D Day - 6th Engineer Special Brigade

D-DAY - UNITS

6th Engineer Special Brigade (Omaha Beach)

William M. Hoge

The 146th Engineer Combat Regiment was activated at Camp Swift, Texas, on 25 January 1943. On 1 April 1943 it was redesignated the 1116th Engineer Combat Group. The group moved to Fort Pierce, Florida, for amphibious training on 16 August, and then to Camp Pickett, Virginia, on 10 October. It staged at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, before departing the New York Port of Embarkation on 8 January 1944. It arrived in the UK on 17 January, where it was redesignated the 6th Engineer Special Brigade on 15 May.
The brigade participated in the invasion of Normandy, operating the western end of Omaha Beach, the Charlie, Dog and Easy Green beaches. The brigade lost its commander, Colonel Paul W. THOMPSON, who was seriously wounded on D-Day, and he was replaced by Colonel Timothy L. MULLINGAN. It operated Omaha Beach until it was closed on 19 November. The brigade then became responsible for the security of the western coast of the Cotentin Peninsula.

Provisional Engineer Special Brigade Group: Brigadier General William M. Hoge [view folder]

6th Engineer Special Brigade: Colonel Paul W. Thompson (WIA 6 June 44) [view folder]

Brigade Headquarters:

147th Engineer Combat Battalion:

149th Engineer Combat Battalion:

203rd Engineer Combat Battalion:

293rd Joint Assault Signal Company:

60th Medical Battalion:

453rd Medical Collection Company:

499th Medical Collection Company:

500th Medical Collection Company:

634th Medical Clearing Company:

74th Ordnance Battalion:

618th Ordnance Ammunition Company:

3565th Ordnance Medium Automotive Maintenance Company:

95th Quatermaster Battalion:

88th Quatermaster Service Company:

555th Quatermaster Service Company:

3820th Gas Supply Company:

280th Quatermaster Battalion:

460th Amphibian Truck Company:

461st Amphibian Truck Company:

463rd Amphibian Truck Company:

538th Quatermaster Battalion:

967th Quatermaster Service Company:

3204th Quatermaster Service Company:

3205th Quatermaster Service Company:

494th Quatermaster Port Battalion:

517th Quatermaster Port Battalion:

7th Naval Beach Bn (attached): Commander Lawrence C. Leever