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This story was taken directly
from VI Corps with the permission of Marion J. Chard.
While posting info regarding this site and promoting the
36th Combat Engineers Reunion this fall, I saw a reply to
John Fallon's (36th) posting of the Reunion on one of the
many forums that I visit, and decided to write to the
gentleman. His reply spoke of Company B, 48th Combat
Engineers, rendezvousing with John's Company. John was
originally sent on the mission to go South as far as
possible (from Anzio) to determine if the German's had
pulled out. They had not! This is where John (and several
others were wounded) and were sent back. (John received his
first Purple Heart here and you can read his story elsewhere
on our pages). So the 36th sent another group the very next
day led by Ben Souza and he was the one who met up with
Alfred and his company.
I am including his personal memoirs below of this encounter,
along with other correspondence between he and I and other
photos from the war and a 48th Combat Engineer's reunion.
Note: The 48th Combat Engineers spent 100 days in the line
as infantry.
07-25-2004 (This was the first email I received.)
Yes I remember the 540 Engineers. WE worked with them in
Italy II Corps & V1 Corps later. I just placed your web
site in My Favorites and will visit it tonight. I love
to pass on what I know about the war, especially to the
offsprings that are eager to learn. Thanks
...Alfred Kincer
07-25-2004 (This was the second email that day.)
I suppose I am a little eager to share my knowledge with
you. The Red Bull Division was the 34 Division. A
National guard unit out of Iowa primarily. They were in
Italy too. The 36 Division, Texas, is the T Arrowhead.
Include the 19 Engineer. Regiment in our Italian group
of engineers. If your Dad had the CIB, primary, he must
have served at some time in an Infantry unit. WE the 48
Engineers served more that 100 days as infantry, the
Army would not issue the award to us. When WE were all
in Italy WE were in II Corps. In France WE were in VI
Corps, 7th Army. More to come. ...Alfred
07-26-2004 (This is in response to the 3 volume
history he was telling me about called, Engineer's 5th Army.
He has been so kind as to send me pages from that history
that recall the 540th. I will be placing these on the site
in the near future.)
Try the address I gave you in original message. Perhaps
I can find web site for Engineer Center. Do you live
near central Missouri. If you can go there and visit
historical department. A little about me. I retired from
Army in 1962, I was Lt/Col Deputy G4 Ft. Leonard Wood. I
am now 85, spent yesterday on golf course. I had a
platoon in Co. B 48 Engineers then commanded it from
April 44 to end of war. I will send you write up of the
meeting at Anzio by my company and Co. B 36 Engineers.
That is where John Fallon and I almost met. ...Alfred
Excerpt from 07-28-2004
...I
will send you a composite of all the ribbons won by the
48th. WE had one Medal of Honor, Sgt. Joe Specker, KIA. WE
had about 200 purple hearts, over 30 KIA's. The Corps of
Engineers had only one Medal of Honor.
I know the other engineer units had some rough
assignments but WE were the engineers that were in daily
support of the infantry divisions. WE never slept
outside, maybe next to, our foxholes from 15 November
1943 to 20 March 1944. The 235 engineers, our sister
Battalion. had 9 men killed with one shell.
...Alfred
07-30-2004
Marion...The attached is recap of the meeting between
Co. B 48 Engineers and Co. B 36 Engineers at Borgo
Grappa, 27 May 1944. "The Joining of 5th Army and Anzio
Forces". It was all engineer. Lt. John Fallon was
probably on Sousa's flank with the same objective.
Fifth Army, Anzio Forces Meeting, 25 May 1944, Company
B, 48th Engineers - Alfred Kincer
Marion's note 11-19-04: Al has found a photo of this
great meeting and I have placed it below this letter.
This is quite a find!
Friends...Here is picture of Co. B 48 Engineers at Anzio
link up. WE met at Borgo Grappa. Gen. Clark shaking
hands with Lt. Buckley. Pancho Savala with back to
camera, Capt. Sousa just past Buckley with his Staff
Sergeant. The Jeep in the picture is mine, "Betty" by
name.
08-01-2004
The Bridge at Woerth
Perhaps this story is not worth telling, but it is
worth remembering, at least I think it was one of the
incidents that could have changed a lot of lives yet at
the time WE passed it off as an amusing interlude.
