12th Engineer Battalion (United States)

Last updated
12th Combat Engineer Battalion
12 Eng Bn DUI.jpg
"Dual Prime" "Never Fails!"
Active1 July 1940
CountryUnited States
AllegianceArmy
Branch8th Infantry Division
TypeBattalion
Garrison/HQFt. Jackson, South Carolina
Motto(s)Id Perficiemus
EngagementsEuropean Theatre
DecorationsPhillip A. Connally Award 1979

The 12th Combat Engineer Battalion was activated 1 July 1940, at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina as an organic element of the 8th Infantry Division In July 1944 the battalion deployed to the European Theatre, landing at Omaha Beach in support of the greatest landing operation in history. Subsequently, the Battalion participated in campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe, and Luxembourg

Contents

After World War II the Battalion was inactivated on 25 October 1945 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. It was reactivated on 17 August 1950 at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina again as an organic element of the 8th Infantry Division. The Battalion moved with the 8th Infantry Division to Nuremberg, Germany in October 1956. In December 1957 the Battalion was restationed at Anderson Barracks, Dexheim, Germany. Simultaneously with the relocation of the 8th Infantry Division Headquarters to Bad Kreuznach, Germany.

Motto: Id Perficiemus (We shall consummate the task!)

Full history of unit

This is a brief History of the 12th Engineer Combat Battalion, an integral part of the 8th Infantry Division:

The Battalion was organized at Ft. Jackson, S.C. on July 1, 1940, under General orders no. 12, Headquarters, Fourth Corps Area. The cadre was picked from the 1st Engineers at Fort DuPont, Del., and from the 7th Engineers at Ft. Custer, MI. The remainder of personnel was received through voluntary enlistments, and the Selective Service.

At that time billets consisted of huts in the National Guard area of Fort Jackson. The first Commanding Officer was Major Patrick H. Tansey. Major Charles H.Mason took over the command in August 1941 and was subsequently followed by Major Edmund M. Fry. This change took place on August 22, 1942, and from December 1942 until February 1943, when Major Fry was sent to Engineer School, the command of the Battalion was administered by Major James C. Taylor. However, Major Fry returned to the outfit to remain the guiding hand through all the Battalion's campaigns.

The usual basic training was given the Battalion while at Ft. Jackson, and it was here that they also received their foretaste of what real combat would be like while they were on Carolina maneuvers in the fall of 1941. However, this proved to be a very minute taste of the real thing, although the combat test at the time was very convincing to a majority of the men.

Completion of the maneuvers found the outfit on the way back to Fort Jackson Where they were given more intensive training, and then used to supply the cadre for two new divisions. In the fall of 1942 the Battalion moved out amidst of many murmurings on the part of the men as to when things would really roll. This move involved large scale maneuvers in Tennessee. The Battalion was lodged at Camp Forest, Tennessee in a tent city, While its strength was brought almost up to normal. The weather at this time was bitterly cold, And right in the middle of one of the worst cold spells, the Battalion moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. This move was accomplished by truck, And by the time the organization reached their destination, it seemed problematical in the minds of many of the men whether they would ever again resume a semblance of straight posture. The weather remained icy during the whole of their stay at Fort Leonard Wood, and those who returned from the European war claim that even after the fighting on the other side they were last being thawed out from the Paul Bunyan cold.

The next move was a distinct change. The battalion took to the road again and ended up in the lively and bustling Laguna Desert Camp in Arizona. While at this camp-site, Id Perficiemus — "We Shall Consummate the task"— is the motto that has inspired the 12th Engineer Battalion since it was constituted at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina on July 1, 1940. For the past two decades, the 12th Engineers have proven time and time again that it is capable of performing any task, in war or peace. Today the 12th engineer Battalion with its headquarters in Dexheim, undertakes Engineer construction throughout the 8th Infantry Division. The battalion is heavily equipped with a vast array of construction machinery capable of supporting any engineer task required to support the 8th Infantry Division.

In its role as the division Engineer Battalion the 12th has the mission of providing general engineer support to the various elements of the division. Four Combat Engineer Companies support the three infantry brigades with the construction of barriers, laying and clearing of minefields, demolition operations and limited construction operations. In addition, each of the four companies is equipped with a Combat Engineer vehicle which carries a bulldozer blade and a 165 mm demolition gun capable of destroying enemy barricades, and fortified positions.

A bridge company provides the Division with its river-crossing capability. Equipped with Mobile Assault Bridge (MAB) units which can be driven on land, and then launched into water to link up with one another (to form a complete bridge, or a series of ferries) the MAB's enable the entire division to cross the Rhein River. The bridge company is also equipped with Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges, which can be used to bridge 60-foot streams.

The 12th Engineers has a platoon of heavy earth moving equipment, including 5-ton dump trucks, rough terrain cranes, and road graders. In addition, an atomic demolition munitions platoon gives the division an added defense capability.

The 12th Engineers are constantly training in their Engineer Support Role, conducting bridge operations on the Rhein, performing earth-moving tasks in community assistance projects, and constantly demonstrating readiness to live up to their motto.

