 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(September 2015) |
An Engineer Light Ponton Company was a combat engineer company of the United States Army that served with U.S. Army ground forces during World War II. [1] It was primarily a highly mobile pontoon bridge construction unit, though it also provided both M2 assault boats and a selection of infantry support bridging, ferries, and rafts. [1]
The combat engineer unit was organized and trained to transport and maintain its stream-crossing equipage, to construct floating bridges and rafts with this equipage, to guard and maintain completed bridges, to regulate traffic thereon, and to dismantle bridges and rafts. They are responsible for construction of floating bridges and rafts assisted by general engineer troops. Light ponton companies may be attached to divisions engaged in stream-crossing operations in accordance with the tactical situation.
Company capabilities included, but were not limited to: [2]
The light ponton company consisted of a headquarters platoon, two bridge platoons, and a light equipage platoon. Its equipment included:
This platoon consisted of company headquarters and a service and repair section. Company headquarters-officer personnel consisted of the company commander and an administrative officer. Enlisted personnel handle routine administration, mess, and supply functions for the company. Service and repair section.-This section was commanded by a lieutenant. Personnel includes enlisted specialists for maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and heavy mechanical equipment, and operators of mechanized equipment and vehicles.
The bridge platoon consisted of platoon headquarters and a ponton section. Platoon headquarters-The platoon headquarters supervised and controlled activities of the ponton section, and was responsible for installation, maintenance, and operation of its field telephone equipment. The ponton section transports one unit of bridge equipage.
This platoon consisted of platoon headquarters, an assault boat section, a raft section, and a footbridge section. The platoon headquarters was responsible for the care and safe transportation of the equipage assigned to the platoon. The assault boat section cared for and transported M2 assault boats. The raft section cared for and transported the infantry support rafts and ferry sets. The footbridge section was responsible for maintaining and transporting footbridge units.
The company was equipped with basic engineer tool sets, including a motorized air compressor, a truck-mounted crane, and tractor-mounted angledozers. They also supported stream-crossing equipment stocked in engineer depots. This included:
The light ponton company had sufficient organic transportation for simultaneous movement of all personnel, equipment, and supplies.
Individual weapons included carbine and pistol. Supporting weapons included .30 caliber heavy machine guns and .50 caliber machine guns.
Unit training included care and operation of transportation and heavy equipment assigned to the company, and nomenclature, use, repair, and maintenance of bridge equipage and light stream-crossing equipage. Engineers were trained in use of pontoon equipage including employment of outboard motors and training in repair of equipage is confined to repairs readily accomplished.
They engaged in frequent drills and field training in safe and rapid transportation of bridge equipage to crossing sites; in unloading and launching of equipage; in construction of bridges and rafts; in operational maintenance, care, guarding, and dismantling of bridges and rafts; and in loading of component parts on company vehicles.
Special effort was made in training to keep the bridge clear of drift and other floating objects, especial attention being given to anchor cables. Training in guarding bridges is of vital importance to insure uninterrupted flow of traffic.
Training all personnel in road movements including organization of columns, movements under cover of darkness, secrecy and discipline, security, and other fundamental principles prescribed in Army Field Manual FM 25-10. They were also trained in concealment of vehicles.
Combat training included the use of individual and supporting weapons for local security. Proficient gun crews were to be developed for employment of machine guns under defensive combat conditions.
The light ponton company normally performed the following duties when in bivouac:
The light ponton company normally performed the following duties when not in bivouac:
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of three hundred to one thousand soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into a number of companies, each typically commanded by a major or a captain. The typical battalion is built from three operational companies, one weapons company and one headquarters company. In some countries, battalions are exclusively infantry, while in others battalions are unit-level organisations.
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100–250 soldiers and usually commanded by a major or a captain. Most companies are formed of three to seven platoons, although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure.
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 20–50 troops, although specific platoons may range from 10 to 100 people. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer. The platoon leader is usually a junior officer—a second or first lieutenant or an equivalent rank. The officer is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant.
A pontoon bridge, also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load that they can carry.
