371st Engineer Construction Battalion

After the Normandy Invasion, they followed the front lines constructing roads, railroad bridges, hospitals, and other infrastructure needed by the advancing Armies.

Serving until the surrender by Germany, the unit was discharged from the military on 8 November 1945 and the service members returned home.

The Chief of Army Engineers ordered the recruitment of skilled personnel from construction in an organized unit.

The activities in the first months were very basic training and indoctrination into military life, since these citizen-soldiers already had experience in construction and engineering.

Their time at Camp Ellis was relatively short as they were needed to ship overseas in preparation for the Normandy Invasion.

The unit left Boston on 13 May 1944 bound for Liverpool, England with a convoy of several ships including USAT Brazil, carrying the 371st.

In their first 1–2 months they built base camps for the Regiment, first from tents but eventually to more permanent Nissen huts.

During the war the 371st worked closely with the 332nd Engineer General Service Regiment building bridges and supporting the troops.

This unit served with several of the Armies of World War II as it was part of ADSEC (Advanced Section, Communications Zone).

The Wesel Bridge was dedicated to Major Bob Gouldin and two enlisted men who died in a boat accident while building it.

The 371st received special commendation for completing the railroad bridge across the Rhine in 10 days, all the while allowing General Patton's advance into the German heartland.

Upon arriving in Boston, the unit boarded a train and went first to Camp Myles Standish, and then moved to Fort Devens, Massachusetts.