Altogether, logistical problems, weather, and Japanese attacks slowed work on the Leyte airfields. Both on the attack and on the defense, engineers led the way. In addition to problems such as equipment shortages, long hours and difficult work, aviation engineer leaders were concerned with the long-term presence of blacks in England. A look back at black aviation engineer units of World War II The initial landings in the Marianas took place on the island of Saipan on 15 June 1944, nine days after the Normandy invasion of France in Europe. Combat engineers played important roles in numerous World War II battles, especially breaching the heavily fortified Siegfried Line protecting the German border and numerous defensive lines established by the Wehrmacht in Italy, including the Gustav Line. 6 (September 1991): 88. By this time the aviation engineer units were spread all the way across the theater, usually working as small detachments rather than as battalions to complete tactical bases in Tunisia and to enlarge airdromes in the Tellergma area for the heavies. The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Bill Beigel Researches Michigan WWII Casualties, MIAs, and POWs, Hometown Heroes Fresno Unveils New Veterans Memorial, Wee Willie and the photo that started it all, Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy, Tomas Garzas Daughter Now I Dont Feel Empty, Fresno Marine Dies in Action in Pacific War Fresno Bee, Oct 21, 1944, Fresno Officer Dies in Action on German Front, Fresno Bee, April 3, 1945, The Pheley Brothers of Fresno, California, Fresno Soldier is Killed in French Fighting, Fresno Bee, September 26,1944, Bills WW2 Almanac for January 21: Featuring Col. Randys Flying Circus, Remembering the Fallen: WWII Veterans of UCLA, Major Robert C. Maze. Reviewing the US militarys experience constructing, maintaining, and operating aircraft from advance expeditionary airfields in the Pacific Theater in World War II highlights several factors that shaped the role of these airfields in operations. Unfortunately, the bodies were strewn about a German mine field. 2nd Engineer Battalion (United States) - Wikipedia Prohibited Items: The P-47s of the 19th and 73rd Fighter Squadrons immediately took over the air defense of Saipan from Navy carriers, freeing them for other missions. 5W^'qO{8am(xQff5cm1jQf5cyc<4yi=ii[McwW?^}s}sY{~{)?k`N7W|w/G~Z9jwaDl#1R0*U7V#mn=q *s|W=qtvsm 0+n4rA7.LRk3$UrbAGX^U"W!wdbn] D!hrXVX-@t@[je*jZh ZhdG|9@BY&gOcA3Q9>0|Am94Xk&bu!hUj~dggAx`#~b=!dAxMD'E4+-B`9LK"(lO6P'" &@j & `5DM`5VoHNE@D|raO M On the morning of 20 June, Army and Marine troops finished seizing the Japanese airfield at Aslito on Saipan. In September 1941, the Army held a series of large exercises, later known as the Louisiana Maneuvers. However, canceling these operations meant the Leyte invasion force would have to rely on carrier-based aircraft until airfields ashore could be established. 12 Hugh Casey, Engineers of the Southwest Pacific, 19411945, vol. These initial operations would have established airfields in Southern Mindanao, Yap in the western Caroline Islands, and the Talaud Islands between Celebes and Mindanao. During World War II, many African-Americans served in engineer general service regiments within a segregated Army. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. On 23 September 1945, 2nd Engineer Battalion was redeployed to Nagasaki, Japan to begin its duty with the Occupational Force. My grand uncle, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Woolfolk attended UCLA and I believe he graduated in 1936. Furthermore, the American aircraft devoted to air defense and air superiority missions reduced the Army Air Forces ability to prevent Japanese convoys from bringing troops to Leyte, which prolonged the ground campaign on Leyte.31. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. Crossing the Rhine at Remagen | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans The operations over the Marianas highlighted the need for close interservice cooperation as Army Air Force fighters relieved Navy carriers and then used Navy strike planes as forward air controllers. While one report of his death disclosed that he was killed by a concussion, the AAR for his unit provided far more detail. They had been loaded assuming that early airfield construction was not a top priority given the reduced Japanese air threat in the Caroline Islands. Accordingly, the Army Corps of Engineers in June 1940 formed the first dedicated aviation engineer unit, the 21st Engineer Regiment (Aviation). It wasn't until Operation Torch in November 1942, however, that an aviation engineer command was east established at numbered Air Force . Clearing this congestion took time and delayed unloading the heavy construction equipment needed for work on the airfield. The mission of World War II combat engineers (known as sappers or pioneers in other armies) was three-fold: mobility operations; countermobility operations; and, when necessary, to fight as infantrymen. