A high school graduate at 18, drafted into the US Army Engineers June 1943 one year later landed on D Day in Normandy.
My unit was activated July 1943, earned 5 battle stars,a unit meritorious service award, helped to construct a class 70/40 1100 foot floating Bailey Bridge on captured German barges across the Rhine at Bad Godesberg, named the Gen. Hodges Bridge March 1945.
We were shipped to Luzon, Phillipenes after the war ended in Europe. Our unit was deactivated in December 1945.