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6th ESB History On 17 January 1944 the 1116th Engineer Combat Group arrived in England, three days later on 20 January it was re-designated the 6th Engineer Special Brigade and immediately had additional units assigned to it. Heavy equipment was obtained and standard operating procedures perfected and training began. The 6th Engineer Special Brigade composition was described in their operation report. Colonel Paul Thompson whose task at the Assault Training Center had concluded took command of the Brigade. He obtained other officers from the Training Center and asked for and received Colonel Lucius Chase who on the 17th March became the Executive Officer of the Brigade. The Brigade consisted primarily of three Engineer Combat Battalions the 147th, 149th and the 203rd and they were reinforced by Quartermaster, Medical, Transportation, Signal, Chemical, Naval and M Ps to form three Beach Groups. Assigned and attached units were added up to time for the invasion. On the last day of January the Ist Army issued its planning directive for Operation Overlord/Neptune. This directive detailed target date and destination of the invasion of Europe and then the 6th Brigade started planning their phase and also further training. The three Engineer Battalions and most of supporting units had been training together or close to each other while still in the states unknowing that eventually they would all be a part of an amphibious brigade. The units all arrived in England at about the same time and were billeted around Torquay and Paignton and other towns in Southern England. After it was decided that three infantry divisions would be used in the inital assault one of the three Brigades was assigned to one of the infantry division. The I st Brigade was to support the 4th Division on Utah Beach while the 5th Brigade ould support the I st Division on the eastern half of aha Beach and the 6th Brigade was to support the 29th Division on the western end of Omaha Beach. A rather bland and deceptive statement in a 6th Brigade overview document stated that they were occupied with conducting basic, unit and beach training in southern England between 16 January and first part of June. What it did not even hint at is the frantic pace at which this was to be done. Colonel Thompson quickly saw the need for training the brigade and the biggest need was time and facilities. They had very little of either. As for time the calendar said they had three months but this was misleading as weeks were devoted to large unit invasion dress rehearsals and the time spent in embarkation camps prior to the actual invasion which only left a scant six week for actual training.The main problem was to provide realistic training for the DUKW and truck companys and units in unloading supplies and landing craft. They needed a lot more help from the Navy than they ever got and as some of the units had never received any amphibious training before joining the brigade each unit had to take additional training on their own as time and facilities did not allow the mounting of a brigade scale exercise and the brigade was only fully assembled for the first time at the start of Operation NEPTUNE. The brigade was issued paratroop type boots and new patches, the eagle,tommy gun and anchor of Combined Operations in gold on a blue background to be worn as a shoulder patch and the Engineers Amphibious oval sea horse patch to be worn on the breast pocket. During April and early May additional units were attached to the Brigade bringing the total of assigned and attached troops to a total of 9848 men and 1219 vehicles. Section 3 of the I st Army Operation Memo issued 13 February listed the mission and tasks for the 6th Brigade and its units and what was expected of them in the upcoming invasion. MISSIONS Brigade H Q Co. Battalion Beach Groups Quartermaster Companies Ordnance Platoon Quartermaster Gas Supply Co. Quartermaster Railhead Co. Quartermaster Service Battalion Quartermaster Truck Co. Quartermaster Amphibious DUKW Co. Ordnance Ammunition Co. Medical Battalion H Q Medical Companies Signal Company Military Police Company Medium Automotive Maintenance Co Chemical Decontamination Co. All other units of the Brigade had assigned duties both for the Brigade and their own Engineer Beach Group. The Brigades tasks include marking hazards to navigation and determine suitable landing points and report such to the Naval Beach battalion. The marking of landing lanes for arrival and departure of landing craft on their area of the beach. Maintain roads and exit routes both to and from the beach area. Unloading of supplies, removal of underwater obstacles and mines. Erect enclosure for prisoners of war, maintain communications with senior commanders both on shore and afloat along with security and all other areas needed for the operation of the beach and dumps. It was decided that the 147th