Engineer
capability to
the task. We simply removed them and made a note of it, and we kept
this information as we went into combat.
Of course we did bridge and other training that we could do with limited capability and
space available in England. We got our equipment ready to go. Our unit was one of
those that went in on what was called the "first turnaround" of shipping after the
invasion. We were not involved in the actual D-Day, but we went in about
or
Q ..
The battalion journal, I think, listed it as June 13th.
A ..
It could have been. I went in two days ahead of the battalion with an advance crew of
the division.
Q ..
I wanted to ask you about the "capable" officers you had serving with you in the
battalion. Were you referring to people like [Major
M.]Sterba?
A ..
Sterba was a Reserve officer, as was [John A.] Allison, who was the B Company
commander, then became the S-3.
Q ..
[Oakes] Hayden?
A ..
Hayden was the battalion S-2. I had only one Regular officer, a young lieutenant
named
H.]
a West Point graduate of 1942. He did not stay with the
battalion long. I believe he was reassigned before we actually went to England. But the
battalion officers were either National Guard or Reserve officers. They had, for the
most part, been with me during the training of the battalion in the States and had
basically done a very, very good job.
Originally, Sterba had been the S-3, and Major [Joseph F.] Kulas had been the battalion
exec.
was moved out to command a battalion on his own, an exception to the
plan that we wouldn't be raided, in order to give him a chance for promotion and also
to best use people with experience. Sterba became the exec and Allison-and again I
don't remember whether this was
we got to England or not-moved from B
Company commander to S-3.
Q ..
I think the journal will show the time development of some of these events.
Yes. It was a unique opportunity to take a battalion from the start of training of a brand
A
new set of recruits, through a year's individual, squad, platoon, company, battalion, and
division maneuver exercises as a unit. I think this was an outstanding example of the
right way to train a division and all of its components for a military operation. How
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