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DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION, 108th ECB
The 108th Engineer Combat Battalion is cited for outstanding performance of
duty in action against the enemy in Northern Luzon, Philippine Islands, from 19
February to 1 May 1945. Question Mark Hill and Bench Mark Hill, vital points
commanding the Pozorubbio-Rosario Highway, taken by our infantry after fierce
fighting and heavy casualties, were in imminent danger of being lost because of
the extreme difficulty of supply. Engineer troops, working under enemy
artillery, mortar, and small-arms fire, supplied the infantry with water by hand
carry over a 7-hour long, tortuous mountain trail and constructed a supply road
rising 800 feet in a distance of 2 miles over narrow hogback ridges that dropped
precipitously 300 to 500 feet at many places. To support a wide envelopment,
another 3-mile road was pushed under enemy fire from Alibeng to Hill 1802, an
elevation of 1,600 feet. In the next phase of the campaign, constantly harassed
by enemy infiltration attacks by night and artillery and sniper fire by day, a
10-mile supply road was built from Rosario to Pugo. Working in advance of the
infantry, the bridges of the Agoo-Pugo Road were opened and mine fields removed,
enabling the infantry to make a surprise advance in force from positions many
miles to the rear. To support one prong of the attack on Baguio, a road was
necessary from Pugo to Tuba. Although advised by higher headquarters that road
construction over the mountains in that area was impossible, engineer
reconnaissance patrols were operated deep into enemy territory, a road surveyed
and pushed to an elevation of 4,400 feet in a distance of 8 miles, despite
numerous enemy suicide patrol attacks to destroy road building equipment.
Meanwhile, to support the advance toward Baguio along the coastal route,
engineers cleared the road and repaired the bridges north of Aringay. Under
cover of darkness and while the infantry enveloped the town of Bauang from the
west, an engineer detachment removed enemy demolitions from two 640-foot spans
across the Bauang River and seized and held the bridges against enemy
resistance. The division front was now extended from San Fernando to San Manuel,
a distance of 65 miles. To prevent an enemy salient, our troops had to be moved
from Caba to Galiano under observation of the enemy holding the Naguilian Road
and Bilbil Mountain to the north. Despite almost nightly enemy attacks, the 13
miles of road were constructed in 15 days over the most difficult terrain.
Meanwhile, other elements of the 108th Engineer Combat Battalion in a move to
open up the tortuous and canalized Kennon Road, against determined and
continuous enemy resistance and frequently without any friendly infantry
support, destroyed enemy strong points commanding mine fields, removed the
mines, and repaired bridges under cover of supporting fires provided by
themselves. These and the many other roads built and repaired by the 108th
Engineer Combat Battalion were vital supply roads capable of sustaining
division loads and enabling the supply and evacuation incident to an
operation of a reinforced division. While contributing so enormously to
the winning of the battle of supply, the engineers continued to perform
other engineer functions, which were complicated and increased because of
the great length of division front and rapidity of advance. The
outstanding performance of duty and the bold, vigorous and aggressive
action displayed by the personnel of the 108th Engineer Combat Battalion,
in the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulties, presented an
inspiring example to other units of the division, exemplified their deep
devotion to duty, and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the
Corps of Engineers and the United States Army.
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