285th Engineer Combat Battalion

We clear the way!

285th Engr. C. Bn.
Brief History


  • Arrived at Barry, Wales aboard the USS Marine Raven, debarked 2 NOV 1944.
  • Boarded train there and proceeded to Delamere Park Camp, 1 mile NW of Cuddington Station, England.
  • Battalion quartered there until departing for continent. Embarked 7 JAN 1945 at Southampton, England.
  • Debarked at Le Havre, France 9 JAN 1945. Entrained to Camp Twenty Grand SW of Duclair, France.
  • Entrained again after sweating it out for a week on salmon and cheese for Ukange, France.
  • Departed by truck for Delheim, Luxembourg 20 JAN 1945. Assigned to Third Army, attached to 12th Corps, further attached to 42nd Cavalry Sqdn of 2nd Calvary Group.
  • Relieved of attachment to 42nd Cavalry Sqdn and attached to 1137th Engr. C. Group 3 MAR 1945 at Wecker, Luxembourg.
  • 17 MAR 1945 placed in direct support of 11 Armored Div. east of Bitburg, Germany.
  • Relieved of support to 11th Armored Div. 24 MAR 1945 at Undenheim, Germany.
  • Crossed the Rhine river 25 MAR 1945.
  • Placed in direct support of 4th Armored Div. until relieved 31 MAR 1945 near Lauterback, Germany.
  • Relieved of support of the 4th Armored Div. and attachment to 1137th Engr. C. Group 31 MAR 1945.
  • Attached to 1135th that date. Relieved attachment to 1135th Engr. C. Group.
  • Attached to the 1137 Engr. C. Group at Herbstein, north of Gedern, Germany 7 APR 1945, being relieved of this support 22 APR 1945 and made direct support of 26th Infantry Div. that date at Kaltenbrunn, Germany.
  • Remained in support of 26th until termination of war and relieved 12 MAY 1945.

285th Engr. C. Bn.
Photos


Center: Battalion Commander Lt. Col. John Gottschalk. Gulino just right of center

Joe Gulino

William Leunig

Nicholas Zillas

B Company

Personnel Section Irving Kahan, Company Clerk (far left) Laird (far right) John Elliot, Radio Rep...

Personnel Section Laird, Carrig, Kahan, Luoma and Klenow

Personnel Section Carrig, Kahan and Laird

Nicholas Zillas

Joe Gulino in jeep June 1944 Camp Campbell

3-Buddies Cohen, Eddie, Joe

Joe Gulino 1944 or 45

Waiting to be shipped to port of Embarkation Joe Gulino 2nd from right 1944

Josephine, Joe, Sal Gulino Brooklyn NY

Yolanda, Joe, baby Joanne Gulino 9-10-1944 furlough before shipping out

Joe Gulino - Right shoulder arms!

Joe Gulino - Resting before going on retreat 20 APR 1944

Joe Gulino - Port arms

Joe Gulino

Joe Gulino - unknown location

Joe Gulino - Germany

Joe Gulino

Joe Gulino and buddies

Joe Gulino

Joe Gulino

Joe Gulino

Joe Gulino and buddies

Joe Gulino

Joe Gulino Regensburg Germany 1945

Brothers Sal (2 purple hearts) and Joe Gulino Sept 1944

Joe Gulino

Brothers Sal (2 purple hearts) and Joe Gulino Sept 1944

Unknown from Gulino collection

Joe Gulino - Chow time!

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson and unknowns

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson

T/5 Dale Diller, 285th Radio Operator, shown during ASTP at John Tarleton Agricultural College 1943

Unknown soldiers and T/5 Leo Rippy

A Company in Waldbredimus. S/SGT Alton Ainsworth is on the right side, the others are so far unkno...

A Company: Herbert Jacobsen

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson

HQ Company

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson at Zeppelin Field

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson at Zeppelin Field

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson at Zeppelin Field

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson

HQ Company

HQ Company

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson on right side, others unknown

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson

HQ Company

HQ Company

HQ Company

HQ Company - Stift Schlägl Monastery in Austria

HQ Company - Passau, Germany

HQ Company a power plant Kachlet near Passau, Germany

HQ Company - Passau, Germany

HQ Company

HQ Company

HQ Company

HQ Company: T/5 Dean Nelson back right, others unknown

HQ Company

C Company - Camp Campbell, KY 1944

C Company - SGT Howard Pepple

SGT Blaine Rabbers

SGT Blaine Rabbers

H&S Company: T/Sgt. William G. Leunig of Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY, servicing a jeep somewhere in Germa...

H&S Company: T/Sgt. William G. Leunig of Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY, re-enacting his jeep repair 60 year...

285th Engr. C. Bn.
Documents



285th History - 1944

285th History - 1945

285th Organizational History

XII Corps General Order 37
Bronze Star Medal List

2nd Cavalry Map
Used as Infantry here

2nd Cavalry After Action Report

2nd Cavalry After Action Report

Infantry Training Luxembourg
9th TD Group (pg. 18)

285th History MAY '45

285th History SEPT '45

S3 Journal - May '45

1990 Reunion

285th Battle Map
Drawn by Bill Lee

Brief History

Command Post Locations

Camp Crowder

The War As I Knew It
The two untested Engineer Battalions are the 284th and 285th

Assigned to UK Base, 1944

Zillas V-Mail

285th Engr. C. Bn.

V.A. Curry - C Company

June 1945 Unit Report

July 1945 Unit Report

General Order no. 114
Ardennes Battle Credit

General Order no. 116
Central Europe Battle Credit

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