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What did the 336th engineer combat battalion do on Omaha Beach?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
They fought up through the bunkers and killed everyone inside, and they throw smoke gernades to alert the p16 fighters to bomb the beach thus securing it
AnswerThe 336th Combat Engineer Battalion was among the units that landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. They were an independent unit, meaning they were not attached to support an infantry division directly.Here is a quote about their action on Omaha Beach.
Four groups had assignments on OMAHA for D-day. The 37th Engineer Battalion Beach Group supported the 16th Regimental Combat Team, 1st Division, and the 149th was behind the 116th Infantry. The 348th was to facilitate the landing of the 18th Infantry, following the 16th on the eastern end of the beach. The 336th Engineer Battalion Beach Group was scheduled to arrive in the afternoon to organize Fox Red. All the groups were under 5th Engineer Special Brigade control until the assault phase was over; the 149th Engineer Battalion Beach Group would then revert to the 6th Brigade.
The task of opening Exit F-1 belonged to the 336th Engineer Battalion Beach Group, which was scheduled to land after 1200 on D-day at Easy Red near E-3 and then march east to Fox Red. Some of the advance elements went ashore on E-3 at 1315 and made their way toward their objective through wreckage on the beach, falling flat when enemy fire came in and running during the lulls.
Wading ashore at Dog Green about 1500, troops of the 336th Engineer Combat Battalion assembled at the shingle bank and began a hazardous march toward Fox Red, more than two miles away. The unit moved in a long irregular column, followed by a D-7 tractor that towed an Athey trailer loaded with explosives. As the battalion made its way around bodies and wreckage through smoke and gunfire, it witnessed the awful panorama of D-day on OMAHA. Artillery fire had decreased at Exit D-1 after destroyers knocked out a strongpoint on Pointe de la Percee about noon. It grew heavier as engineers approached Exit D-3, several times narrowly missing the explosive-laden trailer. At E-1 the fire let up, but congestion on the beach increased. Bulldozers were clearing a road through the shingle embankment, and the beach flat was jammed with vehicles waiting to join a line moving up the hill toward St. Laurent.
The worst spot they encountered on the beach was at Exit E-3, still under fire as they passed. There the 336th Battalion's column ran into such heavy machine-gun fire and artillery shelling that the unit had to halt. The commander sent the men forward two at a time; when about half had gone through the area, a shell hit a bulldozer working at the shingle bank. The dozer began to burn, sending up clouds of smoke that covered the gap and enabled the rest of the men to dash across. As the troops proceeded down the beach, they saw a tank nose over the dune line and fire about twenty-five rounds at a German machine-gun emplacement, knocking it out; but artillery barrages continued hitting the beach in front of E-3 every fifteen or twenty minutes.
At the end of its "memorable and terrible" march across OMAHA, during which two men were killed by shell fray meets and twenty-seven were injured, the engineer column reached the comparative safety of the F-1 area at 1700. The surrounding hills had been cleared of machine-gun nests, and although enemy artillery was able to reach the tidal flat, it could not hit the beach. The first job was mine clearance: the area was still so heavily mined that several tanks, one of them equipped with a dozer blade, could not get off the beach. The men had only one mine detector but were able to assemble several more from damaged detectors the infantry had left on the beach. More were salvaged when the last elements of the battalion came in from Dog Green around 1730.
Quoted from: http://www.history.army.mil/reference/Normandy/TS/COE/COE15.htm
In summary, this unit landed on D-Day around Noon(12:00). Their job was to clear the beach and make roads so other heavier equipment could be brought to the beach and driven directly to the front lines.
Links that list Units that were at Normandy:
http://www.army.mil/d-day/forces.HTML
http://www.sproe.com/o/Omaha-beach.HTML
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∙ 12y ago
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149th engineer combat battalion?
My father was in the 149th combat engineer battalion. They landed on DDay on Omaha Beach. Their boat hit a mine coming in and several men were injured or killed. My father was injured, but able to go on.
History of fifth engineer special brigade?
There is information on the formation of the 5th Engineer Special Brigade and its operations on Omaha Beach during D-Day here:http://www.history.army.mil/reference/Normandy/TS/COE/COE14.htm
Where did the 733 Field Artillery Battalion serve?
