A Bailey Bridge over the Rhine River at Bad-Godesberg, Germany

Compiled and written by Steven Tooker, grandson of Technical Sergeant

ohn C Chandler, S! "nit #$S-Company, %&'th (ngineer Combat Battalion)
*rom +,!! to +,!-, the %&'th (ngineer Combat Battalion was attached to
the +++&th (ngineer Combat Gro.p) The Gro.p served in the *irst Army
thro.gho.t the war) The +++&th (ngineer Combat Gro.p s.pported mainly
the /00 Corps, b.t at di1erent times s.pported / and /000 Corps, and wo.ld
s.pport the needs re2.ested by the *irst Army) Before the #odges Bridge was
b.ilt, the +++&th Gro.p had sent elements from the %&'th and +!3th to
4iege, Belgi.m) Both of the (ngineer Battalions were being trained and they
were e5perimenting with Bailey 6Barge6 Bridging on the 7e.se River d.ring
8ovember and 9ecember +,!!) 9.ring the training, the Germans were
la.nching many B.:: bombs into the city)
After the capt.re of the bridge in Remagen, other temporary bridges were
constr.cted over the Rhine) The *irst Army directed the +++ ;th (CG to start
reconnaissance for a bridge site and to make preparations for constr.ction of
a bridge) The *irst Army needed a ma<or bridge b.ilt s.itable for carrying
heavy loads, s.ch as Armored divisions, other military e2.ipment and
0nfantry divisions)
The location of Bad Godesberg was selected as the bridge site beca.se it
was centrally located on the coordinates of advance) The road net to and
from the bridge was fairly ade2.ate) The width of the river in the area was
abo.t +,+!& feet, making it span-able) Another element that made it
favorable - the water was shallow from the riverbanks)
;nce the location was set for the bridge, the (ngineer Gro.p sent o.t
orders to the (ngineer Battalions which belonged to +++&th to start
preparations for bridge constr.ction) The bridge constr.ction was broken .p
into two sections= the %&'th (ngineer Combat Battalion was given the
responsibility for bridge constr.ction on the west side of the river and the
+!3th (ngineer Combat Battalion was given the responsibility for
constr.ction of the bridge on the east side of the Rhine)
The %&'th (CB sent o.t engineers to gather .p large si:ed barges and
other e2.ipment needed to get started on the pro<ect) The barges were
towed to the bridge site and the %&'th (ngineers went right to work
modifying the barges to s.pport the Bailey bridge) The %&'th assigned all
fo.r Companies to di1erent pro<ects on the bridge) The three line companies
worked on b.ilding two landing bay piers, two d.al carriage land bays which
were over one h.ndred feet long, and three >oating bays which .sed si5
barges and h.ndred foot sections of bridging)
;ther elements from the %&'th companies worked on anchoring down the
bridge with steel cables, while still others started constr.ction of the road
entrance to bridge on the ?est Side of the river, which was taken over by the
+%@!th (CB) The @A+st (ngineer 4ight (2.ipment Company had the ma<or
task of s.pplying heavy e2.ipment and operators to all (ngineer battalions
.nder the +++ ;th Gro.p) The task given to the @A+ st was one of the biggest
pro<ects assigned to the company)
?ith this going on with the %&'th (CB, the +!3th (CB was doing the same
thing on the east side of the river) As both (ngineer Battalions worked day
and night constr.cting the bridge, which started on 7arch %@th, +,!-, they
Bnally met in the center of the Rhine River <oining their sections of bridge
together) 0t was some pro<ect to start on both ends of the river at the same
time and meeting in the center of the river connecting the bridge together
with the Bnal pinC
;n April @th, +,!-, the bridge was oDcially opened to traDc and was
named the #odges Bridge after the commander of the *irst Army, 4t) General
Co.rtney #odges) .st before the bridge opened 4t) General ;mar Bradley,
commander of the +%th Army Gro.p, and 4t) General #odges visited the
bridge) They walked the bridge and made their inspection of a well-b.ilt
bridge) The #odges Bridge carried the b.lk of all *irst Army traDc crossing
the Rhine)
?hen it was done, the (ngineers had b.ilt a two-way bridge, which was a
little over +,+'! feet long) ;n the d.al carriageway bridge, one lane was a
Class-!& ton Bailey and the other lane was a Class-'& ton Bailey) 9.ring the
bridge constr.ction, Bve specially trained German swimmers made an
attempt at night to damage the bridge, b.t were capt.red) After the bridge
was completed, the %&'th (ngineer Combat Battalion was assigned to bridge
sec.rity)