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This factor continued to shape operations in the coming months. Ultimately the assault on the Lae-Salamaua supported by Allied aircraft flying from the advance airfields at Tsili Tsili and Nadzab area drove the Japanese from northeast New Guinea. Her (and Roberts') son Robert Maze Jr is alive and well. 28 342-FH-3A30531-A55475AC, Record Group 342, Records of US Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, National Archives and Records Administration. The battalions relied heavily on enlisted personnel with construction or engineering backgrounds and were equipped with more than 140 vehicles and over 200 pieces of construction equipment each. Finally, in-person surveys of potential airfield sites proved invaluable. Despite these challenges, the squadrons maintained high levels of readiness. 10 Wesley Craven and James Cate, eds., The Army Air Forces in World War II, vol. By the late 1930s, the speed and performance of military aircraft had dramatically increased compared to the aircraft used in World War I. For example, by the end of January, 1945, the 47th Infantry Regiment (which fought in France and Germany) had lost well over 100% of their strength to battle casualties, where men were either killed, wounded, missing, or taken asprisoner of war. by HistoryNet Staff 6/12/2006 In November 1943 life for the 209th Engineer Combat Battalion was posh by Army standards. Notice:Visitors may be filmed, photographed or recorded by the U.S. Air Force for educational and promotional uses, including for posting on public websites and social media. The 2nd Engineer Battalion is an engineer battalion in the United States Army which can trace its lineage back to 1861. Total War: WARHAMMER III - Update 2.4.0 - Total War Due to the combination of their personnel expertise and equipment, the battalions proved well-suited to the expeditionary warfare the United States waged in World War II. Although the US Navy defeated the Japanese, the battle diverted the focus of carrier-based aircraft providing air defense over Leyte. 31 Craven and Cate, Army Air Forces in World War II, 5:375. This is written up the in the book "Bloody Skies: U.S. Eighth Air Force Battle Damage in World War II." Deactivated c. 14 Feb 46. They had been loaded assuming that early airfield construction was not a top priority given the reduced Japanese air threat in the Caroline Islands. Of the 48 battalions organized during World War II, only seven were in Europe when the war ended there in May 1945. Sometimes prefabricated steel mats, called Marston mats, were laid down to create a runway more durable than a grass strip. The P-47s of the two fighter squadrons began arriving on 22 June, a week after the initial landings, and flew their first mission that day. After training there, at Camp. Airfields in these locations would have allowed land-based fighters to cover the invasion of Leyte. The in-person reconnaissance of the area helped the engineering work progress rapidly. Combat engineers also played roles in several unconventional operations, including the securing of elements of the German nuclear weapons program in Operation Big[3] and recovery of stolen art and treasure subsequently returned to its original owners by the Monuments Men.[3]. Among the most familiar for their heroism and contributions to establishing key bridgeheads in Europe was at the Ludendorff Bridge at the Battle of Remagen. The 21st Engineers gained experience in an unlikely place: Louisiana. Hi! For more permanent airfields, the most common construction material was asphalt, then called bitumen. 15, 39, Document 00467751, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL. Ravenscroft, Estill P., Jr. That honor went to the 805th, formed in the Panama Canal Zone in June of 1941. endstream endobj 3831 0 obj <>stream German resistance was weak and disorganized. i* machine guns, bazookas and grenade launchers.