer to the battalion<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5" />. Upon arriving he first called the battalion officers together to introduce himself and laying out his policies. He told of his background, and got the chance to talk to each one of the officers long enough to get to know their background and size them up personally. That background consisted of mostly confining to staff work. he graduated from the US Military Academy in 1939, spent nearly three years on Oahu at Shofield Barracks. After having to return from there 8 December 1941, but stayed due to his request for another nine months. From then up until coming to the 51st, he spent his time as an Engineer Battalion commander working on routine road and airstrip construction, as well as conducting a few shifts with Communications Zone base sections checking on training and allocation of troops. While at Saint Malo, while sniper fire was going on the day the citadel fell, Colonel Fraser led a reconnaissance party which obtained timely information on beach, harbor, and railroad facilities. Other than that he didn't see much action, therefore on 12 December he went to see the First Army Engineer to ask for a combat assignment. So sure was he that he wasn't going back to the Brittany Base Section he took the entirety of his equipment to Spa. Two days later he would be commanding the 51st, and upon seeing that the battalion was operating saw mills, asked whether it really was a combat outfit<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |pages=12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |pages=13}}</ref>. Due to being six years out of the Military Academy, the peripatetic man became known as "Hurry Up Harvey" soon after<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hechler |first= |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |publisher= |edition= |location= |pages=7 |language=}}</ref><ref name=":5" />. Yates would take control of the battalion's area covering the [[Bavreux, Belgium|Bavreux]]-Hotton-Rochefort area<ref name=":5" />. | |||
In the case for the officers and men at this time, the majority of them had been in the unit and participating in it for two years. The Companies worked together and teamwork was clicking smoothly<ref name=":4" />. | |||
=== | ====== 16 December 1944 - The Germans attack ====== | ||
On 16 December the Germans attacked. Despite this the 51st continued their activities in operating the sawmills. | |||
=== | ====== 17 December 1944 - The 51st goes into action ====== | ||
=== | ====== 1730 ====== | ||
At 1730 hours on 17 December, the day after the Germans broke through, the 51st was alerted for ground activity by the Commanding Officer of the 158th. The companies in line were quickly notified and a staff meeting was called to plan out the next course of action<ref name=":4" />. Yates and Fraser were nearly immediately called on to command their units to slow down the Germans<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />. | |||
Since the 51st was now being thrown onto the front lines unintentionally, facing German armor and infantry attacks. They had to move from producing lumber from their 30 sawmills to quickly start putting up roadblocks, mining and destroying bridges, among other things they could do for the 25 mile front to stall the German advance, waiting in the meantime for stronger and better forces to relieve them<ref name=":0" />. | |||
=== 21 December 1944 - === | === 21 December 1944 - === | ||
A and B Company held a barrier line from Barveux to Hotton, south of Marche to Rochefort, in the process blowing up and defending three footbridges, one railway bridge, and two highway bridges. This whole time they were holding a 25 mile front against armored and infantry attacks<ref name=":3" />. | |||
C Company was holding Trois-Ponts and inso denying the Germans the use of the east-west Highway N23 to Werbomont critical to their advance. C Company maintained its position at Trois-Ponts there making the advancing forces believe that they were facing a superior force with armor. After they were relieved by the 82nd Airborne Division, C Company covered the withdrawl of the regiment from the town after aborting an attack east of the Salm<ref name=":3" />. | |||
=== Ken Hecler's paper study === | |||
On the first page of Ken Hechler's paper on the 51st during the Battle of the Bulge, he stated that<ref name=":3" />:<blockquote>There was nothing in the background of the battalion that was related to these achievements</blockquote>Doing this he cites the fact that the battalion's training wasn't remarkable for the type of unit that it was for a unit that achieved what it did during the Battle of the Bulge. | |||
== Citations == | == Citations == | ||
| Line 82: | Line 112: | ||
== Bibliography == | == Bibliography == | ||
{{Cite book |last=Hechler |first=Ken |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |publisher=[[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] |edition=Reprint 1988 |location=[[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]], [[Virginia]] |language=English |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107231756/https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |archive-date=7 November 2023}} | {{Cite book |last=Hechler |first=Ken |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 |publisher=[[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] |edition=Reprint 1988 |location=[[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]], [[Virginia]] |language=English |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107231756/https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |archive-date=7 November 2023}} | ||
{{Cite book |last=Hechler |url=https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerPamphlets/EP_870-1-38.pdf |title=Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 }} | |||
Revision as of 22:19, 8 November 2023
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The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion, formally 1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment, was an Engineer Combat Battalion of the United States Army during WWII.
Pre-formation
Formation and history
13 June 1942 - Activation of 1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment
On 13 June 1942 the 1st Battalion, 51st Engineer Combat Regiment was activated in Camp Bowie, Texas[1][2].
18 March 1943 - Reorganization of 51st ECR to 1111th ECG, and the 1st Battalion into the 51st ECB
On 18 March 1943 the 51st Engineer Combat Group was reorganized into the 1111th Engineer Combat Group, which was put under the command of Colonel Harry Wallis Anderson. 1st Battalion was also reorganized now as the 51st Engineer Combat Battalion, and put under the command of Captain Robert Brooks Yates[1].
