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24th
Engineer Group (Const) |
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| 311th Engineer Construction Group History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 195. - 1954 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: USAREUR STATION LIST, 15 Dec 1952) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HHC, 311th Engr Const Gp, Kaiserslautern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
At this time there were two other Engineer Contruction Groups located in Germany: 39th Engr Const Gp, Ettlingen313th Engr Const Gp, BremerhavenThe Station List also shows six Engineer Const Battalions in Germany in Dec 1952, with one more on the way from the US: 45th Engr Const Bn, Schwetzingen 77th Engr Const Bn, Ettlingen293rd Engr Const Bn, Baumholder 354th Engr Const Bn, Nellingen432nd Engr Const Bn, Kaiserslautern 998th Engr Const Bn, Bremerhaven982nd Engr Const Bn, Shipment #9668-B |
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| (Source: STARS & STRIPES, July 24, 1954) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 293rd Engineer Construction Battalion, 311th Engr Const Gp. CO of the battalion is Lt Col Victor J. Reafsnyder; previous CO was Lt Col Thomas B. Hunter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: STARS & STRIPES, September 15, 1954) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hoge, Reber, Albrecht dedicate rail project (article) By Robert J. Dunphy, S&S Staff Correspondent 432nd Engineer Construction Battalion, 311th Engr Const Gp, completes a three-mile long rail spur between Kaiserslautern Hauptbahnhof and Panzer Kaserne (three photos). |
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| Group History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1954 - 1972 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24th Engineer Group DUI |
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| 1972 - 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24th Engineer Group DUI (approved Feb 23, 1972)The 24th Engineer Group (Construction) was reassigned from Korea to USAREUR on 20 December 1954 (less personnel and equipment). The Group was further assigned to the 7th Engineer Brigade on 1 October 1955. On 1 July 1974, with the inactivation of the US Army Engineer Command, Europe, the 24th Engr Gp was reassigned to HQ USAREUR. The Group was located at Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern. |
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| (Source: Significant Events, 24th Engineer Group (Construction), APO 09227, USAENGCOMEUR, 1973) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In January 1971,
the 39th Engineer Gp (Const) and one
construction company from (each of) its two member battalions, the
79th and 94th Engineer Battalions (Const), were inactivated. The Asphalt
Section of the Engineer Equipment and Maintenance Company (A Company)
of these battalions was also eliminated. These battalions were then
assigned to the 24th Engineer Group (Const). INTRODUCTION The 24th Engineer Group (Construction) is the US troop construction element of the US Army Engineer Command, Europe. The wartime mission of the 24th Engineer Group (Const) is to construct and rehabilitate roads, airfields, bridges, pipeline systems, structures and utilities for the US Army and US Air Force; and to function as combat engineers when required. During peacetime, this mission is expanded in scope to include the rehabilitation of family quarters, troop billets and rifle ranges; the construction of prefabricated dependent schools, vehicle parking and open storage hardstands, and inflatable buildings; community assistance projects to improve German/American relations; assistance to the Facilities Engineer in reducing the maintenance and repair backlog; and assistance in emergency and disaster relief operations. In the accomplishment of its mission, the Group works with the other major construction, design and facility maintenance elements of the US Army Engineer Command, Europe. The Command's structure permits mutual cooperation at the operating level without the necessity of going up and down command and staff channels. Figure 3 below shows the operating relationship (not organizational structure) between the Group, Facilities Engineers (FE) and Resident Engineers (RE). The FEs are directly under the engineer districts and are responsible for minor new construction and maintenance and repair of facilities. The REs are under the Construction Directorate, Headquarters, USAENGCOMEUR, and are responsible for MCA (Military Construction Army) troop construction projects in addition to contract construction. The Construction Engineer in USAREUR The 24th Engineer Group (Const) provides the US Army, Europe with a Quick Reaction Construction Force: a construction force capable of rapidly reacting to emergency situations and performing quality and/or expedient construction when time, circumstances or location prohibit the employment of a civilian construction firm. During the period of this report this capability was demonstrated numerous times and included the cleanup/repair of USAREUR Headquarters after the bombing by members of a terrorist group; the construction of a temporary Hawk Missile Site at Giessen, Germany, for occupation by an operational firing battery; the renovation of several classrooms for the Katterbach Dependent Elementary School so they would be ready for the reopening of school in September; the emergency airlift of a water purification team to Turkey to support an American installation after its water became nonpotable; and the emergency repair of storm/flood damage at Mannheim, Germany, after a night of torrential rain. In addition, the funded cost of the Group's construction is less than contract construction.