[2]. During 1941, the 20th Engineer Regiment grew to its full strength of a regimental headquarters and two combat engineer battalions of 4 combat engineer companies each, with a total of 1450 men. The 73rd Fighter Squadron regularly maintained 30 P-47s as operational out of 37 planes assigned. Individuals are permitted to take their own photographs or videos while touring the museum. They were preparing to assault Japanese positions at Lae and Salamaua on the east coast of New Guinea. Engineers of the U.S. Army in World War II. The quick work of the Seabees and an aviation engineer battalion brought land-based fighters into action in short order, which aided ground operations. - Camera bags 4 Stuart Godfrey, Engineers with the Army Air Forces, The Military Engineer 33, no. In addition, kamikaze attacks on the Navys escort carriers forced dozens of Navy planes to make emergency landings at Tacloban. Randall Col Randy is actually my great grandfather and I was wandering if you ever new him? 11 Philip Crowl, Campaign in the Marianas (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2011), 5. The initial landings south of Tacloban were hindered by shallow water that snagged several landing craft. How a Japanese American Regiment Rescued WWII's 'Lost Battalion' - History WW II History of the 1340 Engineer Combat Battalion - (playback 29 342-FH-3A30120-68258AC, Record Group 342, Records of US Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, National Archives and Records Administration. Greetings! This included Tinian and Guam in preparations for landings on both of those islands in July. As a result, the invasion of Leyte, scheduled for 20 December 1944, was moved up to 20 October, and several preliminary operations were canceled. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Captain Oliver was, in fact, killed by a concussion, but the actual cause of his injury was that he that he stepped on one of the mines. With a secondary mission of fighting as infantry when required, they were armed with .30 cal. On the morning of 20 June, Army and Marine troops finished seizing the Japanese airfield at Aslito on Saipan. Prior to the start of World War II, the 1st Engineer Regiment was reorganized as the "1st Engineer Combat Battalion" and again assigned to fight as part of the 1st Infantry Division. *hU@TQDTx' 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion It was poured on top of a gravel layer, though sometimes gravel alone was used when engineers were pressed for time. It would also be less affected by rain, a common occurrence in the South Pacific. 35th Engineer Battalion History :: FORT LEONARD WOOD Activated c. 20 Jan 44 at Dale Mabry Field, FL. The only thing we know about my grandfather is that his name was James Lee Wilson, and disappeared during the war. Ultimately the assault on the Lae-Salamaua supported by Allied aircraft flying from the advance airfields at Tsili Tsili and Nadzab area drove the Japanese from northeast New Guinea.16, Figure 4: C-47 Being Unloaded at Nadzab Airstrip, Six Days After the Paratroop Landing17. To support the landings, the Allies needed to establish an airfield close to Lae and Salamaua to provide fighter cover for ground operations. The reduced emphasis on Leytes air defense during the battle allowed Japanese airstrikes to get through, which slowed construction work. This emphasis on lighter equipment later caused issues in airfield engineer operations in the Pacific.8. It would also be less affected by rain, a common occurrence in the South Pacific. While the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway checked Japan, the Allied counteroffensive began in earnest in August 1942 when US Marines landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. He was sent by train at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he joined the 91st Engineer Battalion, a unit comprised of 1,193 Black enlisted soldiers and 25 White officers. Regards, Nick Veronico. 20 342-FH-3A38675-A63748AC, Record Group 342, Records of US Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, National Archives and Records Administration. Even before the United States formally entered World War II, American engineers gained experience constructing expeditionary airfields. Korean War: Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953. 193 (November 1941): 495. - Firearms* Asphalt runways could support heavier aircraft, were easily repaired, and took less time to construct than traditional concrete runways. This included Tinian and Guam in preparations for landings on both of those islands in July. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. While the engineers had carved out an operational fighter strip in less than a month, they found that airmobile construction equipment was less capable than their normal bulldozers, tractors, and graders. - Coolers The landings on Guam occurred on 21 July, and in the following days, the fighters provided support for ground forces advancing across the island. . Mel Brooks Was a Combat Engineer in World War II : No. 8 Hugh Casey, Engineers of the Southwest Pacific, 19411945, vol. The quick work of the Seabees and an aviation engineer battalion brought land-based fighters into action in short order, which aided ground operations.19, Figure 6: P-47 from 318th Fighter Group Taking Off from USS Manila Bay off Saipan, 23 June 1944 (Figure 3)20, The P-47s of the 19th and 73rd Fighter Squadrons immediately took over the air defense of Saipan from Navy carriers, freeing them for other missions. Furthermore, the acceleration of the Leyte landings meant that some transports with airfield construction material had to sail for Leyte while still bulk loaded. . Between December 1941 and December 1942, the number of battalions jumped from 12 to 51, and three-fourths of them were already overseas. These factors inform and prepare for future conflict in an era of great power competition. 