WE were just entering the "flats" of the Rhine river
when I was given the task of building another bridge. A
small farming town with the small stream located just in
the outskirts. The people live in the towns and walk to
their farming plots each day. WE found out quickly that
the town was safe but the farm lands were still occupied
by the Jerries. I decided that perhaps the
reconnaissance party should withdraw until the Infantry
troops had cleared out a safer area in which WE could
work. I selected a house in the middle of the town that
appeared to be vacant. As we entered there was a lot of
scurrying around in a back room and an old man came out
with his hands held high. He said nothing for he did not
know whether we were Americans or Germans. I told him we
meant no harm that we just wanted to get out of the mist
for a few hours. He said that the Jerries had left about
an hour ago. We broke out the coffee and soon became
good friends, it was the first real coffee they had seen
in three years. His wife, mother and three kids soon
joined us. As we bided our time by attempting to talk
with them we kept hearing strange noises from a nook
behind the huge fire place. The noise maker was unseen
but at each out burst the elders would say something
that sounded like "shush, nix fartsen". After several of
these incidents an old senile woman came flying out and
beat a hasty retreat to what was probably the out house.
At that time I finally figured out what "fartsen" must
mean in English. We left about mid-night after deciding
that we could not get to the bridge site that night.
About dawn the next morning I returned to find out that
the Jerries had been back and had occupied the same
house for several hours. The old man said that the
Jerries had enjoyed the coffee that we had left and
taken the grounds with them. It was a small price to pay
for not having to face a potential disaster.
The Alsatians had enjoyed a visit by the Jerries. We
had learned a new German word and had escaped a needless
fire fight. We had built another bridge. The Brass never
knew what an interesting night they had slept through.
It was worth remembering.
08-03-2004
November 1943 as WE
moved toward the Cassino area WE were called on to
remove a minefield. Cpl. Ed Seibold lost a leg and was
soon on his way home. A week later WE were ordered to
build a Bailey Bridge across a gap in Highway 48. Upon
conclusion We, Co. B, named it
The Seibold Bridge. No one notified Ed of the honor,
he knew nothing about it until 2001. Ed attended our
reunion last year, here is a
modern day picture of Ed. His wonderful daughter
Cathy also attended the reunion.
08-08-2004
In late 43 and early
44 the ll Corps was the Corps facing the Germans
along the Gustav Line. That was the line hinged on
Mt. Cassino and along the Rapido River. The American
Divisions were the 3rd, 34, 36, the 45th and the 1st
Armored. Later the all Black Division came in. I
don't recall the Number. When the 6th Armored
Infantry Battalion. was decimated in Jan. '44, the
48 Engineers replaced them in the line and took Mt.
Porchia. That is where Sgt. Specker earned the Medal
of Honor. The Vl Corps did not exist then but came
back into existence with the landing at Anzio. So WE
had the ll Corps South of the Gustav Line and the Vl
Corps at Anzio. Until all the engineer units that we
talk about moved to Anzio they were in ll Corps.
Both Corps were under Mark Clark's 5th Army, which
was under the command of a British General. There
were many troops in Italy, USA, English, India,
French, Brazil, Gurka all commanded by the British.
Some where there should be an "Order of Battle" for
the Italian Campaign. We will try to find it.
...Alfred
Another division
in ll Corps, the 88th, Double Eight Ball. They
came in late but were just behind us at Anzio.
Marion's Note:
The all black division that Alfred is referring
to is the 92nd Division and they were sent to Italy.
The other black division that was formed went to the
Pacific Theatre. You can read more about these men
by clicking on the following links:
Army Finally Recognizes WWII Black Heroes
Chronology of African American Military History WWII
Info on the Buffalo Soldiers - The 92nd Division
08-09-2004
The following describes the 48th Combat
Engineer's part is liberating Dachau. After Al sent
me the letter he followed it up with this:
I
really did not do justice in my writing about the
horror of that place. We saw the lamp shades made of
human skin...the huge piles of corpses waiting to be
incinerated...the walking zombies, some lived but
many were too far gone and died despite getting
quick medical care and food. Later WE found a
smaller unit, our Doctor, Dr. Dixie Snider, asked
that all kitchens give half of their daily rations
for the inmates. Not a man in the company griped
about giving his share. The citizens of Dachau were
forced to march through the camp that day. They
acted as if they did not know.
Here is his letter:
Dachau
On about 28 April, 1944 I received orders to send
one platoon to Headquarters 45 Division. WE were not
far from Munich. As the war was winding down I
decided to query my headquarters. The S3 said that
the 45th was in the vicinity of Dachau and thought
they might need additional help. The 120 engineers
must have been committed. I gave orders to Lt.
Charles Haley, a good Boston lad and S/Sgt Walker
Fritz of Peoria Illinois, with their third platoon,
to report to the G3, 45th Division.
