1303th Combat Engineers

The 130th Engineer Brigade was constituted on 5 May 1943 in the Army of the United States as the 1303rd Engineer General Service Regiment. It was activated on 15 July 1943 at Camp Ellis, Illinois.

The Regiment played an important role during World War II, with campaign credit for: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

The Regiment was inactivated on 31 January 1946 in Japan.

It was then broken up on 8 July 1955 and its elements allocated to the Regular Army. It was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Aviation Brigade in Japan and subsequently activated on 25 September 1955.

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Aviation Brigade was then inactivated on 25 June 1956 in Japan.

On 16 June 1969, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Aviation Brigade was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 130th Engineer Brigade, and activated in Hanau, Germany. The Brigade consisted of the 54th, 317th, 547th, 549th, and the 559th Engineer Battalions. With exception of the 549th inactivation in 1986, this was the organization of the Brigade until December 1990.

During Operations Desert Shield and Storm, the 130th Engineer Brigade gained the 78th, 237th, and 565th Engineer Battalions, formerly of the 7th Engineer Brigade.

In January 1991, the 54th and 317th Engineer Battalions deployed to Southwest Asia.

In February 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, the 1457th Engineer Battalion, Utah Army National Guard, deployed to Germany and was assigned to the 130th Engineer Brigade to provide combat engineer support to training.

As units returned from Operation Desert Storm, the 9th Engineer Battalion joined the Brigade.

In June and July 1992, three former units of the 18th Engineer Brigade (94th Engineer Battalion, 649th Engineer Battalion, and 6970th Civilian Support Center) were assigned to the 130th Engineer Brigade.

Inactivation, redeployments to CONUS and re-stationing within Germany have changed the Brigade’s composition since March 1991. The 54th Engineer Battalion inactivated on 15 January 1994; HHC, 565th Engineer Battalion inactivated 15 December 1993; and the 93rd Engineer Company and 516th Engineer Company inactivated on 15 November 1993. B Company, 94th Engineer Battalion was inactivated 15 December 1993 and C Company redesignated as B Company on 16 December 1993. The 649th Engineer Battalion inactivated on 15 May 1994.

In October 1995, the Brigade deployed to Grafenwoehr, Germany for training in preparation for deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

From December 1995 to January 1996, all units in the Brigade, except the 320th Engineer Company (Topographic), deployed to Croatia or Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. The brigade received Army Superior Unit Award for activities in the operation.

The current Brigade organization consists of the 54th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Mechanized) in Bamberg, the 94th Engineer Battalion Combat (Heavy), headquartered in Vilseck, the 565th Engineer Battalion in Hanau, and Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 130th Engineer Brigade in Hanau, Germany.

http://www.130thengineers.army.mil/command and staff/command.htm
 
Mr Robert kepka

Anyone have any info on this group? My father was a part of it during WW2 and information is rather sparse.

Yes, I can give you info on the 1303 engineer regiment. I served in that outfit during WWII. Company B 3rd platoon 3rd squad. What info are you interested in? If you prefer you could contact me by my E mail address. r.kepka@comcast.net
 
Anyone have any info on this group? My father was a part of it during WW2 and information is rather sparse.
There is a book "Patton's Fighting Bridge Builders" company B 1303 Engineer General Service Regiment by Jopseph C Fitzharris, Texas A&M University Press. I was in Company B and this gives a pretty accurate account as I remember it. There is also a book "The Eager Beaver Regiment" that gives a history of the Regiment written by Casey Deviekis who was an officer in B company and came from the Chicago area.
 
1303 Engineering Regiment with Gen. Patton.

Does anyone know where to find info about them. My father, Bobbie Lee Campbell, was a medic in WW2. He was awarded a bronze star for valor after pulling a soldier out of a mine field. Unfortunately all his records were destroyed by the fire in St. Louis.
 
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