The 238th Engineer Combat Battalion was activated on June 13, 1942, as the Second Battalion of the 51st Engineer Combat Regiment. Its first action during World War II took place on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at Utah Beach. Landing in support of VI Corps, the 238th was tasked with aiding the troops’ movement off the beach and facilitating their advance inland.
Operating in the Tare Green Sector of Utah Beach, the battalion was responsible for clearing and maintaining the critical U-5 exit road. This route was vital for the 4th Infantry Division to connect with forces at Omaha Beach and paratroopers on the Cotentin Peninsula.
Shortly after landing, Lt. George Worth and Sgt. Donald W. Ray of B Company identified a 26-foot crater caused by an antitank mine. With help from the 991st Treadway Bridge Company, they installed a 36-foot steel treadway bridge—one of many to be constructed during the war. The bridge, defended by a fortified .50 caliber machinegun position, became a crucial pathway for vehicles moving inland from Utah Beach despite ongoing German artillery fire.
The battalion’s work continued as the 4th Infantry Division landed near a key linkup road to Omaha Beach. Bridging the Douve River, which separated Omaha and Utah beaches, was critical for the advancing forces. On June 10, 1944, C Company of the 238th constructed the first steel treadway bridge over water, a complex operation that required adapting to the changing tides.
Lt. John B. Wong, leader of C Company’s 1st Platoon, recalled how the floating pontoon bridge symbolized hope and victory to the local French residents. The mayor of Ste. Marie du Mont commented, “As soon as we saw this remarkable bridge erected so quickly, we knew the war would be won by the Allies.”
From D-Day to VE Day, the 238th Engineer Combat Battalion lived up to its motto, Victoria per Construere (Victory through Construction). Supporting VI Corps in five major campaigns, its soldiers were awarded 18 Silver Stars, 73 Bronze Stars, and 120 Purple Hearts for their service.