Decorations and timeline

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">506th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 506th Infantry Regiment, originally designated the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during World War II, is an airborne light infantry regiment of the United States Army. Currently a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, the regiment has two active battalions: the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment is assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, and the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">508th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 508th Infantry Regiment is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army, first formed in October 1942 during World War II. The 508th is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, and two battalions from the regiment are currently active: the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, and the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment is assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. The regiment served in combat during World War II, and regimental elements have served in combat in the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">22nd Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 22nd Infantry Regiment is a parent regiment of the United States Army. Currently the 2nd Battalion is active, with the regimental colors residing at Fort Drum, New York. The 1st, 3rd, and 4th Battalions have been inactivated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (United States)</span> Military unit

The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division is a cavalry unit of the United States Army based in Fort Hood, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">39th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 39th Infantry Regiment is a parent regiment in the United States Army. Originally organized for service in World War I, the 39th fought in most of the conflicts involving the United States during the 20th century, and since 1990 the 2nd Battalion has served as a training unit stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The 3rd Battalion was started on 21 October 2015 and a 4th Battalion was added in July 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">26th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 26th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. Its nickname is "Blue Spaders", taken from the spade-like device on the regiment's distinctive unit insignia. The 26th Infantry Regiment is part of the U.S. Army Regimental System; currently only the 1st Battalion is active and assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.

The 9th Engineer Battalion is a unit of the United States Army that deploys to designated contingency areas and conducts combat and/or stability operations in support of a brigade combat team. It is a divisional mechanized combat engineer unit, composed of three line companies and a headquarters company. Its mission is to provide assured mobility, counter-mobility, general engineering, and survivability support, with well trained sappers ready to deploy anywhere at any time. The unit's history spans service in 1917 in the US southwest, World War II in France and Germany, multiple deployments to the Balkans, and multiple deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is most famous for the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge across the Rhine River. As of 18 May 2015, the battalion exists as the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion in Fort Stewart, GA under 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">325th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> US Army unit

The 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment is a light infantry parachute insertion fighting force of the United States Army. The subordinate units of the regiment constitute the bulk of the infantry elements assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">12th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 12th Infantry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army. The 12th Infantry has fought in seven wars from the Civil War to the Global War on Terrorism and has been awarded 19 Presidential Unit Citations, five Valorous Unit Awards, a Joint Meritorious Unit Award, two citations in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army, Nine Republic of Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry, the Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal Third Class, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Belgian Fourragere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Engineer Battalion (United States)</span> Military unit

The 4th Engineer Battalion is an engineer battalion of the United States Army. It is made up of combat engineers. The unit saw action in the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terrorism, to include Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 16th Infantry Regiment is a regiment in the United States Army and has traditionally been a part of the 1st Infantry Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">20th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 20th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. Currently only the 5th Battalion of the 20th Infantry still exists. Stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and part of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, 5-20 Infantry was one of the original battalions selected to take part in the testing and fielding of the Army's new Stryker vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">103rd Armor Regiment</span> Military unit

The 103rd Armor Regiment is an armored regiment in the Pennsylvania National Guard first formed in 1941. Its legacy unit, 3rd Battalion, 103rd Armor, is a subordinate command of the 55th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Engineer Battalion</span> Military unit

The 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion is a Combat Engineer Battalion of the United States Army based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The battalion is a subordinate unit of the 2nd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and I Corps. The battalion's official motto is "Gong Mu Ro" and battle cry "Rugged!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">326th Engineer Battalion (United States)</span> Military unit

The 326th Engineer Battalion (Sapper Eagles) is one of three air assault engineer battalions in the United States Army. The 326th is part of the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Bastogne")(♣), 101st Airborne Division and has been a part of the 101st since World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">32nd Field Artillery Regiment</span> Military unit

The 32nd Field Artillery Regiment is a distinguished and highly decorated field artillery regiment of the United States Army, first Constituted in 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Battalion, 107th Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 1st Battalion, 107th Cavalry Regiment was a unit of the Ohio Army National Guard, with troops in multiple locations throughout northeastern Ohio and has served in the United States of America's major wars and conflicts since 1898 until its inactivation on 31 August 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">17th Armored Engineer Battalion</span> Military unit

17th Armored Engineer Battalion are part of the 2nd Armored Division "Hell on Wheels". During World War II, they were active in North African Campaign, and Western Europe Campaign. 17th Armored Engineer Battalion was founded on 1 October 1933 as part of the US Army. First called 17th Engineer Battalion, Motorized. It was renamed on 10 July 1940 to 17th Engineer Battalion (Armored) and assigned to the 2nd Armored Division. The unit became active and started training 15 July 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Renamed again on 8 January 1942 as the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion. The Battalion is now based at Fort Hood, Texas. Battalion motto is We pave the way. Task of the 17 include construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions, like constructing and breaching trenches, tank traps and other fortifications, bunker construction, bridge and road construction. Along with building destruction bridges and other physical work in the battlefield are needed. They also lay or clear land mines. The 17th facilitates the movement and support of friendly forces while slowing the enemy's forces.

The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division is an Armored Brigade Combat Team of the United States Army, stationed at Fort Bliss, TX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment is an active duty airborne infantry battalion in the United States Army, assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and stationed in Vicenza, Italy. The battalion has served with the 2nd Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade; has been stationed in Korea, Italy and the United States; and earned campaign credits in World War II, the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

References

  1. "Itschner Award".