Thirty hours and a half later we had a bridge in the water and ready for traffic! The time does not begin to compare with our speed records of earlier days, but the earlier days were not marred by enemy resistance. Later, when the railroad bridge collapsed, this bridge (and others constructed about the same time) were to keep the supplies and troops crossing for the last great offensive.
For the first time the battalion’s lucky streak failed to hold. Two men were killed and seven wounded during the construction. The battalions attached to us had similar casualties. Major William F. Tompkins, formerly our executive officer, then commanding the 552nd Engineer Heavy Pontoon Battalion, also made the supreme sacrifice.
During the month of March alone this bridge was to carry over 70,000 vehicles. By 0700 hours on the 12th the battalion had been relieved of bridge maintenance and was preparing for more work. This consisted of driving back to Namur and Henri-Chapelle Belgium to secure more bridge.
The entire battalion was so tired it could hardly stand, let alone drive, but somehow a reserve strength was found and called upon and four more bridges were loaded up and brought forward. We moved to the vicinity of Bonn, Germany, and there had a day and a half of rest before starting once more.
While the battalion was loading. Colonel Martin had made a reconnaissance with units of the VII Corps of crossing sites at BA Godesberg and Mehlem Station.
On the night of 18 March, the battalion moved forward under cover of darkness to the site at Mehlem Station. At 2250 hours construction began. Work progressed slowly during the night but with daylight things really got going. The storm-boat section from H & S Company was out in force equipped with smoke generators and the resulting smoke prevented the German Artillery from registering in.
Sixteen hours and ten minutes of work and another bridge lay across the Rhine River. Traffic started immediately and VII Corps was on its way.
Next in line came a sudden order to move to the Third U. S. Army in Luxembourg. We had high hopes of another bridge but when we arrived, Third Army had already started across the Rhine and we were given the task of bringing up Bailey Bridge for one of the crossings.
This assignment lasted only ten days and then we went back to First Army.
On April First we arrived in Bonn and there received orders detailing part of our trucks to travel to Antwerp to pick up trailers that were needed by Army. Upon return from Antwerp we had orders to pick up more bridge and to proceed to Warburg, well in Germany, where we would receive further orders.
