175th Construct a bridge over the Soui Ben Da River
for 1st Battalion (mech) 5th Infantry "Bobcats"
2/27/67
PSG.,Milton background surveying placement of bridge
Arrival of bridge parts Ch-47
It's complete yessssssss !!!
1st Battalion (mech) 5th Infantry "Bobcats" start to come across
Hooking up bridge parts Donald Kilburn
"Lay hold ! Heave ! " 650 lbs. to lift
FEBRUARY 27, 1967
175th ENGINEER COMPANY
SPANS BRIDGE OVER SOUI BEN DA RIVER
CU CHI
Members of the 3rd Plt., 175th Engineer Company, 196 Light Infantry Brigade,
recently erected and disassembled a 75-foot pontoon bridge across the Soui
Ben Da River.
Shortly after landing near the river bank in Huey helicopters, the 48 men began
blasting with TNT and sawing down trees to clear a drop zone. A Chinook brought
the first load of pontoons 45 minutes later.
Yelling "Lay hold! Heave!" the men quickly hauled the 650-pound pontoon halves
to the river and connected them while more Chinooks dropped tracks and ramps.
They completed the bridge in a few short hours.
Later 63 armored personnel carriers from the 1st Battalion (Mech), 5th Infantry,
"Bobcats" started across the bridge. Brig. Gen. Richard T. Knowles, commanding
general, 196th Brigade, watched the crossing with satisfaction.
"These engineers seem happy when they're working," he commented.
The men proved him correct as they put energy and spirit into disassembling
the bridge and stacking the parts. Maj. Willian Cutter, brigade engineer, also
praised the men for their excellent work.
Chinooks came to evacuate men and equipment at dusk. The engineers were
too busy praising the helicopter pilots to bask in the memory of their own
accomplishments.
To them it had been just another day of much work and little glory.
But those who watched the engineers in operation testified to their skill and stamina.
NEXT
Cooling off after a hard days work, Gary Hunt, Sam Lococo
