Troops General by Engineer Amphibian Command (1 results)

Condition: Fair. [1], iii, [1], 91, [1] pages. Illustrations Maps. Stapes have been removed. Seven separate 'signature' [sections of text] with staple holes present. Item is collated and complete. Lithographed by the Drafting and Reproduction, Headquarters, Engineer Amphibian Command. Cigarette burned through at bottom of front cover page, and scorch mark on first and second pages. Marked Restricted. Name of previous owner on front cover. This guide was published as an aid to training engineer amphibian units. It contains the essentials of the mission, procedure and organization of engineer amphibian troop as developed during the past year [1942] by this Command. It has, however, been rapidly complied to meet an urgent need for such a document and unit commanders are invited to criticize and to suggest additions, deletions, changes in emphasis, etc. for incorporation in later editions. In a new and rapidly growing organization, it must be understood that the Tables of Organization and the doctrine are under constant development. Many of the figures and charts give here will change from time to time. Departure from doctrine taught in training is a privilege of command--but such departure must be justified by results. The contents are Foreword, Symbols, Introduction, Basic Facts, Landing Craft, Marine Mainentance, Organization, Engineer Amphibian Troops in Action and Annex. The Insignia of Combined Operations is is presented with a note that it was a shoulder patch in blue and gold by engineer amphibian troops (and a patch of the same design, in black and red, was worn by British combined operation troops). Rare surviving copy of a snapshot of amphibious warfare doctrine evolvution in process. Engineer Special Brigades were amphibious forces of the United States Army developed during World War II. Initially designated engineer amphibian brigades, they were redesignated engineer special brigades in 1943. At the onset of direct American involvement in World War II, it became apparent that the United States would need a large strategic and tactical amphibious warfare capability. In 1941, the amphibious forces were divided into two corps: one in the Atlantic, and one in the Pacific. Both were combined United States Army and United States Marine Corps commands, administered by the United States Navy. The Amphibious Corps, Atlantic Fleet, consisted of the 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Marine Division, while the Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet, consisted of the 3rd Infantry Division and the 2nd Marine Division. The Army activated its Amphibious Training Center at Camp Edwards on 22 May 1942, with Colonel Frank A. Keating, the chief of staff of the 2nd Infantry Division, assigned to command it. It became active on 15 June 1942. In addition to training combat units in amphibious warfare, the Army also had to train personnel in the operation and maintenance of landing craft. It was agreed with the British that boat units deploying to the UK would receive their initial training in the US. A consequence was the amphibian engineers' adoption of the British Combined Operations shoulder patch, but with the colors switched to gold on blue. The War Department also authorized the wearing of a pocket patch showing a scarlet seahorse on a white background, these being the colors of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. [The red seahorse is on the front of this document]. The Engineer Amphibian Command was created on 10 June 1942 at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts under the command of Colonel Daniel Noce [who signed out this Tentative Training Guide], with Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Trudeau as his chief of staff. Noce was answerable to Brigadier General Clarence Sturdevant, the Assistant Chief of Engineers for training. Noce and Trudeau considered how the boat units would operate in combat, and noted the importance of well-trained shore parties to load and unload the boats, and establish supply dumps on the far shore. Since combat engineers were not specifically trained for the task, and would in any case have their hands full dealing with obstacles and fortifications, they felt that a permanent organization was required. They drew up a structure for an engineer shore regiment that would combine the functions of a Navy beach party and the Marine Corps shore party. Tests were carried out with the newly-developed DUKW, and it was decided that each brigade should be equipped with three of them. An important organizational change as a result of experience with training occurred on 5 September, when Noce decided to group the boat and shore engineers into three boat and shore regiments, each with one boat and one shore battalion. Each boat and shore regiment could work with one of the three infantry regiments in an infantry division. Disbound Wraps Separate one page Engineer Boat Battallion organization chart (approximately 13 inches by 8.5 inches) laid in Presumed First Edition, First printing of this 'Tentative Training Guide'.