12-223 Garand Picture of the Day - Roer crossing

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ff_large-1.jpg


Allies Drive For The Rhine

Under enemy fire, a US 9th Army infantryman runs across a pontoon footbridge spanning the Roer river during the Allied drive into Germany.
Location:Germany
Date taken:February 1945
Photographer:George Silk


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...a2_large-1.jpg

Two US Ninth Army infantrymen under intense machine gun & mortar fire, running across pontoon footbridge spanning the Roer River as body of American soldier lies sprawled before them during WWII.



https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...46_large-1.jpg


American soldiers using a stretcher to retrieve the body of a countryman killed while crossing a pontoon footbridge spanning the Roer river during the Allied drive into Germany.


Location:Germany
Date taken:February 1945
Photographer:George Silk


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...80_large-1.jpg


American soldiers in trouble and danger of drowning on a collapsing pontoon footbridge which was being built to span the Roer river during the Allied drive into Germany.


Location:Germany
Date taken:February 1945
Photographer:George Silk

Wonder how that turned out. Boat to the rescue?

http://carol_fus.tripod.com/army_roer_crossing.html

That had to be the coldest, longest run of their lives.

Wonder if pic 1 was the first to cross or a straggler. Talk about exposed. "When uncommon valor was a common virtue" is the quote that comes to mind.

No. The first to cross were the Combat Engineers that built it. When it came to rivers the Engineers were out in front of the Infantry. They don't ever get enough credit for what they do.

Jerry Liles

Building one of those would be tough with bullets snapping by occasionally...way worse than deerflies...and when they build those, they work until it's done. Not in shifts or taking breaks.