AnswerAccording to a BBC article I found in Google, the battalion's WW2 service was as follows: It landed in Normandy, on Utah Beach, several days after D-Day and fought across Normandy to St Lo, Chartres, Metz and to the Saar River and finally into Bavaria. I have been unable to trace any subsequent deployment.The US 733 Field Artillery Battalion earned credit for the following WW2 campaigns:Northern FranceRhinelandArdennes-AlsaceCentral EuropeNote: the campaigns do not list Normandy. This indicates that this unit did not serve in combat at Normandy. However, many units entered France through the beaches at Normandy.The 733rd did receive credit for Normandy. It entered France on June 30, 1944 and one of its units was the first American heavy artillery unit to engage the enemy in Normandy.
Where was the K Company of the 16th Infantry on D-Day?
Company K, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division landed on OMAHA Beach at DOG GREEN beach, about 1000 meters to the east of Vierville-sur-Mer draw. Brig-General Norman Cota, the divisional assistant commander, lead a group of men in a break-out from DOG GREEN beach with Company C. The 2nd Battalion(Companies E, F, G, H) broke through on the east side of St. Laurent and 2nd Lt. John Spalding lead Company E over the top, followed by Company G. The 3rd Battalion (Companies I, K, L, M) opened a path at the draw northeast of Collierville and with support from naval batteries, they had taken the enemy stronghold by 0900. Brig-General Norman Cota lead troops in-land behind the town of Vierville-sur-Mer. Elements of the 1st and 2nd Battalion and the 5th Rangers attacked Vierville between 1000 and 1100. Elements of the 3rd Battalion and a few of the 2nd Battalion fought inland toward St. Laurent and the assembly area southwest. They were stopped short of St. Laurent. Source: "The Cross-Channel Attack" printed by Center for Military History.
Which beach had the smallest allied advance of D-day?
Sword BeachOmaha beach
149th engineer combat battalion?
My father was in the 149th combat engineer battalion. They landed on DDay on Omaha Beach. Their boat hit a mine coming in and several men were injured or killed. My father was injured, but able to go on.
What did the 348th Engineer Combat Battalion do on Omaha Beach?
348th Engineers landed on Omaha Beach in two groupings. The initial landing at H-Hour or in the First Tide involved 60% of the unit. This included the recon and heavy weapons units of the battalion as well as one platoon of Co. A and all of the units of Co.s B and C. They were attached to the 37th Engineers Combat Battalion and all were a part of the 5th ESB. Their original role was to help as the Gap assault teams in opening up Beach obstacles but as the initial assault was under heavy fire from the positions on the Cliiff , they attacked with members of the 16th RCT in trying to overcome the defenses. They helped in getting to the top of the bluffs of E-3 Draw with use of Explosives and frontal infantry assault so that they could go back to clear mines and establish the beachhead and create roads and lay tracks in the sand. But they had to stop the snipers and machine guns and 88's first. Co C's Sgt Art Sedillo led his squad of 16 recon troops in an assault on a pillbox and captured 11 Germans of which one that he shot was a woman. The second wave of the battalion which was the remainder of A company and the HS Co came in on the 2nd Tide accompanied by the 336th Engineers and most of their equipment. Still under Artillery and sniper fire these men began creating the area for offloading tons of men and material and built a CP on the beach for the 348th Beach Battalion to begin operating, while forward members of the unit was engaging the enemy with units of the 29th and 1st Div. Fully 30% of the assault troops on D-Day were Engineers . In photos you can distinguish the men of the 5th ESB by their distinctive white Arcs on the front of their helmets.
How do you find information on the 664th topographic engineers in World War 2?
My Dad passed in 1998 & was in the 61st engineer combat battalion in WW2. I have been unable to find any info on the internet. My Mom has a photo from Stars & Stripes which is a 1 page cartoon on the 61st engineer combat battalion. I recall the cartoon is of a football game & the caption is "They have the goal line mined" with reference to the 61st engineer combat battalion. I know my Dad lived with a Belgium couple for a short while during WW2 but have no further info. All the best, Wayne Masters The 61st Combat Engineer Battalion landed at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France on or about D-Day + 6 , June 12, 1944. They maneuvered as far south as Epernay, France before heading north to Dolhane, Belgium and eventually into Germany. Your father lived with a family in Dolhane and most of the 61st battalion, including my father, were billeted with Belgian families in this town for about 8 weeks from November, 1944 through early January 1945. The 61st were on the northern fringe of the Battle of the Bulge. I am uncertain of their precise engagement in the battle but I do know that anyone capable of carrying a rifle was put on guard. Robert Di Salvo Son of PFC James Di Salvo 61st Combat Engineer Batallion 31086601 disalvo10@comcast.net
What did the 348th engineer combat battalion do in World War 2?
they landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day; they searched for bombs / mines; secured the beach so the troops could come ashore; they built a "city" on the beach as an entry point; they built bridges, searched for mines, they fought the Germans; they helped liberate POW camps; and they held their 45th and last reunion Oct 3 - 7, 2010 in St. Robert, MO.
How many units fought on Omaha Beach?
There were many units involved in the landing. Even an infantry division is composed of many small units such as signal corps companies etc. Infantry and armored Landing forces: 116th Regimental Combat Team(RCT) of the 29th Infantry Division 743rd Tank Battalion 16th RCT of the 1st Infantry Division 741st Tank Battalion Three companies of the 2nd Ranger Battalion were to take a fortified battery at Pointe du Hoc, followed by 5th Ranger Battalion. At H+195 minutes two further Regimental Combat Teams, the 115th RCT of the 29th Infantry Division and the 18th RCT of the 1st Infantry Division were to land, along with the 26th RCT of the 1st Infantry Division. These infantry units were supported by engineers and naval beach units.
What US units landed on Omaha Beach?
29th US Infantry Division consisting of:116th Regimental Combat Team743rd Tank Battalion1st US Infantry Division consisting of:16th Regimental Combat Team741st Tank Battalion2nd Ranger Battalion (at Point du Hoc)They were supported by a Navy task force including 2 Battleships, 5 Cruisers, 12 destroyers and 105 other ships.
Who landed on Omaha beach Normandy?
Troops of the U.S. Army's 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions and the 2nd Ranger Battalion.
What is information on the 148th Combat Engineers?
The 148th was part of the 1110 engineer combat group. Came ashore d-day +5 and +8 at Utah beach. There is a history of 1110th available from the Nat'l Archives. Here is more advice: * Try going to www.askjeeves.com and typing in 148th Combat Engineer. This will give you all the sites that have information about the 148th. I did this for the USS Randolph and found out a lot of information about the ship my Grandfather was on and I also was able to get in touch with a couple of men that were on the ship with him. Some knew him, some didn't. * Go to the "Normandy Allies" web site and scroll down until you find the address for the 148th Combat Engineers. Then contact them, they are your best bet for information. * My dad was a medic with the 148th. Took basic training at Camp Shelby. Landed on Utah Beach June 7,1944 Was in Eisenach, Germany at end of war.
What were typical duties of an amphibian tractor battalion in World War 2?
The delivery of troops from transport ships to the beach in the assaultphase of an amphibious operation.
What did the American 3rd Division at Utah Beach consist of?
The D-Day landings at Utah Beach were carried out by the US 4th and 90th Infantry Divisions with 70th Tank Battalion and 4th Cavalry Regiment.The US 3rd Division was fighting in Italy at that time and never went to Utah Beach.
History of fifth engineer special brigade?
There is information on the formation of the 5th Engineer Special Brigade and its operations on Omaha Beach during D-Day here:http://www.history.army.mil/reference/Normandy/TS/COE/COE14.htm
Where did the 733 Field Artillery Battalion serve?
AnswerAccording to a BBC article I found in Google, the battalion's WW2 service was as follows: It landed in Normandy, on Utah Beach, several days after D-Day and fought across Normandy to St Lo, Chartres, Metz and to the Saar River and finally into Bavaria. I have been unable to trace any subsequent deployment.The US 733 Field Artillery Battalion earned credit for the following WW2 campaigns:Northern FranceRhinelandArdennes-AlsaceCentral EuropeNote: the campaigns do not list Normandy. This indicates that this unit did not serve in combat at Normandy. However, many units entered France through the beaches at Normandy.The 733rd did receive credit for Normandy. It entered France on June 30, 1944 and one of its units was the first American heavy artillery unit to engage the enemy in Normandy.
