Fifth Engineer Special Brigade Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer

The memorial to the Fifth Engineer Special Brigade is located on top of a casemate at WN62.

IN MEMORY
TO OUR 80 BRAVE COMRADES IN ARMS OF THE
299TH COMBAT ENGINEERS
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES ON THE BEACHES
OF FRANCE AND ON THE CONTINENT OF
EUROPE IN WORLD WAR 2.
LEST WE FORGET


FIFTH ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE

146TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION

At H+03 minutes on 6 June 1944 our demolition engineers, plus
attached soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division and navy men
from 13 Naval Combat Demolition Units, carried explosives ashore
from 15 LCM landing craft to destroy the anti-boat obstacles
on Omaha Beach. The main elements of the 1st and 29th Infantry
Divisions then landed and overran the German defenders. For
their valiant efforts, the 146th Engineers and the Naval Combat
Demolition Units were awarded Presidential Unit Citations.

THIS PLAQUE IS IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR 35 MEN WHO DIED HERE

CROIX de GUERRE
Presented to the
5th ENGINEER
SPECIAL BRIGADE
25 MAY 1945

FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES
OF WAR RENDERED IN THE
COURSES OF THE OPERATIONS
OF LIBERATION OF FRANCE

THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE
6TH NAVAL BEACH BATTALION
DEDICATED THIS PLAQUE
TO OUR FALLEN COMRADES
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN DEFENSE OF GOOD OVER EVIL.
THEY ARE THE SILENT SENTINELS
WHO FROM THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACE
ABOVE THE CLIFF THEY
PERPETUALLY WATCH OVER THE
SACRED GROUND OF OMAHA BEACH.

JUNE 6, 2001