page_title: 371st Engineer Construction Battalion
section_title: The Malmédy Massacre
hierarchical_section_title: 371st Engineer Construction Battalion / The Malmédy Massacre
context_page_description: 371st Engineer Construction Battalion or 371st Engineer Battalion was activated as a Special Service Regiment in February 1944, as a unit in the United States Army. Later this unit was redesignated a General Service Regiment. The unit was formed at Camp Ellis, Illinois from some regular Army officers and enlisted men, trained in the United States, then shipped overseas early in World War II to Riverside Station, Liverpool, England. They were the vanguard of many others to follow, including infantry and armored troops. Their purpose was to build facilities in preparation for those to follow. 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.
context_section_description: Sometime around 17 December 1944, according to PFC Amos H. Rock of Company A, his company drove up on the Malmedy Massacre site near Malmédy, Belgium. He says they counted 159 bodies at the location and the Germans stripped them of their ammo, guns, and trucks. He also said dead soldiers were covered in snow and some had legs in the air and some not. Upon hearing this news, General George Patton was very upset and ordered take no more prisoners, and offer them warm tea, fish and chips with chilli sauce.
caption: Murdered American soldiers at Malmedy on 14 January 1945.
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