107th Engineer Battalion

The 107th Engineer Battalion is a large unit of the

The Battalion traces its history to the Michigan State Troops, which was the predecessor organization to the Michigan National Guard. In 1881 the Calumet Light Guard was formed, the unit to which the 107th Engineer Battalion traces its roots to. At the time Calumet was a prominent mining town and one of the more influential cities in Michigan. The Battalion often traces its history to the civil war volunteer units raised in the Upper Peninsula, however since none of the men from those units went on to serve in the Calumet Light Guard the unit has no official lineage to the civil war. The 1431st Engineer Company is still stationed in Calumet Michigan and is therefore the most direct descendant of this unit. The Calumet Light Guard was officially designated Company B, 2nd Battalion of Infantry.^[3]

Early national service and WWI period

The unit was later re-designated Company D, 34th Michigan Volunteer Infantry and deployed to

While being transported to England aboard the unit's transport, the SS Tuscania, was struck by a U-boat torpedo, causing 200 casualties aboard the ship, however, all troops of Company A were able to safely board nearby escort destroyers. The unit's equipment was replaced prior to being deployed to France as it had been lost aboard the sunk ship. The unit was tasked with engineering duties such as removing obstacles which permeated WWI's trench warfare landscape, laying down defensive lines, as well as bridge construction and maintenance. Following the armistice the engineering unit was tasked with rebuilding 120 km of road in the war torn region as well as restoring public utilities in over 80 towns. The battalion was demobilized in 1919. In 1937 the unit was designated 1st Battalion, 107th Engineers giving it its current title.^[6]

World War II

In 1940 the unit was mobilized as part of the 32nd Infantry Division once again to take part in World War II. Upon landing in Normandy the unit engaged in immediate engineer work. German forces created deliberate obstacles to slow the allied landing such as destroying bridges, roads, and laying mine fields. The unit was tasked with removing or fixing these obstacles to ensure the smooth flow of supplies.

The unit engaged in combat during the

Bullingen, Belgium. The battalion was split into three parts, Company A guarding the center line, B guarding the south, and C guarding the north. During the night soldiers reported troops moving on their positions, however due to poor communication it could not be made clear if these were allied troops falling back or the German troops preparing to attack the unit's position, therefore no order to fire was given. Eventually two waves of German infantry assaulted the battalion's position, each being held back. However, as dawn approached German troops launched an armored assault, utilizing their Tiger and Panzer tanks to attack Company B's position from the south. As the unit had no anti-tank weapons it was over ran by German forces.

With Company B being over ran the unit was ordered to retreat. Company C located north of Bullingen managed to fight its way out of the city in the northern direction. Due to communication problems Company A did not receive any orders, holding its position in the center of town. The battalion headquarters regrouped west of Bullingen forming a new defensive line, and was forced into arming its support personnel such as cooks and drivers, as well as any stragglers who happened to join the unit as it retreated. By noon two platoons of Company B were able to make their way from behind German lines to rejoin the battalion headquarters at its newly formed defensive line. Likewise American reinforcements from the 612th Tank Destroyer Battalion arrived providing anti-tank guns against the German armor. This halted the German armored advance, however artillery attacks continued. Company A was also still holding its position in the center of Bullingen, failing to receive the retrieve order. The unit was so far ahead of the front line they were mistaken for German troops. The company commander eventually realized the unit had reformed at a new defensive line, rejoining the battalion. Despite holding the line against German forces the cost of the battle was high for the unit, with 28 soldiers KIA and 54 MIA. For their actions during the Battle of the Bulge the unit received the Presidential Unit Citation.^[7]

The unit is perhaps most famous for building the longest tactical floating bridge in the world across the Rhine, being 1370 ft in length, which was built in the span of 14 hours. The bridge was nicknamed 'Victor Bridge' by the crossing troops^[8] The battalion was tasked with repairing the Killeda-Naumberg railroad, however the majority of the work was conducted by German POWs, with displaced Polish troops aiding in supervision. The unit was finally deployed to Pilsen, as part of Patton's Third Army's drive to liberate western Czechoslovakia. While American forces occupied western Pilsen Soviet troops took control of the east, allowing the unit's troops to become some of the first to contact Soviet soldiers during World War II. During the war the battalion as well as the commander, Lt. Colonel Jenkins, were awarded the French Croix de Guerre, 'for exceptional services rendered in operations for the liberation of France'.^[9]

The 32nd Infantry Division was redeployed to the Pacific theater during the war, however the 107th Engineer Battalion did not deploy with them and was assigned to V corps. After the war the unit was organized into its present form as the 107th Engineer Battalion with headquarters in Ishpeming Michigan, owing to tradition the company stationed in Calumet Michigan was designated Company A, with Company B and Company C being stationed in Gladstone and Ironwood.

Cold War

After being deployed in the Spanish American War, World War I, and World War II the unit was not activated into Federal service until the 21st century, however it was activated for State Emergencies such as the