19 Dod, The War Against Japan, 498; Bureau of Yards and Docks, Building the Navys Bases in World War II: History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps, 19401946, vol. The battalions relied heavily on enlisted personnel with construction or engineering backgrounds and were equipped with more than 140 vehicles and over 200 pieces of construction equipment each. These are sorted by the different branches they fell under. Leyte-based aircraft supported the December landings on Mindoro just south of Luzon and the January 1945 invasion of Luzon itself. Heavy rain also slowed work on the airfield, as did the Japanese naval counterattack that led to the Battle of Leyte Gulf from 2326 October 1944. Behind the 81st was the 168th Engineer Combat Battalion (ECB), a corps unit, which had been operating sawmills and quarries. Elements of the XXIV Corps were already at sea for the planned Yap landings. P-38 fighters from the 85th Fighter Wing flew into Tacloban from Morotai, the nearest airfield, on 27 October and began operations. By the late 1930s, the speed and performance of military aircraft had dramatically increased compared to the aircraft used in World War I. The battalion began as one of the many units organized to bolster the United States Army in the months following the nation's entry into World War II. In New Guinea, Army engineers found that breaking down standard, heavy construction equipment into C-47 transport-sized loads was preferable to using lighter construction equipment that was less capable and required more maintenance in the field. During World War II, Army engineers placed floating and later fixed bridges across the rivers of Italy, France, and Germany, supporting hotly contested crossings of the Rapido, Roer, and Rhine rivers. Japanese aircraft based at Wewak were sure to contest the attack on Lae and Salamaua. A recent biography of Captain Jerry Yellin has illuminated Yellins experience flying P-51 fighters from Iwo Jima less than three weeks after US Marines invaded that island.3 Examining the US Army Air Forces prewar preparations for expeditionary airfields and wartime operations highlights the challenges and solutions adopted to provide airpower from advanced locations in the Pacific in World War II. Airfields in these locations would have allowed land-based fighters to cover the invasion of Leyte. All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. 105: Engineers Played an Important Role in Europe During the Cold War : No. Jerry D. Morelock, PhD, Armchair General Editor in Chief. These problems were exacerbated by events that followed the invasion of Leyte on 20 October 1944. Such surveys or reconnaissance missions helped identify problems that would complicate airfield construction efforts. 25 Casey, Engineers of the Southwest Pacific, 6:28399. In early September, US Army paratroopers seized the Nadzab airfield northwest of Lae to cut off the Japanese escape route to the northwest. In the evening of July 8, 1943, a group of transports and supporting warships was steaming eastward along the Tunisian coastline toward the next joint British-American operation of World War 11. 102: U.S. Army Engineers Helped Assure Victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781 : No. Allied victory depended on seizing lightly defended enemy territory and neutralizing enemy strongpoints from Australia to the Philippines through the following patrem: conduct air and naval bombardment, land the assault forces, defeat any Japanese units in the area, and construct airfields and base facilities. Thank you for your efforts here. It was the only unit of its kind to serve in the Pacific war against Japan. In October 1939, the 1st Engineer . He was on the waterpolo team. 7 Godfrey, Engineers with the Army Air Forces, 488-490. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters > About > History > Brief [4][5], A World War II era combat engineer battalion possessed both combat and combat support capabilities. Contents 1 Germany 2 Italy 3 Romania 4 Hungary 5 Japan 6 Soviet Union 7 United States 8 Great Britain 9 France 10 France 1939-40/Free france 11 Vichy France 12 Canada List of Luftwaffe Units An example of the closer look we can get from Unit Records is the case of Captain George Oliver. [1], Best known for pontoon bridge construction and clearing hazards in amphibious landings, their duties also included serving as sappers deploying and deactivating explosive charges and unexploded munitions, mapmaking, camouflage, and a wide variety of construction services supporting frontline troops. Railroaders in Olive Drab: The Military Railway Service in WWII Engineer Petroleum Distribution Companies, African American Engineer Aviation Battalions (National Museum of the USAF), Engineer Aviation Battalions in China-Burma-India (National Museum of the United States Air Force), United States Army in World War II, Special Studies, The Employment of Negro Troops, Center of Military History, U.S. Army Center of Military History (27th Engineer Battalion), 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne) "Tiger Battalion", Photo album of T/Sgt Edgar B. Harrison courtesy of his daughter, Mary Rodman, U.S. Army Center of Military History (76th Engineer Company), U.S. Army Center of Military History (77th Engineer Company), U.S. Army Center of Military History (515th Engineer Company), U.S. Army Center of Military History (380th Engineer Company), U.S. Army Center of Military History (103d Engineer Company), U.S. Army Center of Military History (336th Engineer Company), U.S. Army Center of Military History (333d Engineer Company), 789th Engineer Petroleum Distribution Co. - Unit History - CBI Theater of World War II, U.S. Army Center of Military History (304th Engineer Company), U.S. Army Center of Military History (156th Engineer Detachment), U.S. Army Center of Military History (475th Engineer Detachment), U.S. Army Center of Military History (132nd Engineer Detachment), U.S. Army Center of Military History (94th Engineer Detachment), U.S. Army Center of Military History (46th Engineer Detachment), U.S. Army Center of Military History (953d Engineer Detachment). Are you still working on this blog? In early December 1941, Japanese forces launched a series of offensives across the Pacific, striking Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Malaya. Meritorious Unit Commendation:1 Dec 44-1 Mar 45, GO 63, Hq SOS IBT, dtd 1 Apr 45; 1 Jul 51-13 Feb 53, DA GO 31-55 (700 Engineer Pipeline Co), Activated c. 20 Jan 1944 at Dale Mabry Field, FL. Ultimately, by early January, sufficient aircraft were based in Leyte to gain air superiority over the central and southern Philippines. Bulk loading maximized the space available in a transport ship, but for invasions, combat loading was preferred since the equipment was loaded in the order it would be needed for the landings. Interesting.very hard to know the 'who hit who'..Fort had enough flying time to be a instructor, I know nothing about the other pilot. h0[9wBI!nDb\3x The day after the paratroopers landed, the 871st Engineer Aviation Battalion and Australian engineers flew into Nadzab and began improving the airfield. Rosemarie is my mother in law. The 700 engineer battalions mobilized during the war repeatedly proved to be vital components to Allied victory on all fronts. The in-person reconnaissance of the area helped the engineering work progress rapidly. Second, prewar preparations such as learning from the British experience in Europe and creating the initial engineer aviation battalions paid substantial dividends in the war in the Pacific. The airfield at Tsili Tsili supported subsequent operations during the assault on Lae. 2 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1947), 33940; Army Air Forces in the Marianas Campaign, Operation Forager, pp. Two areas were priority targets for their airfields: Tacloban in the north and several airstrips to the west of Dulag, though these proved to be in worse condition than Tacloban. 26 Wesley Craven and James Cate, eds., The Army Air Forces in World War II, vol. "We don't . The stage was now set for the battle under the new Union commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. The initial landings south of Tacloban were hindered by shallow water that snagged several landing craft. Lineage Organized 31 December 1861 in the Regular Army at Washington, D.C., from new and existing companies of engineers as a provisional engineer battalion (constituted 28 July 1866 as the Battalion of Engineers) This technique foreshadowed the more widely known use of Piper Cub spotting aircraft in the Vietnam War to mark targets for strike aircraft. P-38 fighters from the 85th Fighter Wing flew into Tacloban from Morotai, the nearest airfield, on 27 October and began operations.30 However, the poorer terrain around Dulag meant that those airfields did not become operational until 19 November, almost a month after the invasion. Engineer aviation units in the Southwest Pacific Theater during World A look