Combat Engineers - U.S. Historical Notes

[Frenchy]

This is FYI - interesting assessment of engineer usage. Taken from 270th AAR Feb 1945, US 70th Infantry Division. As a side note the CO of the 270th, then Maj Matheson, later served as consultant and technical adviser for the US Army's Official History on the Engineers (1 of several volumes).

GENERAL COMMENTS

A. Considerable difficulty was encountered with schu-mines in the areas over which the infantry regiments advanced. The best solution to the problem of clearing a lane through these schu-mines fields was found to be the use of several strands of prima-cord projected into the mined area with rifle grenades, AT. Some of the mined areas were readily discernable due to the fact that mines were on top of the ground instead of being buried.

B. Several AT ditches had to be bridged since they were across the route of advance of the Division. The use of M1 and M2 Treadway to bridge these ditches was found to be very effective due to the ease and rapidity of its installation. AT ditches which interfered with the road net were subsequently bridged or filled, in order to release treadway for future use.

C. Each company had one tankdozer attached to it for the

operation and the effectiveness of the tankdozer was demonstrated many times. In many cases an abatis could be removed, or a crater could be filled under conditions which would make the use of

organic bulldozers impractible.

D. Except in special operations, such as breaching multiple paths through wire and minefileds, engineer troops should never be employed in units of a size smaller than the squad, which is the basic Engineer work unit. If employed in smaller groups for such a special operation, engineer personnel must immediately revert to normal squad and platoon control when the job is

completed. Even when operating in squad units, Engineers must not be so scattered that the platoon commander and staff sergeant platoon leader can not control them at all times. The individual

engineer soldier is not himself a superman; he can carry with him as an individual neither the equipment nor the ability to do all the engineer jobs that must be done--but as a member of a working team he can do them.

E. It is felt that experience to date in this Division has proven that the book solution of normally employing Engineers in

direct support of the Infantry elements is, in fact, the best solution. By this means Engineer control and supervision, which

require a certain degree of technical experience, can be excercised throughout all echelons of the Engineer Battalion. The company commanders of the Engineer company which is in direct

support of the corresponding Infantry Regiment acts as Engineer technical advisor to the regimantal commander. Priorities for Engineer work which will best assist the operation of the

Infantry can be arranged directly between these two commanders without approval by Engineer Battalion or other headquarters. The full working capacity of the Engineer company is continuosly and

promptly available and may be concentrated or dispersed depending

upon the job and the priorities set, providing that Engineer command and control are maintained. In order for this system to work, the Engineer company commander must constantly keep the

Infantry regimental commander informed of his companies operations and capabilities. It has been found that the loss of control inherent in the attachment of Engineer units has resulted in a decrease in the assistance which Engineers are capable of giving.