It was a long night
for me so an hour before dawn my jeep driver, Rex
Bass and I set out to see how things were going. I
arrived at Dachau at first light and discovered that
the 45th had already taken the infamous camp. The
third platoon of Co. B 48th Engineers had been at
the forefront and had cut the locks from the front
gates allowing the infantry free access.
The guards around the
camp along with a dog at each tower had been killed,
at the front gate the Commandant with his executive
officer lay dead. The few inmates that were mobile
had kicked them to death. There were about thirty
railroad cars stretching from the camp back into the
town of Dachau, the floors of each were covered with
dead Jews in their striped pajama-like clothes. Many
bodies were stacked near the “shower” buildings that
contained the giant ovens that awaited the dead
Jews. I talked with the Div. G3 and as WE had done
our job he turned my platoon back to me. After a few
minutes WE departed. WE had seen enough.
A few pictures are still available to let others
see that this sort of murder should never take place
again. ...Al Kincer
August 30, 2004
Arbois
WE were moving quite fast through central France when
I received orders to proceed to the town of Arbois. It
is a small farming town in central France that sits
astride a very important communication route. I was
expecting to find a blown bridge. To my surprise I found
two. I assigned the first and second platoons each to a
bridge and split the third between the two. WE were to
work around the clock to complete the task. One bridge
was located in the middle of the town and the other on
the outskirts about a mile away. I selected a shed near
the down town bridge to set up my C.P. The river was
only about thirty feet across but flowed at a very rapid
pace. The sides of the river were the concrete walls of
the houses. One such house stood at the immediate left
of the destroyed bridge. It had a plaque in front of the
house but I had no time to translate it into English. A
crowd of local citizens formed to watch us work. I saw
three men that seemed more concerned in how we were
building the bridge than the rest of the onlookers. They
came storming at me gesturing at the bridge and at the
house at the edge of the river. I could not understand a
word but knew that they must have real cause to be so
excited. At that time a very attractive lady came to me
and stated in perfect English that she would serve as an
interpreter. I gladly accepted her offer, introduced
myself, and asked for an explanation. She explained that
the men were town officials and were concerned that our
bridge trestle would cause the water to back up into the
house immediately behind us. “Why is this house so
important “ I asked? “It is the house of Louis Pasteur”
she replied “and certainly a National Treasure". I
assured her and the City Engineer that we would take all
precautions. I would supervise the construction myself
and that I would leave two men to keep a watch for at
least two days.
Her name was Madam Rene. She took personal interest
in our work and opened her house to the off duty
soldiers. They slept on the floors of the hallway and
living room. Her home was a welcome haven from the ever
present rain. She brought out a bottle of Cognac and six
cubes of sugar that she had been hoarding for several
years. I insisted that we would not eat her sugar but
she prevailed. When the job was finished, I had the mess
sergeant provide her with a large amount of refined
sugar and enough rations for a banquet. She spoke
English perfectly although she had never been to America
or England and had very little access to others speaking
English. She hated to see us leave and volunteered to
interpret for us at other times. We never saw her again
but will always be appreciative of her assistance and
the good five star cognac.
Marion's note: I found a couple of pictures of
Louis Pasteur's house. Al has informed me that Madam
Rene's house was next to it.
August 31, 2004
Italy in February 1944 was a cold, wet, miserable
place to fight a war. However, I am sure there were many
places worse so that is why WE can remember the amusing
incidents; WE can write about them and forget about the
real agony and deaths that occurred, and the terrible
times the civilians were having back home.
There were several incidents that remain with us and
should be written in order that they will not be
forgotten.
The Wallet
WE had been working all day under direct observation
of the Jerries. They looked across the Lira Valley and
watched our every step as WE moved mines, filled
potholes, and attempted to keep our supply route open
just south of Cassino. Occasionally they would shell us
but were not a great threat. They normally shelled the
area we had just left. However on this date we had
several injuries, none of them very serious but still a
cause for worry. Brigadier General Teddy Roosevelt had
stopped and talked with us for a while. He commended us
for the work we were doing in the pouring rain and
stated that The Engineers were the key to the Italian
Campaign. As the light began to wane we loaded onto our
trucks and started for the bivouac area. One soldier,
T/4 John Maxi, was taking his time in walking to his
truck and was admonished by several of his buddies for
loitering. His reply was simply “If you run you get hit,
if you walk you get hit, I walk”
My Staff Sergeant, John Mailey, jumped into my jeep
and we made our way back to the camp area. Our return
was not by the main road but a small trail that ran
through the olive groves that only the jeep could
traverse. WE were moving at a snails pace when suddenly
I saw a fat wallet lying at the side of the trail. It
was bulging with Lire and script. I told Rex, my jeep
driver to pull up to it slowly. As I reached for it, it
suddenly went flying through the air. Startled I grabbed
for my carbine but noticed a young private soldier in a
foxhole. He had the wallet in his hand. When he saw the
silver bar on my collar he began to apologize. John,
Rex, and I started to laugh loudly. It was the thing we
all needed to break the tensions of the day. A wallet, a
string and a bored infantry man trying to amuse himself.
