1892nd Engineer Aviation Battalion (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 1892nd Engineer Aviation Battalion was a United States Army Air Force unit activated on May 1, 1943 at Gowen Field (Army Air Base) in Boise, Idaho
. The battalion was responsible for building air fields and runways throughout the Pacific Theater
during World War II
. The unit was inactivated on June 17, 1946 following the end of the war. The unit was later reactivated and re-designated the 964th Engineering Construction Battalion and performed training functions in Rochester, New York
and Fort Belvoir, Virginia until it was inactivated on October 23, 1959.
Upon activation in 1943, the 1892nd Engineer Aviation Battalion was initially assigned to the 930th Engineer Aviation Regiment at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
, Second Air Force
. Later that year the battalion was transferred to the 934th Engineer Aviation Regiment for coordination and supervision of organization and training. On January 13th, 1944 the unit was relocated to Geiger Field, Spokane, Washington
for a temporary change of station, where the unit was reassigned to the Fourth Air Force
for additional training. After training the 1892nd was transferred to Camp Anza near Riverside, California
from October 6th to October 20th for staging
. The unit was then transferred to the San Francisco Port of Embarkation on October 21st, 1944 where it remained until leaving on the USS Latimer for overseas deployment
on October 26th.
in May of 1944 following the Battle of Biak
.
On January 28th, 1945 the 1892nd was transferred to the island
of Luzon
, the largest island in the Philippines
. Then on February 8th, 1945 the battalion reported that it was again in New Guinea. On May 25th, 1945 the 1892nd was ordered to Okinawa for permanent change of station where it was assigned to the Far East Air Force, Fifth Air Force
, 928th Engineer Aviation Regiment. The Fifth Air Force was a combat force that was assigned multiple bomber
groups throughout the area, particularly Motobu Airfield
on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa.
The 1892nd departed New Guinea on LSTs on June 5th, 1945 with a destination of the Ryuku Islands. On June 22nd the unit arrived at Ie Shima (Iejima
), a small island off the northwest coast of Okinawa, where it would spend the remainder of the war working on runway maintenance projects and guarding airfield assets. The island housed a 5,000+ foot runway that was made from coral
quarried from the island's interior; the runway was utilized by bomber aircraft groups. The battalion was stationed near the site of war correspondent Ernie Pyle
's death. Pyle had been killed by a hidden Japanese machine gunner during the initial landing on the island. At the time of his unit's arrival the grave site was marked by an upturned rifle stuck in the mud with Pyle's helmet on it. It was later marked by a monument created by the 77th Infantry Division.
After the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki
and Hiroshima
as well as a declaration of war by Russia
on Japan, the Japanese agreed to unconditional surrender to Allied Forces at Ie Shima. On August 19th, 1945, a Japanese surrender party arrived on the island in two Betty Bombers painted white with green crosses, a color-coding that signaled to the Allies who they were and not to shoot them down.
The Japanese transferred to a C-54 transport for the trip to Manila
and a meeting with General MacArthur to review the terms of surrender. Members of the 1892nd and other units stationed on the island were allowed to line the sides of the runway as the Japanese delegation landed and departed, signaling the imminent end of World War II
. The 1892nd was inactivated on June 17th, 1946.
Following the war the unit was later reactivated and re-designated the 964th Engineering Construction Battalion. It performed training functions as an organized reserve unit
in Rochester, New York
and Fort Belvoir, Virginia until it was inactivated on October 23, 1959.
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. The battalion was responsible for building air fields and runways throughout the Pacific Theater
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The unit was inactivated on June 17, 1946 following the end of the war. The unit was later reactivated and re-designated the 964th Engineering Construction Battalion and performed training functions in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and Fort Belvoir, Virginia until it was inactivated on October 23, 1959.
World War II
- Activated: May 1st, 1943
- Overseas: October 26th, 1944
- Campaigns: New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, Ryukyus - Awards: World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalThe American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalThe Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
(with Battle Stars), Army of Occupation MedalArmy of Occupation MedalThe Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany or Japan...
- JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... - Inactivated: June 17th, 1946
Training and embarkation
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
. Later that year the battalion was transferred to the 934th Engineer Aviation Regiment for coordination and supervision of organization and training. On January 13th, 1944 the unit was relocated to Geiger Field, Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
for a temporary change of station, where the unit was reassigned to the Fourth Air Force
Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
for additional training. After training the 1892nd was transferred to Camp Anza near Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
from October 6th to October 20th for staging
Staging area
A staging area is a location where organisms, people, vehicles, equipment or material are assembled before use.- In construction :...
. The unit was then transferred to the San Francisco Port of Embarkation on October 21st, 1944 where it remained until leaving on the USS Latimer for overseas deployment
Military deployment
Military deployment is the movement of armed forces and their logistical support infrastructure around the world.-United States:The United States Military defines the term as follows:...
on October 26th.
Pacific Theater deployment
On November 13th, 1944 the 1892nd arrived at the Oro Bay, New Guinea Pacific Theater staging area via the USS Latimer. The unit was assigned to Biak Island, Mokmer Airfield near the northern coast of Papua, New Guinea where it maintained the airfield. The airfield at Biak was under Japanese control until it was captured by the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in May of 1944 following the Battle of Biak
Battle of Biak
The Battle of Biak was part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II. It was fought between the United States Army and the Japanese Army from May 27 to June 22, 1944. It was the first major tactical use of an ambush by the Japanese during the war....
.
On January 28th, 1945 the 1892nd was transferred to the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, the largest island in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Then on February 8th, 1945 the battalion reported that it was again in New Guinea. On May 25th, 1945 the 1892nd was ordered to Okinawa for permanent change of station where it was assigned to the Far East Air Force, Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 928th Engineer Aviation Regiment. The Fifth Air Force was a combat force that was assigned multiple bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
groups throughout the area, particularly Motobu Airfield
Motobu Airfield
Motobu Airfield is a World War II airfield on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa, near the East China Sea coast. The airfield was deactivated after 1945.-History:...
on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa.
The 1892nd departed New Guinea on LSTs on June 5th, 1945 with a destination of the Ryuku Islands. On June 22nd the unit arrived at Ie Shima (Iejima
Iejima
Ie jima is an island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa Honto, Okinawa Islands. It measures 20 km around and has a population of 5,055...
), a small island off the northwest coast of Okinawa, where it would spend the remainder of the war working on runway maintenance projects and guarding airfield assets. The island housed a 5,000+ foot runway that was made from coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
quarried from the island's interior; the runway was utilized by bomber aircraft groups. The battalion was stationed near the site of war correspondent Ernie Pyle
Ernie Pyle
Ernest Taylor Pyle was an American journalist who wrote as a roving correspondent for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain from 1935 until his death in combat during World War II. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944...
's death. Pyle had been killed by a hidden Japanese machine gunner during the initial landing on the island. At the time of his unit's arrival the grave site was marked by an upturned rifle stuck in the mud with Pyle's helmet on it. It was later marked by a monument created by the 77th Infantry Division.
After the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
and Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
as well as a declaration of war by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
on Japan, the Japanese agreed to unconditional surrender to Allied Forces at Ie Shima. On August 19th, 1945, a Japanese surrender party arrived on the island in two Betty Bombers painted white with green crosses, a color-coding that signaled to the Allies who they were and not to shoot them down.
The Japanese transferred to a C-54 transport for the trip to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and a meeting with General MacArthur to review the terms of surrender. Members of the 1892nd and other units stationed on the island were allowed to line the sides of the runway as the Japanese delegation landed and departed, signaling the imminent end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The 1892nd was inactivated on June 17th, 1946.
Post-World War II
- Activated: September 2nd, 1948
- Inactivated: October 23rd, 1959
Following the war the unit was later reactivated and re-designated the 964th Engineering Construction Battalion. It performed training functions as an organized reserve unit
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and Fort Belvoir, Virginia until it was inactivated on October 23, 1959.