The new 51st spent their time in March 1943 at Macomb Reservation State Park, nearby Plattsburgh, New York, apparently the reservation being a cold barren post, that was suffering a hard winter. At the reservation the 51st learned how to build a dismantle tactical military bridges. They would combine H-10 grade steel bridge and wooden trestle over the Salmon River at nighttime, and then the next day recover the bridge. On the frozen Lake Champlain they also conducted pontoon exercises, building a 30ft high timber trestle bridge[1][3][2][4].
April 1943 - Stay in New York
In the month of April the Battalion stayed in New York City. Throughout the month they lived in pup tents as well as put up pontoon bridges across newly thawed lakes. The members of the battalion, along with bridge construction, at the platoon, company, and the battalion level itself conducted combined training exercices. They practiced combat firing, attacking a fortified position/area, city combat, laying and removing mines, as well as road construction[3].
September 1943 - End of training, moving towards service overseas
In September, the battalion transported by train at the maneuver area of XIII Corps which was near Elkins, West Virginia. There they participated in a ten day exercise, activities including road, landing strip, and a Bailey bridge construction[3][4]. They also acted as demonstration troops for the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia[4].
October 1943 - At Fort Dix
In October, in order to prepare going overseas, the battalion moved to Fort Dix, New Jersey. The organizational equipment of the battalion went to the Los Angeles Port of Embarkation. The troops went to Hampton Roads, Virginia to begin shipping out. While they were out at sea, the battalion received orders to ship to the Mediterranean Base Section, Oran, Algeria, for transshipment to India[3].
5 December 1943 - Debarkation in Oran
On 5 December the battalion debarked in Oran. However their equipment had not arrived yet as it was still being shipped from Los Angeles to Asia, and so they received an unscheduled break in training[3].
5 December 1943 to 12 January 1944 - Waiting for their equipment
While they waited in North Africa, due to change in Allied plans, instead of going to India, the 51st was chosen to go to England to participate in the invasion of Europe[3]. At this time they would have moved towards Casablanca, Morroco[3].
12 January 1944 - Leaving Casablanca
On 12 January 1944 the battalion left Casablanca and began their journey to Liverpool[3].
20 January 1944 - Arriving in Liverpool
After an eight day journey the battalion arrived in Liverpool on 20 January[3].
20 January to 19 June 1944 - Time in England
For the next five months the unit spent their time in England. They were assigned to First United States Army under General Bradley. They resumed training, consisting of combined and specialist activities, including bridge, Bailey and fixed bridge, and road construction, mines and minefields, explosives and demolitions, and night operations[3][5].
19 June 1944 - Boarding ships to cross the channel
On 19 June 1944 the 51st loaded onto three separate Liberty ships to wait to cross the English Channel into Normandy.
26 June 1944 - Crossing the channel
After the members of the battalion waited for a week, they finally crossed the channel in their ships, and landed in Normandy, landed on D+21 (26 June)[5][4].
26 June to October 1944 - Helping First Army
During the next four months the 51st would participate in providing combat engineer support for First Army. They mostly worked on road repair and maintenance, dumping crushed rock on Carentan's roads, mine clearing and sweeping, engineer reconnaissance, and water supply/water points. At the same time the battalion suffered a total of six wounded from an exploding stray artillery shells and a German plane strafing[5][4].
During the Normandy campaign, there was one event in which there was an ammunition-dump fire. The quick thinking and heroic action of men from the battalion saved many lives and equipment[4].
August 1944 - Yates is hospitalized
During the month of August, Yates was hospitalized for an unspecified reason[6]. He possibly was one of those six who either got wounded from a stray artillery shell or German strafing.
4 September 1944 - Moving to Soissons near Paris
On 4 September the 51st moved 152 miles from the Chartres area west of Paris to near Soissons northeast of Paris due to the rapid German retreat in which they destroyed bridges and culverts as well as cratering roads. The battalion now started mainly doing bridge and culvert construction instead of road maintenance and repair, in the process replacing Bailey bridges and other temporary bridges for reuse in forward areas[5].
17 September 1944 - Moving towards Germany
On 17 September , the battalion moved 110 miles east of Soissons towards Germany, almost to the Luxembourgish border. They started building bridges there[5].
Mid September - Capture of 60 Germans
In the middle of September, eight men of the battalion quelled and captured 60 German paratroopers after an intense firefight[4].
1 October 1944 - Moving to Malmedy, Belgium
After two weeks of building bridges new Luxembourg, the battalion was moved to Malmedy, Belgium, where they began keeping busy with themselves training as infantry[5].
Between 1 and 22 October 1944 - First Army's timber-cutting and winterization program
In the month of October First Army had begun a winterization and timber cutting program in order to build quarters for the troops of First Army for the winter of 1944 to 1945[4].