I have often wondered if he made it through the war. I
was happy to be his prey.
The Trailer
Rex, my jeep driver, and I had been watching a small
trailer that was sitting near the trail that we traveled
back to our bivouac area each day. It was a British
trailer, its desert camouflage still on it, heavy-duty
springs, and a hitch that would certainly fit an
American Jeep. Quarter ton trailers were not an item of
issue to a platoon commander at that time. We planned
our theft with the utmost care. We decided that if the
rain was coming down hard that the British Officer would
be caught off guard. Sure ''nuff next day the elements
were just right. Rex hurriedly backed the jeep in place
and I quickly made the hitch. At that moment the Officer
came charging out of his tent, trousers at half-mast, a
toothbrush in one hand and a pistol in the other. We
knew we were dead, however just as he yelled at us he
went hind-end over heels in the slick mud. It appeared
to me that he was trying to pull the trigger of the
toothbrush. I hope he did not try to brush his teeth
till the excitement was over. Rex and I enjoyed the
trailer for the rest of the war.
A Very Short Story
One day in Italy I saw several of my fellows laughing
as they were cleaning equipment. I asked, “What’s so
funny”? The reply was that a fellow that will not be
identified came running up to the group and exclaimed,
“WE must be getting ready for something, all the
officers are in the C.P. countersinking their watches”.
September 26, 2004
In 1991
Florian Schreiner, a sergeant in my company died in
Plain Wisconsin. I talked to Mary, his wife and asked if
she wanted me to attend the funeral. Florian and I were
very close during and after the war. My wife and I left
San Antonio on Saturday and by driving 700 miles each
day we were in Madison Sunday night. We arrived in Plain
the next morning.
Marion's Note: Al sent me a copy of the eulogy he
had given at his friend's funeral. It is very touching
to say the least.
Eulogy
I would like to tell you the story of The Bell. I am
Lt. Col. Alfred Kincer. I first met Florian Schreiner in
1942. I was his platoon commander and later his Company
Commander.
It was a cold day in the late winter of 1942. Several
eager Lieutenants of the 48th Engineer Regiment were
watching as a large group of replacements arrived. WE
were ready to get along with the training of our
platoons so we could get into the fray. I noticed one
recruit that seemed to stand a little taller, a little
straighter with broader shoulders than the rest. He had
a little grin on his face, and as I caught his eye, he
looked directly at me and seemed to be thinking, "you
may train me in the ways of the army Lieutenant but you
will find out that I am as good a man as you." I looked
at him and knew that here was a leader, and that he
would be one of my Sergeants.
A few weeks later, I was reassigned to the Regimental
Motor Pool as the Motor Officer. Some one in Co. B, in
their infinite wisdom assigned this born leader as a
truck driver. His comment was "I will be the best truck
driver in the regiment". Perhaps this was fortunate for
both of us, for we came to respect each other very much.
I knew that he would not stay a truck driver for long.
One Saturday morning as the Battalion was standing a
formal inspection I was informed that something was
hidden in the toolbox of Schriener’ truck. With every
one standing at attention, I walked behind his truck,
opened the toolbox and there wrapped in an old towel was
The Bell. I took the bell in hand and slowly walked to
the inspection line, facing Schreiner, I raised it high
and rang it loudly. Do you think you still have that
weekend pass coming? I asked. He slowly reached into his
pocket, handed the pass to me, with that wonderful grin
still on his face. I refolded the pass, put it back into
his pocket saying "you deserve the pass, you have the
best truck in the Battalion".
After we arrived in Italy I was reassigned to Co. B
as the commander of the first platoon. At last, He was
in my platoon. In January 1944, we were involved in an
infantry attack on Mt. Portia. WE took the hill with
losses after two days. Sgt. Schreiner was awarded the
Silver Star for gallantry in action. He, along with his
platoon Sgt. Tommy Googoo were the first to reach the
top of the mountain. He always led his squad he never
asked a man to do something that he would not do. A few
days later after we had come down from the mountain, he
came to me and said "Lieutenant don't you think we
should ring The Bell for our good luck. WE rang the
Bell.
