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Records/information on Company "C" 234th Engineer Combat Battalion during WW2

Ken Robidoux

looking for any information available regarding the 234th Engineer Combat Battalion, and specifically, Company "C" of this battalion, during all European campaigns during WW2.

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  • 0

     

    Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

     

    The Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR) has custody of the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1917- (Record Group 407) and the Records of U.S. Army Operational, Tactical, and Support Organizations (World War II and Thereafter) (Record Group 338).  Military unit files among these records consist mostly of historical reports, after action reports, unit journals, and general orders. These records do not include personnel information, nor do we have a name index to these records.

     

    We have searched our available finding aids and located the following records which appear to be responsive to your request:

     

    Record Group 407

    Entry (NM3) 427

    Boxes 15163-15164

     

    The records of the 234th Engineer Combat Battalion (ECBN-234) consist mostly of unit histories and operations reports covering the period 1943-1945. While Company C may be mentioned in these records, there are no documents specifically create by the company.  

     

    We invite you to continue the conversation with community members on History Hub, but should you have follow up questions for the staff at Archives II, please email us at archives2reference@nara.gov so that we can assist you further. 

    We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

     

    Sincerely,

     

    Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR)


    [24-14803-PBB]

     

  • 0 in reply to Textual Reference Branch, Archives II

    Hi Jay, Thank you for getting in touch with me, I greatly appreciate it.  I don't know exactly where to begin.  My first thought is I would like to get as much information as possible, since I have virtually nothing specific to the 234th Co. "C".

    When you say a lot, is it so much that it would be impossible to compensate you to get copies of everything?  I just don't know how much information is involved?

    I do know I would like info on the unit history, and maps.  Pictures would be great also as well as the daily reports.

    If some of this info was obtained via request to specific government archives, and you feel it might be best to go that route, I would do so if you could provide where and what forms you used.

    I would be more than happy to compensate you for any copies you are willing to make as well as your time to do so.  

    I am just thrilled to have you contact me, and all this information specifically about the 234th company C.

    Please let me know how best to proceed.

    Thank you,

    Ken Robidoux

  • 0 in reply to Ken Robidoux

    Why are you interested in the 234th Engineer Combat Bn, Company "C"?   My father and the 234th landed on D+3 on Omaha Beach getting the arrowhead device for the initial invasion and fought all the way to the Siegfried Line before being shot in the arm on a combat mission near Buscherheide, Germany.  He missed the Battle of the Bulge being in the hospital a few months recovering but returned to the 234th afterwards meeting the Russians on the Elbe.  My father spoke French so he was always on the front line gathering intelligence from the locals on the German activity.   He received the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal.

    I just happened to see your post while doing a Google search on the 234th and responded.  This is my first time on this site so I am not familiar with protocols for exchanging information on it.

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  • 0 in reply to Ken Robidoux

    Why are you interested in the 234th Engineer Combat Bn, Company "C"?   My father and the 234th landed on D+3 on Omaha Beach getting the arrowhead device for the initial invasion and fought all the way to the Siegfried Line before being shot in the arm on a combat mission near Buscherheide, Germany.  He missed the Battle of the Bulge being in the hospital a few months recovering but returned to the 234th afterwards meeting the Russians on the Elbe.  My father spoke French so he was always on the front line gathering intelligence from the locals on the German activity.   He received the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal.

    I just happened to see your post while doing a Google search on the 234th and responded.  This is my first time on this site so I am not familiar with protocols for exchanging information on it.

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  • 0 in reply to JayT

    Ken Robidoux <robidouxken@gmail.com>
    12:29 PM (5 minutes ago)
    to History
    Hi Jay,
    This is also my first time on History Hub, so I am not familiar with the protocol either.
    As I stated in my initial post, my father, Amos Robidoux, was in the 234th ECB company C.  Although I have his discharge papers, all other records were destroyed in the fire.  He was listed as a demolition specialist, and marksman rifle.  His listed battles and campaigns as shown on his discharge are Normandy-Northern France-Rhineland-Central Europe.  My father rarely mentioned his time in the service (he also did a stint in the army pre-war, from February 1937 thru Feb 1940.)  His second tour, and the time he was a member of the 234th company C was August 19, 1942 thru Nov 23, 1045.  I am simply trying to learn about the 234th ECB, and company C, as to what they did, what they participated in, etc.  There just doesn't seem to be much available for the 234th, unlike other ECB units.  I've researched and found articles of other veterans of the 234th and read their articles, but where to locate unit reports, actual day-to-day activities, actual accounts of engagements not so easy to find, at least for me.  I did visit a local army historian in Springfield, MA, who showed me a copy of a paperback book, called the History of the 234th Engineer Combat Battalion, but haven't been able to find a copy for sale.  (The photos of Company C are not that clear so I was not able to even identify his platoon).  He did have a map that he made a copy of for me, that shows the 234th Route of March.  So this is what I currently have.
    So to summarize, I would like to know more about the events, activities, of company C, from their landing in Normandy through the V-E day and their disbandment.  If there is something you believe I'd be interested in and would like to share, that would be great.  If you have knowledge of where copies of the 234th unit records, may be stored and how to get copies, that would be a great help also.
    Anyway, I'll keep searching, and maybe I'll find a copy of that book.  I know it was written by Thomas V. Duggan, who was also a member of the 234th ECB.
    Have a nice day,

    Ken Robidoux
  • 0 in reply to Ken Robidoux

    https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:3afeb224-3ec7-4813-80a7-47498ca320c3

    Let's try this first.  Here is a link to the 234th Unit History by Thomas V. Duggan.  Which is out of print and hard to find.   I live in Milton, MA so it sounds like we live in the same state.   The 234th was a very successful unit in the XIX Corps, 1115 Engineer Combat Group.  My father said they were supporting the 29th and 30th Infantry Divisions most of the time.  These units were very successful and saw heavy combat from Nornandy on.  

  • 0 in reply to JayT

    Thanks for the link and the information, good places to expand on.

  • 0 in reply to JayT

    Jay, thank you for posting the article. 

  • 0 in reply to AnnF

    I believe this photo was taken at Fort Polk, Louisiana.   My father Joseph C. Theriault is in the back row fifth from Left.

  • 0 in reply to AnnF

    Sorry, The photo was taken at Camp Pickett, Virginia.   My father is back row fifth from Left   Joseph C. Theriault.

  • 0 in reply to JayT

    Thank you Jay for the additional information. I wish I asked my uncle more about his service. It was hard getting information about it.