Engineer Memoirs
Q ..
From the landing to Saint Lo?
A ..
Yes.
Q ..
So, you do feel, then, that your intelligence was generally good?
A
I think it was good. We also had some very good geological and geographical
intelligence that was very useful for determining characteristics of the terrain, location
of bridges, and locations of streams and their characteristics. This was very useful in
preplanning; and, for the most part, I found it to be fairly accurate and indicative of the
general situation.
The information we had in the early days of the invasion was very good. As the
movement speeded up
the breakthrough, we tended to outrun the available
intelligence, and mapping information was more of a problem. But, at the same time,
the need was not as great because the movement was much faster.
Q.
The journal
the 105th Engineer Combat Battalion makes frequent reference to how
the 105th was involved in instructing the infantry in such things as use of flame
throwers. I was wondering if you could comment on the role of the engineers as
instructors to the infantry.
A
The method of engineer operation, for the most part, after the first week to ten days
following the invasion, was with each one of the three line companies directly
supporting one of the infantry regiments of the division. For that reason, the engineer
battalion really operated quite dispersed-A Company with the 117th Infantry, B
Company with the 119th Infantry, and C Company with the 120th Infantry. They
maintained that relationship throughout the campaign.
That meant that the company commander was almost a part of the regimental staff. The
regimental commanders became very well acquainted with the company commanders
and
called on them, not only for assistance in doing the engineer work, but also
for help in training their pioneer platoons and other units, when occasion allowed, in
those activities that were essentially of an engineering type.
This meant that the engineering capability of the unit could be extended by this training.
The regimental commanders thought very highly of their engineer units and became
very possessive of them. Actually, I had no real problem on that score, and I welcomed
the close association. They were not officially attached to the regiments, but the
regiments looked on them as a part of their operational team.
30
Previous Page
