official publications. Perused and read as a group, they provide detailed insight into the workand skills of the engineers. If curious how to build field fortifications, laying and defusing mines,constructing river crossings, or camouflaging defensive positions properly, this is the only suchbook available. Thus, via these six chapters, we develop an enriched understanding, nay,insightful perspective, into the mind, character, personality, and mind of the Army engineer atwar. These men not only combined first-rate infantry fighting skills with engineering skills, butthey also developed unique problem-solving ingenuities. Yes, they have never been appreciatedas much as they should have been. Another example as to ‘’why” follows.“The Treadway bridge was one of our fine pieces of equipment to handle military loads,”wrote Ike in his 1948 bestseller, “Crusade in Europe”. “It was comparatively easy to transportand quickly installed. After General Collins and his VII Corps crossed the Rhine, he was, ofcourse, concerned getting his floating bridges established as quickly as possible. He called in hiscorps engineer, Colonel Mason J. Young, and said, “Young, I believe you can put a bridge acrossthis river in twelve hours. What kind of a prize do you want me to give you for doing it in lesstime than that?” Young reflected a second and then said, “I don’t want anything but if you canpromise a couple of cases of champagne to my men, we shall certainly try to ‘win’ them.” “Allright,” said Collins. “I’ll get the champagne if you get me a bridge in less than twelve hours.”In ten hours and 11 minutes the 330-yard bridge was completed, and the first load crossed
the river. Collins gladly paid off. “I heard that this creditable record was later broken.”
