Engineer Special Brigade (United States)

Engineer special brigade

Engineer special brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
Active 1942-46
Country United States
Branch Army
Motto "Put 'Em Across"

Engineer special brigades were amphibious forces of the United States Army developed during World War II. Initially designated engineer amphibian brigades, the first four brigades were redesignated ESBs in 1943.

Concept and development

At the onset of direct American involvement in World War II, it was obvious that the U.S. military would need a large strategic and tactical amphibious capability. In 1941, the United States' amphibious forces were divided into two corps: one Atlantic; one Pacific. Both amphibious corps were combined Army and Marine Corps commands, administered by the U.S. Navy. The Atlantic Corps consisted of the 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Marine Division, and the Pacific Corps consisted of the 3rd Infantry Division and the 2nd Marine Division. As this set-up quickly proved itself unwieldy, the Joint Staff surprisingly appointed the U.S. Army, and not the Marine Corps, to develop doctrine for sustained amphibious operations. On May 20, 1942, the Army activated its Amphibious Training Command at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. Subsequently, the Army also activated the Engineer Amphibian Command.

Initially, the Amphibious Training Command (later, Amphibious Training Center) was tasked to train no fewer than 12 Army divisions (including 1 armored division) in amphibious operations. As the war progressed, the Marine Corps expanded to six divisions and the Army and the Navy began to fight over the procurement and assignment of landing craft and other amphibious assault equipment, resulting in the Army's decision to ultimately close the Amphibious Training Center. Per its agreement with the Navy, the Army continued to train Engineer Amphibian Brigades, for while the Marine Corps was adept at the initial waves of amphibious assaults, the Marine Corps had yet to create an effective doctrine concerning subsequent support waves. This task fell to the EABs.

Deployment and subordinate units

The 1st, 5th, and 6th Engineer Special Brigades were assigned to the European Theater of Operations, while the 2nd and 4th Engineer Special Brigades were assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. The 3rd Engineer Special Brigade was assigned directly to the Amphibious Training Center; responsible for the training of various Army units in amphibious warfare until the dissolution of the Amphibious Training Center. It was then assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. The 1st Engineer Special Brigade was the only ESB to fight in both theaters of the war.

The various subordinate engineer boat, engineer amphibian, and engineer shore regiments were all redesignated as engineer boat & shore regiments (EB&SR) by the end of the war.

1st Engineer Special Brigade

1st Engineer Special Brigade was activated on June 15, 1942, at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts as the 1st Engineer Amphibian Brigade. Due to necessity, it was pulled from the Amphibious Training Center early and sent to England, arriving in August 1942. In December of that year, it landed in North Africa, where it was redesignated the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, and subsequently participated in the assaults on Sicily and Italy. In December 1943, the 1st ESB returned to England. In 1944, under the command of James E. Wharton, the 1st ESB participated in the Invasion of Normandy (Utah Beach). The brigade operated as Utah Beach Command until October 23, 1944, when it began its transition to the Pacific Theater of Operations. It participated in the assault on Okinawa and was inactivated in Korea on February 18, 1946.

2nd Engineer Special Brigade

2nd Engineer Special Brigade was activated on June 20, 1942, at Camp Edwards, as the 2nd Engineer Amphibian Brigade. The brigade arrived in Australia on April 17, 1943, where it was redesignated an Engineer Special Brigade. It participated in the assault on Leyte on October 20, 1944, and returned to the United States on December 16, 1945. The 2nd ESB was deactivated the following year.

3rd Engineer Special Brigade

Commanded for almost the entire war by David Ayres Depue Ogden, the 3rd Engineer Special Brigade was activated on August 6, 1942, at Camp Edwards, as the 3rd Engineer Amphibian Brigade. It was transferred to Fort Ord, California, where it was redesignated an Engineer Special Brigade. The 3rd ESB landed on New Guinea on February 24, 1944; Biak Island on September 30; and the Philippine Islands on July 24, 1945. It returned to the United States on December 20, 1945, and was inactivated two days later.

4th Engineer Special Brigade

4th Engineer Special Brigade was activated on February 1, 1943, at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, as the 4th Engineer Amphibian Brigade. In 1943, the brigade was redesignated an Engineer Special Brigade and transitioned to Camp Stoneman, California. The 4th ESB arrived in New Guinea on May 18, 1944, and participated in the assaults on Morotai Island, Netherland East Indies (September 15, 1944) and Lingayen Gulf, Luzon (January 9, 1945). The brigade was inactivated in Japan on April 15, 1946.

5th Engineer Special Brigade

5th Engineer Special Brigade was formed from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1119th Engineer Combat Group on November 12, 1943, at Swansea, Wales. 5th ESB participated in the Invasion of Normandy (Omaha Beach) and operated Omaha Beach until November 19, 1944. On January 4, 1945, the brigade was transferred to the Seine section of Paris, where it supervised construction activities. It returned to the United States on July 11, 1945, and was inactivated at Camp Gordon Johnston, Florida, on October 20 of that year.

6th Engineer Special Brigade

6th Engineer Special Brigade was formed from HHC, 1116th Engineer Combat Group on May 15, 1944, in England. The brigade participated in the Invasion of Normandy (Omaha Beach) and operated Omaha Beach until Christmas Eve, 1944. 6th ESB moved into France on New Year's Day, 1945, and remained there until redeploying to the United States on July 14, 1945. The brigade arrived in the United States on July 23, 1945, and was inactivated at Camp Gordon Johnston on October 20 of that year.

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