and 149th Engineer Combat Battalions were to operate the beaches and do all road construction and maintenance within their assigned areas. The 203rd Engineer Combat Battalion would handle all other areas of the BMA. The Engineer Battalions were put into Beach Groups for inital landings and operation of their areas. Smaller units were split with a platoon being assigned to each Beach Group for inital landings. The first of the 6th Brigade troops landed at H + 5 minutes and landed on Easy Green beach. They were part of the 149 Engineer Battalion plus eight medical personnel. What they witnessed was beyond belief and numerous men were killed and wounded immediately on gaining the shore line. Due to the disruption of the landing plan, communications were of the upmost importance and the first element of the 293rd Signal Co were landed at H+45 minutes or 30 minutes before they were schedueled to land. Much of their equipment was lost in landing but they somehow set up communications for Brigade HQ and contacted the 116th RCT within 15 minutes after their landing. Brigade communications between their own elements became vital for the coordination of their operations. Ten signal detachments landed one early, eight late and only one on time. Three landed on the right beach with the other seven landing on wrong beaches. Proper communications were not set up till D+3 due to lost equipment and other disruptions. At H+70 minutes the brigade was supposed to have a beach traffic plan in operation as far south as Route B to keep traffic moving across and off the beach. But like all other missions of the day it became impossible to carry out due to heavy fire from the enemy's artillery and also due to the fact that if vehicles did make it to the beach they had nowhere to go as the beach was congested with the first waves not being able to penetrate inland. At 08 10 headquarters personnel of the 6th Brigade aboard LCIs 91 & 92 were heading for Dog White beach right on schedule. About five hundred yards from shore all hell broke loose and they came under accurate, observed artillery fire along with mortar fire from batteries positioned along the top of the cliffs at the back of the beaches which had been untouched by air and naval fire earlier and they became like all other previous waves in a fight for their lives. One hundred twenty German weapons emplacements and observation posts had been identified along the five miles of Omaha Beach and all had been untouched by re-invasion bombardments. All the Navy landing craft crews wanted to do was get in, touch down, unload and get the hell back out from the beach as fast as possible. LCI 91 radioed on the way in that they were among floating mines and many craft had hit them and sunk and there were many troops in the water. Colonel Chase was aboard LCI 92 which contained advance party of the Brigade and parts of the 147th Engineers. Their landing craft came in towards shore under heavy enemy fire when they were hit by an oil shell setting the craft afire and wounding and burned many of the men on board. Despite painful burns Col. Chase by his leadership and calmness immediately restored order and placed men in covered positions. Shortly thereafter the craft struck a mine putting both unloading ramps out of order. With the help of numerous men and Col. Chase a ladder was secured to the side of the craft and troops were led through the surf to the waters edge. Col. Chase was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for this action. Colonel Thompson the Brigade Commander landed shortly thereafter and was badly wounded leading a hastily improvised assault team against fortifications at the D 3 exit which the infantry had by passed earlier. A bullet had gone through his right shoulder and another had gone in one side of his jaw and out the other without hitting any bones or teeth on the way through. Col. Thompson received the DSC and Purple Heart and was evacuated later in the day. He was wounded While performing tasks that he had taught others at the Assault Training Center. At 1030 hours H+4 hours all personnel that had been landed up to that timejoined the infantry and started forcing their way up the hills off the beach. The Engineers were clearing paths through minefields trying to lead the way and the Quartermaster Platoon who were to operate the transit area had joined up with a company of Rangers. It was a slow process as some mine detectors had been left on the beach. Paths through minefields were marked with anything that could be found. Once the top of the cliffs were gained and the beach started clearing out boats with bulldozers landed and they started clearing away damaged and burned out vehicles to make room for combat vehicles to gain shore. As many troops landed on wrong beaches a information center was set up in a pillbox on the side of the hill leading from the beach so that people could find out where they were to go