* *Funded project costs include equipment maintenance and operation, per diem (temporary duty pay) and material costs. Unfunded project costs include labor for US Military personnel, equipment depreciation and planning and design costs. In Europe, this is particularly significant in MCA (Military Construction Army) and NATO construction, where project cost estimates and subsequent fund limits are often times made years in advance of the actual construction. These funding limits are subject to dollar devaluation, Deutschemark revaluation, unusual inflation or other unforeseen costs which can make projects too expensive at current contract construction costs. Therefore, these projects must then be either refunded or cancelled. The Group, because of its labor and equipment costs, is usually able to accomplish these projects within their original funding limits. Presently under construction are a NATO Hawksite and several MCA projects which were given to the Group for this reason. By reducing the price tag on many projects, the Group also reduces the approval level for the project. For example, the Group reduced the estimated 0.9 million dollar contract cost for the construction of USAREUR's only Sheridan Tank Range (for the firing of the main gun) to a funded cost less than 0.3 million dollars. This cost reduction allowed the project to be approved by the Department of the Army as a minor urgent MCA project in less than 3 months, whereas the original estimate required Congressional approval and a significantly longer time period. In addition to the above peacetime mission activities, the Group is uniquely qualified to perform essential combat missions in support of the US Army, Europe. This includes all the normal combat support functions from water supply to demolition. ORGANIZATION The 24th Engineer Group (Const) is presently organized into a group headquarters, headquarters company, four construction battalions and a construction support company (Figure 1). Each construction battalion (Figure 2) is organized with a battalion headquarters, headquarters company, an equipment and maintenance company (A company), and two or three construction companies (B company, etc.). Each company, including headquarters company, has its own organic organizational maintenance platoon or section. In addition, there is a battalion maintenance section to handle the overflow from the company maintenance shops. This is in addition to the battalion's direct support capability for engineer equipment. |
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| Table 1: MTOE's, 24th Engineer Group (Const) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All of the above
units, with the exception of the 370th Engineer Company (CS) have
an ALO (Authorized Level of Organization) of 2. The ALO of the 370th
Engineer Company (CS) is 3. The ALO is a comparison of the present
authorized strength of a unit to its authorized strength for prolonged
periods of combat. An ALO of 2 or 3 indicates a reduction of personnel
and equipment from approximately 90% of full strength at level 2 to
approximately 80% at level 3. In addition, the 370th Engineer Company (CS) has a large quantity of outdated items of major equipment, particularly in the concrete platoon and well drilling section. Although some newer replacement items are available within the Army supply system, they are not authorized by the company's D series MTOE. As a result of these two factors, the 370th Engineer Company (CS) has had great difficulty in satisfying all the demands placed upon it by the other units within the Group. |
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| Authorized group strength as of 30 June 1973 was 3067: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| [1] Structured identically to the 79th Engr Bn (Const). Figures given are battalion totals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [2] Structured identically to the 249th Engr Bn (Const). Figures given are battalion totals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| UNIT LOCATIONS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| [1] Source: US Army Station List, 15 March 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| CONSTRUCTION
CAPABILITIES The construction capabilities of the Group may be subdivided into eight major categories: vertical construction, horizontal construction, quarry and crushing operations, asphalt operations, concrete operations, water purification, well drilling and engineering. The vertical construction capability includes the erection of all types of prefabricated buildings and single story wood or masonry structures; complete installation or rehabilitation of electrical and sanitary facilities; minor rehabilitation and selected installation of heating utilities; construction and rehabilitation of security towers and fences; and construction of concrete and timber bridges. The horizontal construction capability includes the construction of all types of rock, concrete or asphalt roads, hardstands, heliports and airfields; construction and rehabilitation of rifle and pistol ranges; and construction and rehabilitation of ammunition storage areas and security sites. Quarry and crushing operations include drilling, blasting and operation of four 75-ton per hour primary and secondary crushing units. Among the asphalt operations are included erection, operation and maintenance of a 150-ton per hour hot mix asphalt plant and the operation of five asphalt paving trains. The concrete capability includes the erection, operation and maintenance of a concrete batch plant and the operation of two concrete paving trains. Water purification includes the operation of eight 1500-gallon per hour water purification units. Under well drilling is included the operation of two percussion well drilling machines, each capable of drilling a six or eight inch diameter hole to a depth of 1000 feet. The engineering capability includes designing, drafting, surveying, testing (concrete, asphalt and soils) and the operation of two mobile material labs. Each battalion has its own survey, design and soils testing capability. |