A couple of months later Sgt Schreiner was seriously
wounded as we were assisting in building the Bailey
bridges across the Rapido river in the assault on the
town of Cassino, Italy. He was awarded the Purple Heart
for wounds received in action. Several weeks later when
he returned from the hospital, I went to him and for our
good luck, again we rang The Bell.
As the war progressed and our luck held up we rang
The Bell several more times including the day the war
was over. We were in Berchtesgaden at the time.
When Mary called last Friday and told me that Bub had
died I knew then that I must go to Plain and for my very
good friend, my companion in arms, one of the bravest
soldiers that I had ever known, that I must ring The
Bell one more time.
This is Added
When I rang The Bell over his casket, several women
began to cry, in fact there were several loud Boo-Hoo's.
The church was packed, upward of 500 people. The small
town of Plain is west of Madison I think the entire town
turned out. Mary, the four children and eight brothers
were elated that I did the eulogy and that I had driven
1,300 miles to be there. Most of the 500 people came
around at the dinner that followed and shook my hand. It
was very satisfying to me to know that I had pleased
Mary and the rest and that We had rung The Bell.
November 08, 2004
Marion...I noticed
under "Links" A paragraph re. Anzio 1944 Army Military
History that is printed as follows.
Earlier on 25 May, at 0730, troops of the 91st
Reconnaissance Squadron, 85th Infantry Division,
U.S. II Corps, racing north from Terracina across
the Pontine Marshes, met soldiers of the 1st
Battalion, 36th Engineer Combat Regiment, from the
Anzio beachhead, effecting the long-planned and
longer-awaited link-up between Fifth Army forces.
With the physical juncture of the II and VI Corps,
the beachhead ceased to exist and the formerly
isolated soldiers became the left flank of the Fifth
Army. Clark personally greeted the II Corps troops
three hours later. What a shame that history is
sometimes written so badly. The 91st was sitting on
their butts in Terricina. Of course the 5th Army
troops was Company B 48 Engineers. I wish I could
right this wrong so my guys could get the credit
they deserve. ...Al
November 19 2004
Murder by the FFI
WE left the beaches of Southern
France on the 16th of August 1944, one
day after WE had taken a major part in the invasion.
WE moved north destroying gun emplacements,
repairing blown bridges, and removing mines. The
usual days work for combat engineers. WE were moving
fast and soon came to the Rhone River. I was
traveling with the first platoon of my company.
Suddenly I saw a long bridge spanning the river. It
was a narrow suspension bridge that would only pass
vehicles of or less than 3/4 ton.
There was a lot of loud
shouting coming from a large group of people
standing in the middle of the span. I drove onto the
bridge, when I approached the group I could see that
about thirty FFI had 20 German prisoners. I asked
one of the Frenchmen what was going on. He replied
that they were going to shoot the Germans. I
questioned him, stating that they should be treated
as POW’s. He said they were suspected of committing
atrocities in this area, had been tried and were
going to be shot. I protested and sent my jeep
driver back telling him to have Lt. Hammerstrom to
move the men onto the bridge. Suddenly I heard
firing, when I turned back I saw three Germans fall
into the river. The rest of the prisoners were
executed in small groups. All fell into the Rhone.
I make no great plea for The
Jerries but this action was perpetrated by a group
of young punks, sometime FFI members that had
probably done very little for the war effort.
12-13-04 Alfred sent this photo and the following
text:
Lt. Kenneth Reddy, kneeling to right of officer with
hands crossed, was high school classmate of mine. He
was killed in 1942 after returning safely from
China. Plane he was piloting crashed in Louisiana.
Just an interesting picture...Alfred
Click
here to see two pics of Al during the war
Seven
Company B, 48th Engineers at their 2003 reunion
Honor List - 48th Combat Engineers - added
01-28-05
02-03-05
Al sent me this unforgettable photo. Who said war
couldn't be filled with good friends, good fun and some
laughter? Seems the human soul always yearns for it and
puts things back in place.
This is just for fun...I had given orders that
morning, no more funny hats to be worn...sure nuff as I
was goofing around someone took a picture of me. The
entire company blackmailed me that night into standing a
regular guard post. My Exec. officer, the bald headed
man is to my right, Sgt. Hanus in front of jeep and my
driver Rex Bass in the seat of the jeep. WE really had
some pretty good times during the war.
...Al
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