The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army garrisoned at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California. The regiment has served in the Philippine–American War, the Pancho Villa Expedition, World War II, the Vietnam War, Gulf War and Iraq War. The 11th ACR serves as the opposing force (OPFOR) for the Army and Marine task forces, and foreign military forces that train at Fort Irwin.
The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for operation under the command of the unified combatant commanders. The Marine Corps is organized into four principal subdivisions: Headquarters Marine Corps, the Operating Forces, the Supporting Establishment, and the Marine Forces Reserve.
In the United States Marine Corps, the ground combat element (GCE) is the land force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). It provides power projection and force for the MAGTF.
Mechanized Infantry Forces of Ukraine are the general basis and primary combat formations of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. They execute tasks of holding the occupied areas, lines and positions tasks of enemy's impacts repelling, of penetrating the enemy's defense lines, defeating the enemy forces, capturing the important areas, lines and objectives, and can operate in structure of marine and landing troops.
The 11 Air Assault Brigade is the rapid light infantry brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, focused on conducting air assault operations. Troops of the brigade are qualified to wear the maroon beret upon completion of the demanding training course, those qualified as military parachutists wear the appropriate parachutist wings. The brigade received the name "7 December" when the First Division "7 December" was disbanded in 2004.
The 747th Tank Battalion was an independent tank battalion that participated in the European Theater of Operations with the United States Army in World War II. It was credited with an assault landing at Normandy, landing the morning after the initial D-Day landings (D+1). The battalion participated in combat operations throughout northern Europe until V-E Day, primarily attached to the 29th Infantry Division. After the war it was briefly engaged in occupation duties. Redesignated the 747th Amphibian Tank Battalion on 10 July 1945, it was inactivated in March 1946.
The 291st Engineer Combat Battalion was one of the most decorated engineer combat battalions of the United States Army during World War II, playing notable roles both in the Battle of Bulge and the Rhine river crossing at Remagen.
The 289th Engineer Combat Battalion was a combat engineer battalion of the United States Army during World War II. It served under XXI Corps of the Seventh Army in action mainly in France and Germany in 1944 and 1945. It received campaign credit for participation in the Ardennes-Alsace campaign , Rhineland campaign, and the Invasion of Germany.
The 549th Engineers Light Pontoon Company was a combat engineer company of the United States Army during World War II. Operationally attached to the 1150th Engineer Combat Group, it served under XXI Corps of the Seventh Army in action in France and Germany in 1944 and 1945.
The 1st Somersetshire Engineers was a volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers (RE) whose history dated back to 1868. As the engineer component of the 43rd (Wessex) Division, the unit served in both World Wars, distinguishing itself at the assault crossing of the River Seine at Vernon in August 1944 and in the doomed attempt to relieve the 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem. A detachment also served as airborne engineers in Sicily, Italy and at Arnhem. Their successors served on in the Territorial Army until 1967.
The 1139th Engineer Combat Group was a technical United States Army Headquarters Unit providing administration and supervision support to Combat Engineers on bridge building and other construction activities during World War II. The 1139th Engineer Combat Group was part of the Third Army and was attached for operations to the XX Corps in direct support of the 7th Armored Division. The 1139th Engineer Combat Group fought from northern France to Austria in World War II, supporting General George Patton's Third Army's rapid movements during the war.
A brigade support battalion (BSB) is a combat service support battalion of the United States Army. A BSB is an organic part of a brigade combat team (BCT), providing self-sustainment to the BCT for up to 72 hours of high-intensity combat before requiring replenishment. It consists of a headquarters and headquarters company, field maintenance company, distribution company, medical company, and a forward support company assigned to each of the other battalions in the BCT.
American logistics in the Western Allied invasion of Germany supported the American and French operations in Northwest Europe during the Second World War from 26 January 1945 until the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945.
This article lists the structure of the Portuguese Army in 2023:
This article incorporates text from the U.S. Army public domain publication FM 5-6 Engineer Field Manual. Operations of Engineer Field Units (23 April 1943).