New - dad was 280th Engineer

[Walt's Daughter]

March 22, 1945

XII Corps made the first assault crossing of the Rhine in the Third Army area at Nierstein, starting at 2200 hours. More than 200 assault boats operated by the 204th and 249th Engineer Combat Battalions shuttled the troops across, and by dawn a substantial part of the 5th Infantry Division had crossed. The 87th and 88th Engineer Heavy Ponton Battalions constructed and began operating heavy ponton rafts by 0930 hours. Approximately 65 tanks and tank destroyers, plus hundreds of other vehicles, were ferried across during the day. DUKWs from the 453d Amphibious Truck Company made 220 trips with ammunition, rations, and gasoline.

 

March 23 —

In the Oppenheim area, Third Army, the 87th and 88th Engineer Heavy Ponton Battalions, and the 249th Engineer Combat Battalion constructed a 1,280-foot, Class-24 heavy ponton bridge in 13 hours.