and how to get to their units. This was manned by BrigadeH Q people and proved very effective till things smoothed out a couple of days later. At 1130 hours the Brigade working with the Naval Beach Battalion evacuated the first of the wounded back to England. Also at this time it was reported by the Brigade Bomb Disposal Squad that all unexploded ordnance and booby traps had been disposed of or marked on the beach. As the first tide receded all available Brigade equipment and personnel began clearing debris and obstacles from the beach while the Engineers opened a access road across the beach and a road to E I exit thus relieving traffic congestion. At 1430 hours the Brigade was finally able to start their original missions. So far it had been a matter of personal survival and caring for the masses of wounded and helping the slowly developing tactical situation in which they had been involvedLCTs piled high with badly needed ammunition eventually got into Easy GreenBeach under heavy fire and were unloaded directly onto the beach just beyond the high water mark then to be loaded on whatever vehicles could be obtained and moved up the hill to the front lines. Six LCTs each carrying 200 tons of food and medical supplies were brought in late D Day and unloaded and reloaded with between two and four hundred casualties to be evacuated. On D+I 58 LCTs were to land with 2900 tons of supplies and 8 dumb barges each loaded with 1000 tons of supplies all were unloaded stacked on the beach then reloaded onto trucks and moved to front lines as no supply dumps had been started at this time. As D Day came to a close enemy firing lightened and all available troops were put to clearing the beach of dead bodies and debris then started forming a defense line on the right flank of the beach. The depth of the days advance could be sadly measured in yards in some areas and nothing over a mile deep at the most. At midnight General Hoge of the Provisional Group landed and assumed command of Omaha Beach and the 5th and 6th Brigades regained control of their assigned and attached units. Planning was made for D+1 at which time the Brigade would be fairly well at full strength ashore and all missions and tasks could be fully started Dump locations and signs to them were to be made. At dawn the 3205th QM platoon and the Rangers were still trying to take control of the fields to be usedfor the brigades transit area. They were finally cleared late that morning of all snipers and artillery observers but was still under artillery fire. Colonel Chase had assumed command of the brigade upon the evacuation of Col. Thompson and upon his shoulders fell the task of reorganizing the brigade and getting cargo movement going again.No cargo was to be brought in on D+1 and the day was spent in clearing beaches, opening Exit D3, opening access roads to the exits, assembly of equipment and sweeping fields directly inland of mines for establishing dumps. Colonel Chase was awarded a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster to the Legion of Merit he had been awarded while at the Assault Training Center. A radio network was set up to locate ships off shore for various needed supplies from time to time, operations of DUKW companies and hatch crews were organized for 24 hour duty. These innovations were to prove successful so that the 6th Brigade were able in the first 104 days of operation to move 547,966 tons of cargo across their beaches. On its best day 9,007 tons were moved across the beach easily surmounting the preinvasion target of daily tonnage. D+2 8 June shows that the 6th Brigade moved 10628 personnel across the beach and through the transit area along with 1830 vehicles and evacuated 241 casualties and 5 prisoner of war. Only 40 tons of supplies moved across Omaha Beach that day as the time was spent finishing the clearing of debris from the beach area and improving lanes for craft to land. Manifests of loaded cargo ships anchored off shore were gone over and the ones with needed ammo medical supplies and food supplies were picked out and craft sent out to locate them and move them to the front of the off shore cargo area. This had to be done by the Brigade and Brigade Group as the Navy was unable to provide any information at this time. After much confusion it was decided to just unload all ships present at this time as fast as possible and the mission was finally finished on D+9 D+2 saw all the brigades troops on shore and all missions and tasks started. The traffic and dump signs failed to be found ashore causing M Ps additional strife, trucks couldn't find where the dumps had been started. Additional aid stations were operating and the Engineers were opening more roads and improving and widening the ones in use to move traffic on and off the beach faster. By late afternoon all dumps were started and started to receive supplies that had been unloaded and stacked on the beach. Make shift