page_title: 92nd Engineer Battalion
section_title: World War II
hierarchical_section_title: 92nd Engineer Battalion / Unit history / World War II
caption_attribution_description: English: This photograph is part of the history of the 92nd Engineer Battalion and documented in the Battalion's records. The photo is the Officers of 1st Battalion after arriving in England, taken by CPT Hill, commander in 1 BN, 92nd Regiment. The Regiment was the first American unit in southern England and it is understood that they were subjected to considerable curiosity. Front Row: Lt. Schellberg (Neb), Lt. Welker (Ala), Lt. Swanson (Mich), Capt. Douglas (Mo), Back Row: Capt. Green (Minn), Major Small (Ill), Capt. Wrey (Texas), Lt. McDonald (Mass), Lt. Geary (Penn), Lt. Lahaye (Texas), Lt. Cordone (Mich) Other information This photo is significant as it is visual representation of the history of the Battalion. Text alone would not suffice to describe the officers during World War II. With this historical photo, it clearly identifies the men who served in the unit and those who serve now in the 92nd Engineer Battalion can see who led the unit during the war.
context_page_description: The 92nd Engineer Battalion is a unit of the United States Army with a record of accomplishment in both peace and war; an organization that provides sustained engineer support across the full spectrum of military operations.
  The 92nd Engineer Battalion Headquarters provides training and readiness assistance to six companies and two detachments located on Fort Stewart, Georgia. The battalion formation includes two horizontal construction companies, one vertical construction company, one forward support company, one route clearance company, headquarters and headquarters company, a survey detachment, and a firefighter detachment prepared to deploy in support of contingency operations worldwide.
  The 92nd Engineer Battalion is one of the Army’s first modular engineer battalion headquarters. The unit’s history of service begins in 1933 with deployments to Britain, North Africa, Italy during World War II, Vietnam War, hurricane relief efforts, Desert Storm/Shield and numerous deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  The battalion nickname is "Black Diamonds".
context_section_description: On 14 November 1943, the unit sailed from North Africa and landed at Naples on 17 November. The 92nd Engineers deployed to Italy earning four campaign streamers during World War II:
  ♦ Naples–Foggia – For reconditioning the port as well as repairing and maintaining bridges. On one occasion, the night of 12 Feb 1944, the river rose to flood height and the rising water and floating debris seriously endangered the bridge at Capua. During the night, while the fate of the bridge hung in the balance, the aggressive action of members of Company B, under 1st Lieutenant Lester M. Kostenski, cleared wreckage from the understructure, enabling the bridge to be saved and kept the Army’s main supply line intact. Two enlisted men were awarded the Soldiers Medal for their actions during that operation. During the winter when all units were fighting rain and mud, the Regiment operated five quarries and gravel pits to supply rock, for roads to hospitals, water points, dumps and other Army installations, as well as material for the main roads;
  ♦ Rome–Arno – In the rapid advance after the Hitler line was broken the Regiment operated in the rear of the Army area. In general, its duties were to keep the supply roads open for high speed traffic, dismantle tactical bridges, and build fixed bridges. For its work during this phase of operations, the Regiment was awarded the Fifth Army Plaque and Clasp for August 1944;
  ♦ North Apennine – Working 24 hours a day, dump trucks poured crushed rock onto the main supply route and Soldiers stood knee deep in mud and snow digging out drains so the water would flow off the surface. Highway 67 provided a sizeable job with a "dip" in the road 400 feet long and 7’6" deep in the center where German demolitions had cut the roadway;
  ♦ Po Valley – For maintaining a railhead for supply routes to the Po River. Observed artillery fire exploded in the vicinity and two men received wounds and Purple Hearts as a result, PVTs Parky Durham and Cleavon Lark. The surrender of first the German armies in Italy and then the entire German army on 8 May 1945, made little difference to the operation of the Regiment; work continued without interruption.
  The four points of the black diamond on the unit crest represent these four campaigns. During this time the Regiment became known as the "Can Do Regiment."
  Due to the reduction in military strength following World War II, the Regiment was deactivated in Italy 20 April 1946; the unit remained inactive for eight years. While still in an inactive status – Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, and Companies Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie were redesignated as the 92nd Engineer Battalion on 25 February 1954. The remainder of the Regiment was disbanded.
  Reactivated on 9 February 1955, as the 92nd Engineer Battalion (Construction) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the unit was attached to 20th Engineer Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps. Reorganization added Company Delta and redesignated Company A as an Equipment and Maintenance Company.
  Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Dianne (1955) left the beaches of South Carolina scarred and bruised, Company C was sent with its personnel and equipment to restore the beaches in the stricken areas. After 90 days of operation the unit returned to Fort Bragg.
  On 7 June 1965, Company C reinforced plus a Battalion Headquarters Planning Section deployed to the Dominican Republic to support the Inter American Peace Force during the Dominican Republic Crisis. Within the combat area the Construction Force built a logistical complex to support all the forces in Theater. The unit returned 8 February 1966, after having been designated the most outstanding engineer unit within the Continental United States.
  On 15 June 1965, Company D moved to Fort Rucker, Alabama to support the United States Army Aviation Center. This company deployed separately from Fort Rucker to Southeast Asia on 30 January 1967.
caption: Officers of 1st BN 92d EN GS REGT WWII – Front Row: Lt. Schellberg (Neb), Lt. Welker (Ala), Lt. Swanson (Mich), Capt. Douglas (Mo), Back Row: Capt. Green (Minn), Major Small (Ill), Capt. Wrey (Texas), Lt. MacDonald (Mass), Lt. Geary (Penn), Lt. Lahaye (Texas), Lt. Cordone (Mich)
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