These series of pages are a collection of individual personal stories or experiences the authors remembered having
during their service in WW II.
Their accounts have been transposed onto these pages
as written.
The monument in the background is to the 5th Engineer Brigade.
The plaque to the fallen comrades of the 146th ECB
is seen on the top left side of the monument
which stands atop a German gun emplacement overlooking
Omaha Beach.
Somewhere in France
7 July 1944
Mrs. Burns,
A few lines first to introduce myself to you. I am Charles Rollins, from Shelby, Ohio, an officer assigned to Third Platoon, Company C, 146th Engineer Combat Battalion. I have been with C Company just over a year ago today and have had the same platoon ever since. I have grown to know my "boys"
(as I call them) very well & each one I consider a personal friend. In fact I wonder if I didn't develop too many friendships with my "boys". To get to the point --
Our battalion was the Assault Engineers who hit the beach first & our mission was to blow the obstacles & clear the paths for the infantry to come in on "D" Day. Words can never describe what we had to go through to complete our mission, but somehow we did. James was on the same boat that I was on. After we landed and had cleared our gaps, we headed for cover at the top of the beach. Machine guns, mortar & artillery fire was on the beach all the time & it was purely a miracle that so many got through. After we reached cover we dug-in to give us protection from shrapnel. We had protection from every seemingly means of danger. James dug his hole underneath a ledge of soft earth & rock. A shell landed on top of the ledge & caved it in. James & several other men who had also dug their holes there, were trapped & by the time they were dug out it was too late. We tried all we could but it was impossible. He did a wonderful job on the beach & was very much a man, not faltering from his work when the fire was the heaviest.
I know that your sorrow is great in that your son has deceased, but rest assured that he did his job as a good American & the best of soldier. No one could have asked more from one of his men. I always had complete faith and confidence in James.
I hope that this letter, though short it may be, will relieve your mind a small bit. I felt that I just had to write to you because of the excellent character and fine soldier attitude of your son.
My mother would want someone to write to her if anything happens to me & I know you will appreciate this.
We shall carry on in James' name and avenge it all the way. All of my men are putting their hearts in this letter to you.
Our unit (146 Engrs) received a unit citation which is the same as the Distinguished Service Cross which means an excellent job on the beach & we are only started. We shall carry on!
I remain, as always a friend.
Charles W. Rollins, Jr.
1st Lt. C.E.
Sympathy letter from
1st Lt. Charles F. Rollins,
Platoon leader of 3rd Pltatoon
Company C
146th ECB,
addressed to Mrs. Burns,
mother of James F. Burns,
KIA at Omaha Beach
June 6, 1944