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| If you have more information on the history or organization of the 24th Engr Gp, please contact me. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: email from Jack Lewis) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I was assigned to HHC 24th Engineer Group from 2/1966 till 8/1967 at Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern. I was the orders clerk in the personnel office. This was a time when Vietnam was heating up and we had to re-assign many of our personnel to Vietnam. A lot of officers and older enlisted men chose that time to retire so it was the younger guys who were sent to the war. We had just over 100 guys in the unit back then and were in a barracks where the 370 Engr. Co. was on the 3rd floor and a unit of M.P.'s were on the 1st floor and we were on the 2nd. Our offices were across a quadrangle from us and were were the last bldg. before you hit the snack bar and the theater. Would be nice to hear from anyone from back in those days. Thanks for the site. |
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| 370th Engineer Company (CS) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Email from Everett F. Coppoc) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The information on the 370th Engr Co is really lacking. I was assigned twice to the unit -- from 1961 to 1966 and again from 1969 to 1970. In the 1960s we worked our butts off for the other units, keeping the outdated equipment up and running. We went TDY with our equipment and we worked the equipment that other units did not want to operate. The 370th Engr Co (CS) was the best military unit I was in during my 20 years in the Army. Between 1963 and 1965, we had a commander by the name of Donald Summersford, 1st Lt who had a set of (you know what). He did everything he could to make our company up to standards. 1st LT Summersford was, and still is, the best unit commander I ever had while in the Army, bar none. Our 1st SGT, J.C. Rush, was also very good. We had a crew of around 60 E-5's and below. No NCO's. One CWO by name of Oscar Robinson and, boy, did we get along with each other. We worked asphalt plant, concrete batch plant on air bases in Germany and France while other engineer units could not or would not. We did it and with pride! We also supported the US Army training areas all over Europe. If anyone reads this who was stationed with me in Germany, Ft. Leonard Wood or Vietnam, please contact me at weinheimer(at)ev1.net. |
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| (Source: STARS & STRIPES, Sept 25, 1958) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Dirty Mission' Assigned to Unit Playing with dirt may be fun for youngsters, but it is deadly serious business with men of the soil laboratory of the 24th Engr Gp here. One of their jobs Is to crush, crumble, weigh and measure soil, and they do it by every possible method. The lab spends more than 160 man-hours a week testing soil, concrete, and asphalt. Methods such as sieve analysis are used to enable technicians to isolate the components of soil by size, texture, and grade. The soil is passed through a series of screens ranging in size from three inches square to one so fine that light is barely visible through its mesh. At each level a different type of soil, such as silt or gravel, is collected. An unusual machine used by the unit is the "beam-buster," which breaks a concrete beam into cross sections which are examined for small, telltale marks indicating serious weakness. The device also measures the amount of pressure a block can absorb before it cracks. This strength is checked against that called for by job specifications. The lab men also do outdoor testing. In the field they test the shearing strength of the ground -- its ability to support a planned road, bridge or building. One test is the digging of post holes about 12 feet deep from which soil is taken and examined as to structure of layers, moisture content and general consistency. For a new road a post hole is dug approximately every 500 feet. A job typically assigned to the soil lab was that for a Nike missiles site. The weather last December had been alternating between snow and rain, and the soils crew took tests to ascertain if the ground would support the site. The surface was found to be substandard. As a result of the finding, approximately 12 inches of top soil were removed and replaced by stronger earth to provide the solid foundation required by the Nike site. |
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| Related Links: 79th Engr Bn (Const) Unit History - very detailed history of this construction battalion can be found on Bruce Christman's excellent website |
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