back at black aviation engineer units of World War II For example, during World War II, the Allied counteroffensive against Japan required aircraft to operate ever further from established bases in Australia and Hawaii. Typical of the role the engineers played was an attack that "C" Company participated in on New Britain in 1944. . During World War II, the engineers of 18th Marines participated in Campaigns on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa. U.S. Army Combat Engineers, 1941-45 - HistoryNet In recent years the US military has become increasingly interested in operating aircraft from austere, expeditionary airfields due to concerns about competitors abilities to threaten established airfields.1 Expeditionary airfields have also been used in supporting operations against terrorist organizations around the world.2 While the growing interest in creating, maintaining, and operating from such airfields is recent, the US military has an established history of constructing and using such airfields. On 15th of March, 1955, all units of the 176th and 386th were redesignated as HHC, Company A, B, C, D, and E of the 386th Combat Engineer Battalion, located at Bryan, Lufkin, Brenham, Pasadena, Nacogdoches and Victoria Texas. On March 3, 1945, Hodges directed his III Corps, with Maj. Gen. John Leonard's 9th Armored Division acting as spearhead, to drive down the valley leading toward Remagen from the west. Vietnam: Defense; Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase VII; Consolidation I; Consolidation II, Constituted 27 July 1945 in the Army of the United States as the 3953d Engineer Maintenance Detachment, Redesignated 24 November 1967 as the 953d Engineer Detachment and allotted to the Army Reserve, Activated 31 January 1968 at Bismarck, North Dakota, Location changed 15 March 1972 to New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Inactivated 16 July 1980 at New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Activated 17 September 2003 at Annville, Pennsylvania, Inactivated 15 September 2006 at Annville, Pennsylvania, Activated 16 September 2010 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. In addition to flying missions over Saipan, the P-47s attacked targets on other islands in the Marianas. Elements of the XXIV Corps were already at sea for the planned Yap landings. A Navy TBF Avenger would lead the P-47s toward the target and then mark the target with a machine gun burst or rocket while describing the target over the radio. Engineer Regiments . Countermobility operations blocked or impeded enemy advances and included actions such as laying minefields, constructing fortifications for defending troops, or blowing bridges to stop enemy attacks. These included, but were not limited to:[2][6]. and .50 cal. It was poured on top of a gravel layer, though sometimes gravel alone was used when engineers were pressed for time. 6 Dwight Johns, Maneuvers Notes of Aviation Engineers, The Military Engineer 33, no. Aviation Engineers in World War II Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. 1 The views presented in this article are those of the author alone and do not represent the position of the US Government, the Department of Defense, or the US Air Force. Since July 3, 1863, there have been many calls for Confederate flags to be returned to their home states, and in particular, for the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment flag return to Virginia. At first, responsibility for constructing heavy duty airfields remained with the Corps of Engineers, but by mid-1941, the mission of the aviation engineers expanded beyond runway repair and light runway construction. As a result, critical construction materials were buried below other supplies and took time to extract. In addition to infantry small arms, World War II combat engineers employed a range of weapons and specialized equipment to accomplish their mobility and countermobility missions. In the Pacific Theater, the U.S. Army's 42nd Combat Engineers took part in the hard-fought high casualty Battle of Attu Aleutian Islands (1943) and the Battle of Manila, Luzon Philippines (1945), earning 2 Battle Stars. 18 Philip Crowl, Campaign in the Marianas (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2011), 25. . The Army Air Corps recognized that these performance improvements would require airfields to handle these faster, heavier planes. Here they encountered weaker than expected Japanese aerial resistance. WW2 Army Unit Records Research | WW2 Research He and six others perished while three were able bail out and became POWs. The 35th Engineer Battalion traces its history to the 35th Engineer Combat Regiment, a unit that was first activated on 15 July 1941 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.