Download WM ZIMMERS WWII RECORDS The 243rd Engineer Combat

WM ZIMMERS WWII RECORDS
The 243rd Engineer Combat Batallion (originally called the 983rd Engineer Battalion) was
first activated on Oct 15, 1943 at Camp Breckenridge, Ky to serve in WWII in the
Rhineland, Alsace-Ardennes areas of the European Theater of Operations. The unit was
re-designated the 983rd on Nov 1, 1948 after the war.
The mission of the 243rd Combat Battalion was construction management in support of
US forces, including repair and maintenance of supply routes, landing strips, bridges,
utilities and general engineering tasks to perform rear area security operations.
Basic training included the firing of an M-1 30 caliber rifle, 30 and 50 cal. machine guns,
rifle grenades and rocket launchers. Additional training included demolition, mining
school, pontoon bridge training across the Green River at night during heavy rains when
mud was ankle deep and the banks along the river was cold and slippery.
Next came unit training – stream crossing, floating bridges, malaria control, air-craft
recognition, trestle bridge training ( utilizing whatever timber was available in the area).
The last phase included assault of fortified positions by use of flame throwers and
camouflage techniques.
William was drafted Nov 18, 1943, went through basic training and then was sent to
Camp Forest, Tn for specialized training roughly 6 months later. After a year of training,
his group of roughly 550 combat engineers was sent overseas to fight in Europe. Their
tour of duty included some 35 camps throughout France, Belgium and Germany. They
were split into 3 companies. William was in Company A, 2nd Platoon consisting of 30
men.
From the time he entered the service, Bill wrote letters back home whenever he could.
Letters sent to his mother, Barbara E. Zimmers were saved (including the envelopes) and
they are still legible today. In this memoir, I have included excerpts from them in
chronological order as best I could as the war events unfolded.
From Camp Breckenridge, Ky:
12/11/43…(at training camp) young German prisoners are doing cleanup duties.
1/14/44…I got a $5 check for the highest score on the rifle range. Training was rough every bit as rough as the Marines. We hiked 18 miles in full gear. Since I am
in good shape ( from playing football), it seemed like 2 miles to me.
1/26/44…I spoke with Ruth who had 3 teeth pulled. I hope the blues don’t get me down.
I wonder what Bill Sauers would act like in the army.
2/14/44…It is zero degrees and plenty of sickness in the camp. Ruth Ann has liver
trouble. I was very homesick for awhile but am okay now.
3/2/44…Promoted to corporal. (He thanks Mom for the $5 and mentions her sending
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$5 each time she writes.) Ruth is still in pain and I wonder about the kids
being neglected. When the cook got spinal meningitis, the camp was
quarantined for 10 days.
March/April: On furlough
From Camp Forest, Tn:
5/2/44… Ruth has lost weight, I think it is due to worry more so than being ill. A
fellow in camp shook a 44” rattler out of his blanket. There are a lot of snakes
here. Thanks, Mom, for still sending money.
9/11/44…I rode in an air-conditioned car, got poisoned tonsils. I could not eat or drink
but still had to perform my duties. Looking for another furlough 9/22.
Following the Normandy invasion in June, 1944, the Western Front, consisting of US and
British troops moved across the previously pre-occupied France at a steady pace. As the
troops formed along the ill-famed Siegfried Line at the far edge of Germany in
preparation of the final invasion, the 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion had been deployed
to Swansea, Wales on Nov.2, 1944. A week later, they set up camp at Brockley, just SW
of Bristol, England until Dec. 19.
From England:
11/21/44…I am somewhere in England, not much to write about
12/4/44… I now weigh 190 lbs. Mail is slow. I visited London. It was interesting.
The Battle of the Bulge began on Dec. 16 and continued for more than a month. At this
time the engineers were moving east from Weymouth, England.
12/20/44 – Weymouth, England
12/22/44 – Cross the English Channel to LaHavre, France ( Normandy area)
12/22- 12/27 ( Forges Bivouac, Rheims, Toule )
Companies A,B and C split up. Company A goes to Les Fosses. This is the area
where they first heard rumblings of artillery from the Battle of the Bulge.
12/29/- 12/31– Les Fosses, Belgium (10th Armored Div teams up)
Signs of wreckage along the roads, had to map out mine fields.
12/31-1/11/45- Boullion, Auby, Assesnois,
Removed road blocks and cleared out enemy mines. Re-constructed damaged
bridge over the Ourthie River. Four casualties from minefield. All roads cleared
for the arrival of 76th Division
1/20/45-2/15/45 –Journal, Limeral, Grufflange
Entire battalion working day and night clearing mines, road blocks, locating water
points, snow removal. Constructed 5 Bailey bridges, 2 timber trestle bridges.
Company A completed a Class 40, 80’ Bailey bridge over the Our River under
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heavy mortar. Add’l platoon needed during the night. Work completed in 14 hours.
Zimmers promoted to SGT on 1/20/45.
From France:
1/13/45… I asked Ruth to send wool socks. Would you please send me a small,
condense heating unit, small enough to h old in your hand? I expect to be home
soon after winter.
From Belgium:
2/1/45…I was happy to get news of the baby but I hope I don’t get more news of
another baby. I still can’t get used to the name. I bet the baby won’t like it either.
I got promoted to Sgt. The Belgiums cry when you leave but you can see
laughter in their hearts when you return.
2/15- 2/27/45 – St. Vith, Belgium ( battle)
An early thaw caused deep-rutted roads to slow down the supply lines. St. Vith Rd
was a main supply route. With the help of the 11th Armored Div, working day and
night, 2374 yds of corduroy road was laid. Co. A built a 345’ timber ramp over a
bomb crater. Took 2 weeks to get all the roads open. St. Vith nearly destroyed
from bombs.