22 October to 17 December 1944 - Sitting in the Ardennes sector operating sawmills for First Army
After having trained as infantry for three weeks, for two months the battalion began operating 30 sawmills throughout the Ardennes sector in order to produce lumber for constructing winter quarters for the troops of the First United States Army[1][5]. Specifically, they were operating sawmills in the vicinity of Dinant, Rochefort, Hotton, Érezée, Ciney, and Marche-en-Famenne. This operation was part of the First Army's winterization and timber-cutting program. The 51st had cut 2,600,000 board feet since the debut of the program back in October[4].
Between 1 and 17 December 1944
Between 1 and 17 December 1944 the battalion produced on average each day 58,717 board feet, the maximum ever having reached being 80,600 board feet in a day[4].
During this time the 158th Engineer Combat Battalion had been charged with Marche-en-Famenne's defense area[4].
14 December 1944 - Major Yates returns from the hospital
After having been in the hospital for several months since August, the easygoing Major Yates, now the 51st's executive officer, returned to the battalion[5][6]. Yates would take over the battalion's area covering Trois-Ponts[6].
15 December 1944 - Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Fraser assumed command
A day after Yates returned, Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Reed Fraser assumed command of the 51st, a newcomer to the battalion[5][6]. Upon arriving he first called the battalion officers together to introduce himself and laying out his policies. He told of his background, and got the chance to talk to each one of the officers long enough to get to know their background and size them up personally. That background consisted of mostly confining to staff work. he graduated from the US Military Academy in 1939, spent nearly three years on Oahu at Shofield Barracks. After having to return from there 8 December 1941, but stayed due to his request for another nine months. From then up until coming to the 51st, he spent his time as an Engineer Battalion commander working on routine road and airstrip construction, as well as conducting a few shifts with Communications Zone base sections checking on training and allocation of troops. While at Saint Malo, while sniper fire was going on the day the citadel fell, Colonel Fraser led a reconnaissance party which obtained timely information on beach, harbor, and railroad facilities. Other than that he didn't see much action, therefore on 12 December he went to see the First Army Engineer to ask for a combat assignment. So sure was he that he wasn't going back to the Brittany Base Section he took the entirety of his equipment to Spa. Two days later he would be commanding the 51st, and upon seeing that the battalion was operating saw mills, asked whether it really was a combat outfit[7][8]. Due to being six years out of the Military Academy, the peripatetic man became known as "Hurry Up Harvey" soon after[5][9][6]. Yates would take control of the battalion's area covering the Bavreux-Hotton-Rochefort area[6].
In the case for the officers and men at this time, the majority of them had been in the unit and participating in it for two years. The Companies worked together and teamwork was clicking smoothly[4].
16 December 1944 - The Germans attack
On 16 December the Germans attacked. Despite this the 51st continued their activities in operating the sawmills.
17 December 1944 - The 51st goes into action
1730
At 1730 hours on 17 December, the day after the Germans broke through, the 51st was alerted for ground activity by the Commanding Officer of the 158th. The companies in line were quickly notified and a staff meeting was called to plan out the next course of action[4]. Yates and Fraser were nearly immediately called on to command their units to slow down the Germans[6][7].
Since the 51st was now being thrown onto the front lines unintentionally, facing German armor and infantry attacks. They had to move from producing lumber from their 30 sawmills to quickly start putting up roadblocks, mining and destroying bridges, among other things they could do for the 25 mile front to stall the German advance, waiting in the meantime for stronger and better forces to relieve them[1].
21 December 1944 -
A and B Company held a barrier line from Barveux to Hotton, south of Marche to Rochefort, in the process blowing up and defending three footbridges, one railway bridge, and two highway bridges. This whole time they were holding a 25 mile front against armored and infantry attacks[2].
C Company was holding Trois-Ponts and inso denying the Germans the use of the east-west Highway N23 to Werbomont critical to their advance. C Company maintained its position at Trois-Ponts there making the advancing forces believe that they were facing a superior force with armor. After they were relieved by the 82nd Airborne Division, C Company covered the withdrawl of the regiment from the town after aborting an attack east of the Salm[2].
Ken Hecler's paper study
On the first page of Ken Hechler's paper on the 51st during the Battle of the Bulge, he stated that[2]:
There was nothing in the background of the battalion that was related to these achievements
Doing this he cites the fact that the battalion's training wasn't remarkable for the type of unit that it was for a unit that achieved what it did during the Battle of the Bulge.
Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF) (Reprint 1988 ed.). Fort Belvoir, Virginia. p. 4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF). p. 9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF) (Reprint 1988 ed.). Fort Belvoir, Virginia. p. 5.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF). p. 10.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF). United States Army Corps of Engineers. p. 6.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF). p. 11.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF). p. 12.
- ↑ Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF). p. 13.
- ↑ Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF). p. 7.
Bibliography
Hechler, Ken. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF) (Reprint 1988 ed.). Fort Belvoir, Virginia: United States Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 November 2023.
Hechler. Holding the Line: The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion and the Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945 (PDF).
Contributors: Paul Sidle