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United States Army 1st Engineer Special Brigade
![U. S. Army 1st Engineer Special Brigade OK, Grove, Headstone Symbols and Meanings, U. S. Army 1st Engineer Special Brigade](https://www.cityofgroveok.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_node_primary_extra_wide/public/imageattachments/building/page/16921/1st_engineer_special_brigade.jpg?itok=tol1GULZ)
U. S. ARMY 1ST ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE - Engineer special brigades were amphibious forces of the United States Army developed during World War II. Initially designated engineer amphibian brigades, the first four brigades were redesignated ESBs in 1943.
The 1st, 5th, and 6th Engineer Special Brigades were assigned to the European Theater of Operations, while the 2nd and 4th Engineer Special Brigades were assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. The 3rd Engineer Special Brigade was assigned directly to the Amphibious Training Center; responsible for the training of various Army units in amphibious warfare until the dissolution of the Amphibious Training Center. It was then assigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations. The 1st Engineer Special Brigade was the only ESB to fight in both theaters of the war.
The various subordinate engineer boat, engineer amphibian, and engineer shore regiments were all redesignated as engineer boat & shore regiments (EB&SR) by the end of the war.
1st Engineer Special Brigade was activated on June 15, 1942, at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts as the 1st Engineer Amphibian Brigade. Due to necessity, it was pulled from the Amphibious Training Center early and sent to England, arriving in August 1942. In December of that year, it landed in North Africa, where it was redesignated the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, and subsequently participated in the assaults on Sicily and Italy. In December 1943, the 1st ESB returned to England. In 1944, under the command of James E. Wharton, the 1st ESB participated in the Invasion of Normandy (Utah Beach). The brigade operated as Utah Beach Command until October 23, 1944, when it began its transition to the Pacific Theater of Operations. It participated in the assault on Okinawa and was inactivated in Korea on February 18, 1946.
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