Ben Fox

The following letter written by Captain Edward Ellis outlines the 265th Engineer Combact Battalion activities during WWII. Ben was with Co. B, 2nd squad, 1st Plt.

June 7, 1945

Mrs. G. A. Fox
New Orleans, LA

Dear Friends and Relatives of the Men of My Command:

My men have made history-from the moment they landed at Le Harve, France, on the 22nd of January 1945, to now, their work has been marked by outstanding achievments. In France, and into Germany...and Austria our route covered 900 miles in 90 days, advancing with General Patton's Third United States Army.

My men can boast with pride of their guard on the bridges across the Saar River in Saariautem, Germany for three weeks. The enemy was prevented from demolishing the bridges of the Baar-Moselle-Rhine river triangle which played an important part in the Battle of the Saar.

My men can boast of a job well done in the demolition work of reducing the defense installations of the Siegfried Line in the Saar Valley Sector...My men can boast of their work in clearing the roads of mines and obstacles throughout Southern Germany. The men of my organization can tell you with pride of their daring assult crossings scross the Inns River while under fire. They can thrill you with an exciting chapter of the guard incident at Jaegeradorf...

The ending of the war in the European Theater of Operations found us in Linz, Austria...Our primary mission today is to guard prisoners of war while they rebuild their country in preparation of the peace to come, made possible by our Armies.

In the words of the Commanding General of the 65th Infantry Division - "You have a right to be proud."

Sincerely,

Edward H. Ellis, Jr.
Captain, Commanding Company "B"
265 Engineers Combat Battalion