166TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION

IN HONOR OF OUR 23 DEPARTED AND 75 WOUNDED COMRADES

BRIDGE AT FRANKFURT

PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION

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ICI TOMBÈRENT EN AOUT 1944

POUR LA LIBÉRATION DU LOIR ET CHER

English translation:

Here fell in August 1944

For the liberation of Loir et Cher

Sergt. Russo Carl

P.V.T. Trajanowiski Henry

F.F.I. Mazille Bernard

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Text on plaque:

LA MISSION DU 166EME BATAILLON DU GÉNIE DU 12EME CORPS ÉTAIT DE PROTÉGER LE FLANC DROIT DE LA 3EME ARMÉE US. DU GENERAL PATTON EN ROMPANT LES PONTS DE LA LOIRE ENTRE BLOIS ET ORLÉANS.

DÉBARQUÉ NEUF JOURS PLUS TÔT PARTI DE VOLNAY (SARTHE), ARRIVE PAR HERBAULT, LE 166EME CONNUT LE BAPTÊME DU FEU ICI, AUX ALLÉES, A L'ENTRÉE DE LAS VILLE, LE 15 AOUT 1944.

LE SERGENT CARL J. RUSSO ET LE SOLDAT HENRY J. TRAJANOWISKI FURENT LES PREMIERS PONTONNIERS TOMBES À CET ENDROIT.

APRES AVOIR ENTERRE SES MORTS AU CLOITRE DE LA TRINITÉ À VENDÔME, LE 166TH ENGINEERS COMBAT BATTALION POURSUIVIT SA CAMPAGNE EN FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG, ALLEMAGNE ET TCHÉCOSLOVAQUIE.

COMPTANT DANS SES RANGS 37 MORTS AU COMBAT, 74 BLESSES ET 52 DISPARUS.

English translation:

The mission of the 166th Engineer Battalion of the 12th Corps was to protect the right flank of the 3rd U.S. Army led by General Patton in destroying  the bridges of the Loire between Blois and Orleans.

Having  landed nine days earlier near Volnay (Sarthe), arriving via Herbault, the 166th underwent its baptism by fire here in the alley at the entrance to the town on August 15, 1944.

Sergeant Carl J. Russo and Private Henry J. Trajoanowiski were the first Engineers to fall in this area.

After having buried their dead in the vicinity of the Trinity of Vendome, the 166th Engineer Combat Battalion continued its campaign in France, Luxembourg, Germany and Czechoslovakia.

They counted 37 killed in action, 74 wounded and 52 missing.