Fighting Fascism in Europe: The World War II Letters of an American Veteran of the Spanish Civil War

Appendix G

APPENDIX G Selected After/After Action Reports1 238TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION APO 230, U.S. ARMY AFTER/AFTER ACTION REPORT 1 July 1944: Total strength of the Battalion at the beginning of the period was 33 Officers, 3 Warrant Officers, and 674 Enlisted Men. Companies B & C ran an infantry attack problem. Co. A on group security. No Engineer casualties suffered. 2 July 1944: Reconnaissance party made a reconnaissance for gravel pit; water point set up at (396846). Company ‘‘B’’ assigned job of maintaining and repairing road by-passing Carentan. One squad of Company C assigned demolition job for AA unit Penrod . 3 July 1944: Company A assigned mission of lifting our minefield in Blackstone area. Company C will assist Company A in lifting minefield. 4–6 July 1944: Co’s A & C engaged in removing minefield in Blackstone area. Work delayed by enemy artillery and small arms fire, but no casualties suffered. Company B maintained MSR in Blackstone area. 7–12 July 1944: Battalion engaged in maintaining roads in Blackstone area. One company C jeep ran over an enemy mine killing Gravette, Donald C., T/5 34502070 and wounding Rowe, Arris M. T/5, 34598030. 1 National Archives at College Park, Maryland, World War II Operation Reports , Record Group 407, Box 18763. APPENDIXES 241 13 July 1944: Company A constructed bailey bridge across Tribehou causeway. Major Dawley assumed Command of Battalion at 1000 hrs. 14 July 1944: Company C built the second bailey bridge across Tribehou Causeway making it two-way traffic. 15 July 1944: Company B removed TX bridge by-passing the bailey bridge on Tribehou Causeway. Other companies maintaining roads. 16 July 1944: Removed 3 minefields for 552 Field Artillery. 17 July 1944: Road maintenance in Blackstone Area. 18 July 1944: Maintaining roads in group area; one cow set off a booby trap in ‘‘A’’ Co. bivouac area but no casualties suffered. 19–20 July 1944: Road repair and maintenance in VII Corps area. Co. C moved out to join Co. B in bivouac area. 21–22 July 1944: Light road maintenance, care, maintaining and reloading equipment. Gas alarm sounded from Adjacent Unit about 2400, 22 July, but no gas was detected. 23–26 July 1944: Road repair and maintenance in group area. Co. B lost one truck which was bombed, while maintaining road net. Champion, James L., Pvt. 34762829 was slightly wounded. 27–30 July 1944: On 27 July Cobra operations began by order of the CG VII Corps. This Battalion less one company was put in direct support of the 41st Armored Infantry which was the 2nd Armored Division reserve. Co. C this unit was in direct support of CCB of the 2nd Armored Division, one Platoon being with the point. The purpose of this campaign was to cut off the enemy facing the VIII Corps and to assist the VIII Corps in the destruction of the enemy. During this campaign this Unit was engaged in repairing, and clearing of roads in 2nd Armored area. Also the construction of road blocks, and landing strips for powerhouse 242 APPENDIXES artillery. On the night of the 29th July the enemy counterattacked in vicinity of St. Dennis Le Gant with approximately 5 tanks and 300 infantrymen. Two captured enemy trucks, loaded with American Engineer Equipment, [were] knocked out by a German tank while being delivered to Princess C.P. by Co. B, however no casualties suffered from this. On 29 July, P.F.C. Tony A. Scenna, 33567186, Co. C, was killed in action by enemy fire when his platoon was pinned down by fire with the point of CCB. On the 30th July, T/5 Lonnie A. Hood, 34536547 Co. C was killed in action. T/5 James F. Clifton, 34538869, Co. C, was slightly wounded in action. Sgt. Anthony P. Filipiak, 33405926, Co. C was seriously injured in action. Sgt. Donald J. Smith, 33876459, Co. C was seriously wounded in action and Pvt. Paul V. Trembley, 31323512, Co. C was slightly wounded in action. Co. A captured one German officer, Captain, and Co. B captured 20 prisoners, including 5 officers. This campaign ended temporarily for this Bn. 30 July when we were relieved from support of the 2nd Armored Division. 31 July 1944: Co. C relieved from CCB and returned to Battalion . Total strength of organization at end of period: 36 Officers, 3 Warrant Officers and 658 Enlisted Men. 3 Officers gained and 16 Enlisted Men lost...