291st Engineer Combat Battalion (United States) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 291st Engineer Combat Battalion |
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This 1032 foot long treadway bridge was the first tactical bridge built across the Rhine River completed on 10 March 1945. It was constructed under heavy enemy fire in 32 hours about 400 meters downstream from the Ludendorff Bridge during the Battle of Remagen.
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| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Type | Combat engineer |
| Size | Battalion |
| Nickname(s) | Damned Engineers |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Colonel David E. Pergrin |
The 291st Engineer Combat Battalion was one of the most decorated engineer combat battalions of the United States Army during World War II, playing notable roles both in the Battle of Bulge and the Rhine river crossing at Remagen.
Commanded by Colonel David E. Pergrin, it earned a Presidential Citation for its performance in the Ardennes, blowing up bridges and fighting as infantry in helping stunt the German advance towards Antwerp. Scouting parties of 291st discovered 17 survivors of the Malmedy massacre on 17 December 1944. After nearly a month of grueling counter measures against the initial Panzer forces led by Joachim Peiper, the battalion's C Company returned to Malmedy to discover the bodies of 86 murdered US GIs frozen under a thick blanket of snow on 14 January 1945.
The battalion led the construction of the first pontoon bridge across the Rhine at Remagen to take traffic pressure off the severely damaged Ludendorff Bridge before its tragic collapse. The span made a material contribution in facilitating the U.S. Army's drive into central Germany.
From an initial force of roughly 600 men trained at Camp Swift, there were 93 wounded and 8 killed in action by war's end. During its tour of Europe, the 291st had constructed 23 timber bridges, 44 Bailey bridges, 7 treadway bridges, constructed 11 bridges under fire, destroyed 6 bridges, made 7 river assault crossings, deactivated 15 bombs, cleared 7000 mines, and taken 8500 German prisoners.
Capabilities
As a combat engineer battalion the 291st was capable of providing combat support essential to sustaining operating forces in the theater of war. These spanned such diverse activities as construction, demolition, sanitation, map production, minefield clearing, and unit intelligence.
Combat engineer battalions also fielded defensive .30 cal. and .50 cal. machine gun squads, anti-tank rocket and grenade launchers, and were required to fight as infantry when needed.
The range of services provided included but was not limited to:
- Bridge (mobile, floating, fixed), rail, & road construction and maintenance
- Conducting river crossings by ponton/raft, motor-powered assault boats
- Demolition
- Placing/de-arming munitions, including mines
- Port & harbor maintenance and rehabilitation, including beachheads:
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- Laying roads and unloading/loading supplies, vehicles & personnel from transport and cargo ships
- Camouflage
- Water supply and sanitation
- Map production
- Vehicle maintenance
- Establishing/maintaining supply and ammunition dumps
- Building barracks, depots, and similar structures
- Rescue & road patrols, bridge and road reconnaissance
- Clearing of debris and wreckage
- Serving as infantry when needed
These included the deployment and operation of assault boats and the construction of various pontoon bridges, including M1 treadways, and modular steel truss Bailey bridges.
Images for kids
- The 291st in Action
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291st engineers disarm a booby-trapped Sturmgeschütz III during the Battle of the Bulge
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The Ludendorff Bridge before its collapse into the Rhine
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The Ludendorff Bridge after its collapse
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Sign erected by 291st declaring their bridge the first over the Rhine at Remagen
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View of Barrage balloons above Omaha Beach on June 24, 1944 as seen by 291st after arriving from Southampton, England aboard a Landing Ship.
See also
