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 XIX Corps - 1st U.S. Army - 9th U.S. Army    
 European Theater  1944-45
This website was created to recognize and honor the men who served with the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion during WWII.  On June 17, 1944, 634 men of the 82nd landed on the shores of Normandy, France. Their mission ended 326 days later, on  May 8, 1945, when the German Army surrendered unconditionally!

Most of these men were in their teens or early 20's, many right out of high school, when they joined the 82nd, at Camp Swift Texas in January 1943, to begin military training.


The role of the combat engineer is to assist the infantry and armor by removing or laying mines, opening and maintaining  supply routes, bridging the rivers, using explosives to facilitate  infantry and armor movement,  provide water supplies and a myriad of other engineering assignments.


From D-Day,  June 6, 1944, through May 8, 1945, 5.5 million young men entered the European theater of operations. When it was over 465,000 allied soldiers lay dead including 165,000 American boys who would never return home.
 
We have attempted, with  this website, to present the story of WWII. First, by  describing  the events leading up to the second world war and America's response.  We have documented the Normandy landings (Operation Overlord) followed by the history of this battalion as we carried our our mission all across Europe.  And finally, we have presented a capsule of the entire WWII conflict! These historical accounts are accompanied by hundreds of photographs.

We hope you will find  interest in our recording  of these WWII historical events!


This brief history, a moment in the annals of the eternal struggle of freedom loving people, is humbly dedicated to the youth of America.  For early in the year 1943, in an hour of deepest darkness, when the United States of America was faced with an unparalleled  adversity in a strife- torn universe, with her future doubtful and her way of life in jeopardy, it was her youth to whom she turned for further aid and resource. And American youth spontaneously answered her plea! 

American youth,  ingenuous, immature, unknown in quality,  responded to her fervent calls in a voice loud enough to give courage and consolation to downtrodded people everywhere.  American youth accepted it’s full share of responsibility for the preservation of democratic principles and ideals, well before it’s time, and was not found wanting. Nutured in freedom it took to arms to protect it’s birthright and to preserve it’s destiny.

It left it’s peaceful schoolroom, it’s cozy fireside, it’s simple pleasures, to pay a full stipend towards the price of freedom. When war shadows  were the darkest, when injustice was at it’s zenith, and when death and destruction were most prevalent,  it was the transfusion of youthful American blood into the fray that breeched the crisis. American youth stood out as a beacon light of hope, of peace, of victory......a  veritable phalanx and bulwark against the pestilence of hate and bondage...a solemn promise to the world, not only for the defeat of tyranny but for the future preservation of liberty, decency, and human rights to all forever!    


Ed. Husted, 82nd historian - July 2011
Updated  3-12-16
In the News
Click on Picture to view story.

82nd Fighting ISIS!  
New Maps from the Theatre of Operations - Europe 1944
Courtesy of Randy Huber.






Rest in Peace Soldier!

82nd Veteran
Hosea Langeway

Hosea William Langeway, age 95, passed away peacefully on June 13, 2015, in Middlebury, CT.

Hosea was born on Oct. 3, 1919, graduated from Vergennes High School and served with the 82nd Combat Engineers during the European Campaign.

After the war, he attended Vermont Technical College, the School of Agriculture at UVM,  University of Massachusetts and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, earning multiple degrees in agriculture and horticulture.

He operated the family farm until 1964, then served in the US Postal Service where he retired  in 1983.

Our sincere condolences to his family - 

Rest in peace soldier..... We prevailed.......

Thanks to Randy Huber who is faithfully keeping up on member news!
Rest in Peace Soldier
Ernest Huval, 82nd Combat Engineers

The Huval family from Lafayette, LA, announces the passing of our friend and fellow 82nd  veteran Earnest 'Sweet' Huval.  on March 11, 2015. Click the link below for the obit and a great picture of his memorbilia from the European campaign.

Peace to you, good friend, and our prayers and condolences to his family.

Huval Pdf (adobe reader required)


The Battle for St. Lo
July 18, 1944

The 15,000-man 29th Infantry Division, along with the 650-man 82nd Combat Engineer Batttalion defeated the Germans at the battle of St. Lo, in Normandy. The battle had raged for 10-days. The division commander, General Gerhardt, was killed during this battle, along with 13 members of the 82nd Engineers.
 
I was reminded of this date by a column in my daily newspaper which lists important past events "on this date" in the past.
 
I phoned a former 82nd Engineer today, and he well remembered that battle. Including the German airplane which flew over us most nights just before dark, taking photos of our troop locations.   We called him, "bedcheck Charlie".

Major Ed "Doc" Molloy


Major Molloy attends 82nd Recommission Ceremony at Fort Riley........
Major Ed "Doc" Molloy attended the reactivation of the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion, in Fort Riley, Kansas. Doc spoke before the battalion on the parade ground, prior to the parade in review.

Doc was there by invitation from Major Robert Phillipson who expressed interest in keeping the legacy of all 82nd units active and to make sure the new members understand the history and sacrafice of the European and Southeast Asian campaigns.

Maj Phillipson was excited to learn that we were looking for a good home for the 82nd memoribilia, including the collection of medals the 82nd recieved for the European campaign.......Doc presented the memorbilia to the new 82nd in a ceremony on Oct 16.......

Seventy years ago, at age 18, Doc joined the ranks of the first 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion  Camp Swift, Texas.
Staff Sgt.
Ed Husted....
We Salute You!

Ed Husted, the official 82nd Historian and Web Master, passed away on February 5, 2014 at his
home in Lily Dale, NY. He was 90.

The former Mayor of Olean, NY, is survived by his wife Alpha, who performed secretarial duties at many 82nd reunions. He is also survived by 4 sons, 6 grandchildren and  13 great- grandchildren.

Ed was always up for a speech, and was passionate about WWII, the 82nd, and the Battalion Association.  Most of the writings, history and narratives on this site were written by Ed over the past 10 years.

Ed also produced two DVDs chronicling the history of the 82nd with interviews and member's stories from various reunions.

It's been said that "Ed never met a microphone he didn't like." And at 90, Ed may have been the country's oldest living webmaster (this site).

Ed is off to join his other brothers-in-arms.....all members of the greatest generation.....embodied in the men of the 82nd and their legacy.....

Rest in Peace Soldier......We Prevailed!
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