At 1100 hours on the 8th of April we were alerted for a crossing of the Weser River — again for VII Corps. At 2315 hours, Company A arrived at Lippoldsberg on the east side of the Weser and began construction. That was an eerie night. As we pulled into town the infantry cleared out the last resistance on the far edge of town. Buildings burned all night long and two miles down the river heavy fighting was going on. Artillery shells (luckily ours) screamed by all night. This bridge took nine hours and forty-five manutes, Upon completion Company A reverted to Army control and returned to Konigswinter to reload.
On 10 April Company B was alerted to construct a bridge for V Corps. This bridge was to replace a bridge already in place. 11 April was spent in constructing rafts and in three hours and fifteen minutes on the 12th the bridge was put in place. Company B then began to haul supplies once more.
Our next move brought us to Naumberg, Germany which was the furthest we were to move into Germany. After arrival there Company B was alerted for a bridge to be constructed at Merseberg and proceeded to that vicinity. It received considerable shelling in its assembly area. The job was later called off because of the tactical situation. This was the 15th day of April — from then on the battalion was to do only routine tasks.
By May 8th the battalion was back as far as Kirchhain, Germany, and when the announcement of V-E Day arrived we practically ceased operations. Later we were to move as far as Chiêvres, Belgium — a small town just north of Mons. We were there assigned to Engineer CRP 2 and settled down to being Garrison Soldiers again.
Many of the things that you will remember do not appear here — partially because of lack of space and partially because they affected only individuals. Hardly any names are mentioned, but then that is as it should be because a battalion isn’t made of Jones, Smiths, McGuires and the like. Instead, it is made of the hearts and flesh and blood and sweat of men like you, who worked and prayed and cussed and bitched and fought. So it is that a battalion becomes a battalion and wars are fought and won. Some men become heroes, some gain publicity but the great majority of us are content to fight on, unglorified, serving our country in her time of need.
