CombatGirl 1 Report post Posted April 6, 2011 Hello all! I am currently doing research on my Grandfather who was in the 1289th Combat Engineer Battalion. I have hit a wall in my research and am hoping to find some leads here. My husband is currently serving his second tour in Afghanistan so military history is very important in our family :)If you have any info on this group please let me know... My grandfather was also with the 3939th QM, I have some pictures of him and his buddies in europe as well as what I believe to be the Phillipines. Any help is appreciated! <3 CombatGirl Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 6, 2011 Hello, welcome to the forum and a Thank You to your husband for his service. Do you have your grandfathers discharge documents or his service record? If you could provide his name & serial number ( if you have it) it will help in the research. The 1289 Engineer Combat Battalion has Campaign Credit for Central Europe and Occupation Duty Germany, 2 May - 5 July 1945. The 3939th Quartermaster Gas Supply Co. has Campaign Credits for Normandy, Northern France, & Rhineland. Assault Credit for Normandy 6-7 June 1944, The 3939th Quartermaster Gas Supply Co. was attached to the 1st Special Engineer Brigade for the Normandy Invasion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 7, 2011 Welcome Combat Girl. We've already spoken via email, but wanted to personally welcome you here too. Will write more later, but gotta fly; literally, so will pick up later from my hotel room... All the best to you and your husband. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 8, 2011 One of the photos sent to me by Combat Girl. Maybe one of our friends from Europe can identify this building (church?) and it`s location. I`m thinking the picture would have been taken in Germany between May & July 1945. The men would be members of the 1289th ECB. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 8, 2011 Great photo. Hope someone has an answer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Combat Girl, you are not going to believe this, but while at Fort Leonard Wood this weekend, I had a chance to go through their archives. Mind you, I only had a few hours, but while there, I ran across a document for the 1289th. Talk about serendipity. It is composed of two typewritten letters by a gentleman named, Captain Charles (Chuck) Sweningsen, addressed to his cousin. They were in turn donated/shared with the office of history at FLW. Enjoy. So happy to be able to do this for you. As soon as I saw it I said, "Hey, I have someone on my forum who just requested info on this unit, just this week." These are now public domain. I checked to make sure there wasn't anything personal in these. Jan 2014 FOR SOME REASON, THE FILE COULD NO LONGER BE DOWNLOADED, BUT I FOUND A COPY ON MY DISK FROM FORT LEONARD WOOD, AND HAVE RE-UPLOADED IT TODAY!!!! 1289th EN BN materials.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CombatGirl 1 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Combat Girl, you are not going to believe this, but while at Fort Leonard Wood this weekend, I had a chance to go through their archives. Mind you, I only had a few hours, but while there, I ran across a document for the 1289th. Talk about serendipity. It is composed of two typewritten letters by a gentleman named, Captain Charles (Chuck) Sweningsen, addressed to his cousin. They were in turn donated/shared with the office of history at FLW. Enjoy. So happy to be able to do this for you. As soon as I saw it I said, "Hey, I have someone on my forum who just requested info on this unit, just this week." These are now public domain. I checked to make sure there wasn't anything personal in these. I'm have the biggest smile on my face right now! Thank you for thinking of me. The people I have contacted on this forum have been truely amazing. Thank you so much! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CombatGirl 1 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 I'm have the biggest smile on my face right now! Thank you for thinking of me. The people I have contacted on this forum have been truely amazing. Thank you so much! I meant "I have". See I can't even type correctly! 1 Walt's Daughter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Funny I didn't even notice it. I saw the content and not the individual words. I got the gist! BTW, you are VERY welcome. WE are truly one big family here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Excellent find Marion! The letters are probably just as good as a unit history minus the S-1 personel reports. It will help tremendously in the research. It should help in the location of the church picture posted earlier. The letter stated that they were in Troisdorf, which is on the Agger River across from Seigburg in the area where another new member Christoph is from! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Agreed my friend, agreed. This is like manna from heaven! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 we amaze ourselves sometimes! I`ll try to email the pic to Christoph, maybe we`ll get lucky......again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Yea, let's keep the momentum going. What say ye all? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Christoph 62 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 I have posted the photo in lostplaces.de and immediately got the answer: It's the Chapel of St. Pancratius, but not in Troisdorf or Germany or Europe but on the La Loma Catholic Cemetery in Manila, Philippines: Wikipedia Flickr Christoph Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Thank You Christoph! another great find! I was only.. what... 10,000 miles off? LOL With no landscape showing in the background made it hard to determine a possible location. My first impression of the pic judging by the architecture & damaged condition of the building it was possibly german. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Thank you Christoph!!! Two gold stars today!!! Larry, you were only off by a few miles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 11, 2011 whatsa few miles? i least i had the right planet....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 11, 2011 :drinkin: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CombatGirl 1 Report post Posted April 11, 2011 :drinkin: WOW thank you so much for identifying that for us! I'm going to my mother's wedding (my grandfather's daughter) in June and plan to bring all this great info with me to share with the rest of the family! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 11, 2011 Hopefully there will be lots more we can find before June. I`ll reorginize the info we have & see what we need to find next. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SonofaMP 63 Report post Posted April 28, 2011 Update on research. Megan has sent for personal file from NARA, St Louis and we are awaiting results. Thanks to Marion`s information from Ft Leonard Wood, we have a lot on the 1289th ECB. Still trying to find info on the 3939th Quartermaster Gas Supply Co. We know they were under the 306th QM Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Co. assigned to the 1st Engineer Special Brigade and landed on Utah Beach 6-7 June `44. Movements after the invasion are unknown, but i think the unit may have been placed under control of ADSEC, Advance Section, Com-Z, Base Section. Here`s what we have so far: William H. Cox Born: 15 August 1924, West Chester, Pennsylvania Died: 09 September 1992 Kennett Square, Chester, Pennsylvania Enlistment Record & Report of Separation Data: ASN 33588811 Enlistment Date: 01 March 1943 Place of Enlistment: Philadelphia, PA. Date of Entry to Active Service: 08 March 1943 Place of Entry: New Cumberland, PA. Organization: CO B 1289th Engineer Comb BN MOS: Truck Driver Light 345 Highest Grade Held: PFC Battles & Campaigns: GO 33 & 40 WD 45 Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes Decorations and Citations: Good Conduct Medal; Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal; European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal With 3 Bronze Stars; WWII Victory Medal Service outside Continental US and Return: Date of Departure Destination Date of Arrival 6 Nov 43 Scotland 17 Nov 43 10 Dec 45 US 26 Dec 45 Date of Separation 09 January 1946 at Unit A SEP CTR 45 IGMRPA, Indiantown Gap, PA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- On a page of "separation qualification record". it says "truck driver light; truck driver light with the 3939th Quartermaster. Used truck to haul gasoline from and to the various installations as required and where needed. Did night driving made emergency road repairs. Served overseas 24 months in England, France and the Phillipines." That is the only place on his records that mentions the 3939th QM. His official organization on discharge papers is 1289th combat engineers. __________________________________________ 1st Engineer Special Brigade assigned troops and attached units This is the unit composition while on Utah Beach. Units Assigned to the 1st ESB 1st Engineer Special Brigade, HQ & HQ Company 531st Engineer Shore Regiment (see note 1) – 3 shore battalions (see note 1) 24th Amphibian Truck Battalion, HQ & HQ Detachment – 462nd Amphibian Truck Company – 478th Amph Trk Co – 479th Amph Trk Co 306th Quartermaster Battalion HQ & HQ Company – 556th Quartermaster Railhead Company – 562nd QM Railhead Co (see note 2) – 3939th QM Gas Supply Co 191st Ordnance Battalion HQ & HQ Detachment – 3497th Ordnance MAM co – 625th Ordnance Amm Co – 161st Ordnance Platoon 577th Quartermaster Battalion HQ & HQ detachment – 363rd Quartermaster Service Company (see note 3) – 3207th QM Service Co – 4144th QM Service Co 261st Medical Battalion (Amphibious), HQ & HQ Company – 3 Medical Companies (Amphibious) 449th Military Police Company 286th Joint Assault Signal Company 33rd Chemical Decontamination Company Units Attached to the 1st ESB 2nd Naval Beach Battalion 38th Engineer GS Regiment, HQ & H & S Company – 2nd Engineer GS Bns 467th Engineer Maintenance Company, 1st Platoon 440th Engineer Depot Company, 1st Platoon 1605th Engineer Map Section 1217th Engineer FF [fire fighting?] Platoon 1218th Engineer FF Platoon 62nd Quartermaster Battalion, HQ & HQ Detachment – 4061st Quartermaster Service Company – 4083rd QM Serv Co – 4088th QM Serv Co – 4090th QM Serv Co – 4092nd QM Serv Co – 4190th QM Serv Co 244th Quartermaster Battalion, HQ & HQ Detachment – 552nd QM Railhead Co – 3878th QM Gas Supply Co 308th QM Railhead Company (attached to the 306th QM Bn) 3877th QM Gas Supply Company (attached to the 306th Qm Bn) 4132nd QM Service Company (attached to the 577th QM Bn) 607th Qm Graves Registration Co, 4th Platoon (attached to the 577th QM Bn) 537th Quartermaster Battalion HQ & HQ Detachment – 3692nd QM Truck Co – 3683rd QM Truck Co – 3684th QM Truck Co – 4002nd QM Truck Co – 4041st QM Truck Co 815th Amphibious Truck Company 816th Amphibious Truck Company 817th Amphibious Truck Company (attached to the 24th Amph Trk Bn) 818th Amphibious Truck Company 3615th Ornance MAM Company (attached 191st Ord Bn) 23rd Ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad (attached 191st Ord Bn) 175th Sig Repair Company, Detachment 215th Sig Repair Company, Det 999th Sig Sv Company, Det 3111th Sig Sv Company, Det 165th Sig Photo Company, Det 1st Medical Company2nd Section Advance Medical Platoon 3rd Aux Surgical Group 301st MP Escort Guard Company 595th MP Escort Guard Company Company "D," 383rd MP Battalion 52nd Finance Dispursing Section Det 8th AF Intransit Depot Group 490th Port Battalion – 226th Port Company – 227th Port Co – 228th Port Co – 229th Port Co 518th Port Battalion – 278th Port Company – 281st Port Co – 298th Port Co – 299th Port Co – 300th Port Co – 301st Port Co 519th Port Battalion – 280th Port Company – 279th Port Co – 302nd Port Co – 303rd Port Co – 304th Port Co – 305th Port Co Notes: 1. After the Utah Beach Operations closed in the fall of 1944 these units were reorganized as Engineer Combat Group with three Engineer Combat Battalions. They joined the US 9th Army in the Netherlands. 2. This unit substituted for the 557th QM Railhead Company which lost the major part of its personnel by enemy action during Exercise Tiger, the rehearsal for the Normandy invasion. 3. This unit substituted for the 3206th QM Service Company which lost the major part of its personnel by enemy action during Exercise Tiger, the rehearsal for the Normandy invasion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted April 29, 2011 Thanks again Larry. This post is turning out to be a great source of information. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CombatGirl 1 Report post Posted April 30, 2011 Yes! As soon as I get word about the NARA records I will let you know. I did speak with a gentlemen about records from Eisenhower museum? And he did find some as well, They charge for reproductions so as soon as I get that $$ to him and they mail the copies I will let you all know. I've been so busy here, volunteering and working and everything It's been pretty hectic! Will keep in touch though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Walt's Daughter 974 Report post Posted December 26, 2013 Well had problems with one of the files I had posted a couple of years ago, however, look what I just ran across!!! William A Monroe - Oral History Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lilesburke 0 Report post Posted January 15, 2014 Hello, everyone. I am beginning my research on my grandfather, Claud Liles "C.L." Burke, who was a member of the 1289th Combat Engineers. He was from Cullman, AL and entered the Army in 1942. He was honorably discharged in December 1945 at Ft. McPherson, GA as a PFC. I know that he was involved in the Battle of the Bulge and Remagen, but very little else. I am open to any pointers or tips that anyone has. Many thanks. Liles Burke Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
