page_title: 17th Armored Engineer Battalion
section_title: Sicily
hierarchical_section_title: 17th Armored Engineer Battalion / Sicily
caption_attribution_description: English: Original caption: "U.S. and British troops landing near Gela, Sicily, July 10, 1943."
context_page_description: 17th Armored Engineer Battalion are part of the 2nd Armored Division "Hell on Wheels". During World War II, they were active in North African Campaign, and Western Europe Campaign. 17th Armored Engineer Battalion was founded on 1 October 1933 as part of the USS Army. First called 17th Engineer Battalion, Motorized. It was renamed on 10 July 1940 to 17th Engineer Battalion and assigned to the 2d Armored Division. The unit became active and started training 15 July 1940 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Renamed again on 8 January 1942 as the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion. The Battalion is now based at Fort Hood, Texas. Battalion motto is We pave the way. Task of the 17 include construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions, like constructing and breaching trenches, tank traps and other fortifications, bunker construction, bridge and road construction. Along with building destruction bridges and other physical work in the battlefield are needed. They also lay or clear land mines. The 17th facilitates the movement and support of friendly forces while slowing the enemy's forces.
context_section_description: As part of Operation Husky order of battle in the Sicily Campaign, the 17th Armored Engineer Battalion with the 2nd Armor Division landed in Gela, Sicily in south-central Sicily, on 11 July 1943. Before the landing the 17th used M4 Sherman tanks with Scorpion Mine flail exploder to clear the way. The operation captured Butera and participated in the Battle of Mazzarino, then moving on to Palermo. After Sicily the 17th moved to England to train and prepare for D-Day.
caption: American and British troops landing near Gela, Sicily, 10 July 1943
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