exercise on frozen Lake Champlain and built a30-foot-high
timber trestle bridge.
The 51st stayed in New York through A r l living in
pi,
pup tents and putting ponton bridges across newly thawed
lakes. In addition to bridge construction, the battalion
conducted combined training exercises at platoon, company,
and battalion levels, practicing combat firing, attack of
a fortified area, combat in cities, mine laying and
removal, and road construction.
In September 1943, the battalion started the long
A train ride
trek that eventually led to the Ardennes.
ended at the XIII Corps maneuver area near Elkins, West
Virginia, where the 51st participated in a 10-day
of a
exercise, with activities including construction
road, a landing strip, and a Bailey bridge. In October,
the battalion moved to Fort
New Jersey, to prepare to
From there, the battalion's organizational
go overseas.
equipment went to the Los Angeles Port of Embarkation, and
the troops went to Hampton Roads, Virginia, and shipped
While on the high seas, the battalion received
out.
orders to proceed to the Mediterranean Base Section, Oran,
Algeria, for transshipment to India. The 51st debarked on
5 December at Oran but, with its equipment still headed
from Los Angeles to Asia, received an unscheduled break in
its training.
While the 51st waited in North Africa, the plans of
The
the Allies changed.
along with four other
engineer battalions awaiting movement to India, were
ordered to England for the invasion of Europe.
On 12
January 1944, the battalion left Casablanca on an eight-
day voyage to Liverpool.
The 51st spent five months in England.
The unit was
assigned to the First Army under the command of General
Omar N. Bradley..
Training resumed, with combined and
specialist activities, including night operations and
related bridge construction, Bailey and fixed bridge
5
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