signs were made and erected direction traffic to the dumps and things were starting to shape up and run more smoothly every hour. As more areas were cleared of mines more dumps were enlarged and others started. Each day saw more tonnage being brought ashore and more vehicles and people were coming in at all hours of day and night. All units were on at least a 12 to 16 hour day and usually more like 18 hour shifts trying to build up supplies. On D+13 all BMA dumps were in full operation and a central transfer point was set up by the brigade at the D 3 exit and was put under control of the 538th QM Battalion and put on 24 hour a day operation. It was ran by the 2nd platoon of the 3205th plus people from the 967th QM Co which had been attached to the 538th. On the afternoon of D+13 high winds started and increased during the night and at 0400 it became a howling storm. A barge full of badly needed artillery shells was beached and some of the 147th Engineers turned out to get it re-floated anchored and unloaded. That was the last of the unloading for 3 days so everyone was put to road maintenance. The storm wrecked a section of the Mulberry landing and caused some craft to wash ashore and on D + 16 the area once again at waters edge had to be cleared At the end of the storm the small ports of Isigny and Grandcamp, started operations to help catch up with the supply situation that ceased during the 3 day storm. On D+21 27 June the Provisional Group was disbanded and the 5th and 6th Brigades now operated independently under the control of the Omaha Beach Command which superseded the Provisional Group. On Monday 17 July the 6th Brigade held an interdenominational memorial service for members of the Brigade who were killed in action or listed as missing in action on D Day. All personnel not on needed duty attended and it was held at the cemetery started by the 6th Brigade on D, +3. By the end of July the Brigade reached its peak of manpower and rose from a 6 June strength of 326 Officers and 7495 Enlisted Men to 452 Officers and 10,920 Enlisted Men. The first week of August saw the Brigade move a record of 9,007 tons of cargo across their sector of the beach in a 24 hour period. Another 3 day storm in August curtailed unloading operations and bad weather now replaced German efforts as being the Brigades worst enemy. At the end of this second storm lighting systems were put into operation in increase nighttime operations. As bigger generators and more of them became available to the Brigade the lighting system was enlarged to include 3 new dumps plus the Transfer point and almost the entire operating area. The only problems were when poles were knocked down by trucks. During August the USO shows started landing and Dinah Shore came ashore and gave the first show at our transit area along with the Beachcombers, a band made up of people of the Brigade who also gave concerts in the evenings and then we started getting movies twice a week. Also August saw the operations of the beach slacken and units started departing for other areas. Beach operations had originally been scheduled to cease in September but due to lack of ports being ready to operate it was decided to continue operations till last of December. The 149th Engineers were assigned to keeping roads open and maintained, which left the 147th and 203rd Engineers and the 538th QM Bn to operate the beach. Each Engineer Battalion was assigned half of Omaha Beach to operate and the 538th took control of the airstrip and transfer points and transit area. The transit area was later closed in the 6th brigade sector and all three companies of the 538th were put to help the Engineers. P 0 Ws were put into companies and used for road work and each unit was held responsible for the guarding of the companies during the day. In early October the Brigade held a formal formation with the 147th parading in review of Lt. Gen Lee who awarded medals to numerous men for heroism on D Day. On October 18 a dance was held with English and Canadian nurses attending. Music was by the 5th General Hospital Band. The next morning early another rain storm hit the area and late the next day all roads were axle deep in mud. The 6th Brigade took over some of the 5th Brigades unloading duties and a General Engineer Regiment and 2 Port Companies joined the brigade to take over duties letting the 2 Engineer Battalions to join the 149th in road maintenance to keep supplies moving off the beaches. On 29 October the present commander of the Brigade Colonel Mulligan was ordered to the states and relinquished command of the 6th Brigade to Lt. Col. Mottorn. who had been C 0 of the 149th Engineer Battalion since D Day. Still the rains came and the battle of mud became more critical each day. On 30 October the 5th Brigade replaced the 6th Brigade and the entire 6th Brigade was put to road maintenance working POWs. Thus the 6th Brigade moved off the beaches they had gained