2/27- 3/10 – Landisfreld, Roth, Pruim, Germany
( Pruim is 100% destroyed) Many bridges needed to keep the supply lines open.
From Germany:
3/7/45…Ruth Ann writes every day. The war won’t last much longer. I am seriously
thinking of building a home when I get back. Or do you think I ought to live in
that old place in Rillton? I’ll fix it up first thing because it’s a shame to let it go to
ruin.
3/14-3/30/45 – Dries, Obermending, Hungenroth, Bivouc, Reckenroth
The key operation was bridging the Rhine. It began 3/22. Currents were swift and
Pontoons had to be placed by hand. Kitchens were set up along the banks so men
could eat without interruption. Company A detailed the security, set up machine
guns at St. Goarshausen following intense but inaccurate enemy shell fire. Took 5
days to complete the bridge. Despite Germans destroying everything in town,
they overlooked a considerable amount of wine stored in a cellar. US troops soon
were celebrating.
.
From Germany
3/20/45…Tell Ruth Ann not to worry. I am sleeping in houses, very nice and warm. I am
not working too hard. We have no trouble with the captured. They seem to take
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it very well. I talk a lot with them, although we are not allowed to associate with
them but for military purposes and only as an interpreter.
3/27/45…I am pleased with the news. We are making steady progress. Ruth is not writing
letters.
4/1- 4/7/45 – Geisenhein, Friedigerodi ( bombed)
4/7/45 – Floschenbier
4/10-4/26/45 – Farnrode, Bad Berka Reinstadt, Grossbersdorf, Bad Koestritz
More and more prisoners are being taken. German armaments are being
destroyed.
From Germany
5/1/45…Ruth was quite frightened about a letter I wrote to LaVerne. LaVerne insisted
that I write to her….Billy ( Hoffman) was wounded in Iwo Jima but not
serious…most of my time is taken up interpreting. I have been settling disputes.
5/5-6/8/45 – Granna. Schmollen, Erfurt
Erfurt was a prisoner of War Camp. There was a 24 hour turnover, an average.
of 7000 prisoners each day. On June 30, 40,000 prisoners were received. Most
did not try to escape, except for the SS Troopers. Some former members of the
Gestapo were shot and killed by their guards while trying to escape. Some German Red Cross women, devoted Nazis, tried to incite riots. Company A was
transferred to Erfurt on 6/20/45
From Erfurt, Germany: ( with the 7th Army)
6/22/45…I had 300 prisoners clean up the building for the company and 1400 to clean up
the camp. Prisoner musicians play at mealtimes and wash dishes. So there is
nothing to do.
7/2-7/5/45 – Nurnburg Bivouac, Englmar
Companies A, B and C are re-united. Softball games were played.
From Deggendorf, Ger: (back again with the 3rd Army)
7/27/45…I am in the midst of the Bavarian Mountains. We earned 3 battle stars for the
length of time we were here. I am concerned about not having enough points to go
home. I have 76….we moved from northern Germany to Nuremburg area, 60
miles from Munich…..I am increasing my vocabulary and am trying to teach the
kids German too.
From Patton’s 3rd Army, Neuremburg:
7/29/45….I have a lot of time to write now. I have every afternoon off. I am now
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assistant engineer in constructing bridges over the Danube River. German
prisoners are being used ( for this.)
9/1/45…I turned down a chance to go on trips, like Paris, England for 21 days and
Switzerland. I decided to hold onto my money. I sent Ruth Ann $500. Wish I
could send more to build a house…The XII Corps selected me to play football. Ruth
Ann writes every day……didn’t realize Germany had so many different dialects.
Bayern means Bavarian. I expect to get home in December.
I have Dad’s tour of duty itinerary entitled My WAR TRAVELS IN EUROPE. A
booklet entitled 243rd Engineer Combat Battalion, p. 57, says…”the men mastered basic
French…like ‘cognac’..We already knew ‘beer’ and that was as close to ‘biere’ as you’d
want to come. German came just as easily. Men like Bill Marx, Big Bill Zimmers and
Sam Marion were off to a head start just as quickly as we were with our own serial
numbers.”
According the a news article in the Reading Times ( Aug. 15, 1953), the unit’s
contribution in the Battle of the Bulge was their aid in crossing the Rhine with the 89th
Division of the US Third Army under General Patton. Twenty miles from Bastogne at St.
Vith, Belgium, they built a corduroy road which was highly instrumental in enabling
Patton’s tanks to counter-attack the German drive. There is a news photo of Wm along
with some other WWII Vets.
Following the war, the unit departed back to the US on Oct. 18, 1945. William was a
construction foreman, attended cooks and bakers school, cooking engrs school,
construction engineering school. Promoted to Sgt. He was a #50 Cal Machine Gun
expert, grenade exp, #30 cal Mg exp, M-1 rifle exp, Bayonet exp and had 3 bronze stars..
Honorable discharge, Nov.2, 1945.
Dad hardly ever talked about the war with family. But he told Clipp one day that he and
a company officer heard bombs dropping in an alleged safe area behind the front lines at
the Battle of the Bulge ( exactly where is not known). The superior officer was visibly
shaken and grabbed onto Dad’s arm. Dad admitted to Clipp this was the first time he got
scared too. Later on in the campaign, when the engineers laid down some ropes across a
waterway, held together by a series of knots which were critical in supporting a new
rubber raft road for General Patton’s tanks to cross, it was noted that not a single knot
failed. Dad was proud of that.
Tom Zimmers ( Sept 2012)
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