The 283rd Engineer Combat Battalion served during World War
II in the United States, England, France and Germany, the European
Theater of Operations.
One of it's major accomplishments
was the construction of a floating Bailey type bridge
across the Rhine River, just upstream of Cologne in the
spring of 1945.
After activation at Camp Butner, North Carolina, in January 1944,
the unit underwent months of intense basic and unit training in
all phases of Combat Engineering. In November of 1944, the 283rd
was deployed to Camp Delamere in England for additional training,
including the building of floating bridges. On Christmas Day, 1944,
the unit embarked on LCI's (Landing Craft, Infantry) from Portsmouth,
England for Cherbourg, headed for the battlefront in Belgium at
the "Battle of the Bulge". But Fate intervened. A regiment of the
66th Infantry Division, headed for the same destination was aboard
the troopship "Leopoldville" and was attacked by torpedos. The
"Leopoldville" sank a few miles off the shore at Cherbourg with a loss of life
equivalent to two battalions. The arrival of the 283rd in Cherbourg
resulted in a change of plans, and the 283rd was attached to the 66th
to replace some of the troops lost aboard the "Leopoldville".
The mission of the 66th was changed, and it was sent to the St. Nazaire/Lorient
line in western France, to contain the approximately
100,000 German soldiers caught behind it, and prevent them from
breaking out to reinforce the enemy at the Bulge. The 283rd became part
of that operation, and
for the next four months, served as Infantry,
receiving a commendation for their performance by the commander
of the 66th Division.
In April, 1945, the 283rd was given the mission of proceeding
into Germany to construct a floating Bailey bridge across the
Rhine River just upstream of Cologne to support American forces
already holding the Ruhr pocket. The successful accomplishment
of that mission is shown in the photograph (above) of the Vega Bridge,
named in honor of Capt. Victor Vega, Commander of "C" Co,.
who sustained a disabling injury to his leg in an explosion of a
land mine during the bridge construction.
After the war was won, the 283rd
remained in Bavaria, rebuilding roads and bridges, operating
sawmills, and relocating displaced persons.
For details, and to learn more about the 283rd and
its Reunion Committee activities, choose from the options
shown on the left.