with their blood and sweat on 6 June. On Memorial Day numerous units of the 6th Brigade took part in ceremonies at cemeteries and the 147th Engineers dedicated their battalion monument in the courtyard of Chateau Englesqueville. Later that month the 6th Engineer Special Brigade dedicated their monument on the face of the cliffs overlooking Omaha Beach. It was the first monuments of W W 2 to be erected and dedicated Finally as other units departed the supply situation had improved to where the beaches were no longer necessary and on 15 November 1944 Omaha Beach was closed bringing to an end the unparalleled amphibious operation of supplying a large army in a major operation over open beachheads. All other units were transferred to other areas of operation and on 10 December Brigade command officers were transferred to the Ist Brigade for returning to the states and event - usually to the Pacific area. The 6th Brigade H Q now consisted of 8 Officers and 24 Enlisted Men and moved to Barneville and the 3 Engineer Battalions were turned to defense troops along the coast. On December 23rd the 3 Engineer Battalions and the 538th Quartermaster Battalion moved inland to other operations. The Brigade HQ moved to eastern France to control operations of coal mines and general construction till they returned to the states in July 1945 and on the 20th of October 1945 the 6th Engineer Special Brigade was inactivated.
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Omaha Beach at about Noon on D Day View from a small boat off shore. In the right foreground is the LCI 93 which was run aground and damaged in front of the Brigade Command Post. On the left can be seen the beach obstacles which the Germans placed to defend the beach against landing craft "Down Ramp” CHAPTER X (Continued) THE INVASION OF NORMANDY THE SIXTH BRIGADE ON OMAHA BEACH THE 6th Brigade was formed much as the 5th Brigade and was originally attached to it. On May 7, 1944, the First U. S. Army relieved the 6th Brigade from the 5th and placed it under the Pro-visional Engineer Special Brigade Group. During the early part of the Planning Phase it was realized that the 5th and 6th Brigades could not carry out all the missions assigned them. As a consequence, the 11th Port Group with a final strength of over 8,600 officers and men was attached to the ESB Group. This did not prove very satisfactory, though, because the Port troops had been trained in the operation of ports and not in unloading over beaches, a much different and more difficult job. From its arrival in the United Kingdom on January 20 the 6th Brigade was kept busy training at Torquay and Paignton. After several small exercises, the brigade participated in both Exercise Fox and Exercise FABIUS which was the dress rehearsal for the invasion of Normandy. The 6th Brigade's experience on D-Day wits similar to that of the 5th Brigade al ready described.* The 6th Brigade lost its commander on the way in to the beach on D-Day when Colonel Thompson was seriously wounded and evacuated. Colonel Mulligan took his place. GROUP COMMAND LANDS The Command Party of the Provisional Brigade Group left the USS Ancon in an LCVP about 1400 on DDay Grounding .100 yards offshore, the party disembarked in waistdeep water and proceeded to shore under fire. The party then set up its command post at a concrete pillbox which had been the command post of the Ist U. S. Division. It remained there for six days when the command post ,vas moved to St. Laurent. When darkness fell on D-Day, the infantry, artillery, and tanks had not reached any of their objectives. The beaches were so crowded that engineer troops had to stop their work at midnight. At 2400 General Hoge took over responsibility for OMAHA beach. German documents captured later revealed that at 1655 on D-Day General Von Rundstedt transmitted to the German troops Hitler's orders to liquidate the beachhead by evening. However, the night passed without attack other than a few planes whose bombs did no damage. Although D-Day operations were thus far behind schedule for the amphibian engineers due to the enemy opposition, early on D+1 operations began to improve and from then on the work hummed except during the unprecedented storm of D+13 to D+16. From D-Day to D+100, over 1,000,000 tons of supplies, 100,000 vehicles (from the lowly but powerful jeep to the massive 32 ton tanks), and 600,000 men had poured over OMAHA beach. During the same period the amphibians outloaded some 24,000 prisoners of war and 43,000 casualties. Truly a wonderful accomplishment LATER OPERATIONS OF THE 6TH ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE The 6th Brigade continued to operate OMAHA beach throughout the summer and fall of 1944, unloading cargo and troops, operating dumps improving roads, and performing other miscellaneous missions until the beach was closed in late October 1944, |
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