First Across the Rhine: The Story of the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion

For the 291st, there was no bridge too far. From Normandy to the heart of Germany itself, the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion literally paved the way for the Allies' final march to victory in Europe. Comprised of the best and the toughest among American enlisted men, proving they could take the worst of combat, and more important, give it back, the 291st both built and blew up vital bridges, stood its ground against the crushing Panzer spearhead during the Battle of the Bulge, and provided critical access over the Rhine in the face of enormous resistance.

This is the 291st's story, dramatically told by the man who served as its commander.