First Across the Rhine: The 291st Engineer Combat Battalion in France, Belgium, and Germany [Paperback]

David E. Pergrin (Author), Eric Hammel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1999

Colonel David Pergrin recounts how, at the age of 26, he mobilized the companies of his 291st Engineers to help bring Hitler's advancing forces to a grinding halt in the Battle of the Bulge. Small but battle-wizened units under Colonel Pergrin's command went to work with mines, crater charges, bazookas, and small arms, effectively denying the German tanks further inroads. Colonel Pergrin goes on to retell how his recruits were then chosen to build up the bridgehead that would support the flow of Allies over the Rhine into the heart of Germany. A gritty yet wonderful tale of how skilled young soldiers and their leader applied their skills and enthusiasm during a critical moment in our nation's history.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Pergrin's sterling battalion endured its baptism of fire in the Normandy breakout in the summer of 1944, played an important role in the Battle of the Bulge and in March 1945 opened the way for the climactic drive into Germany by building the first Allied bridge across the Rhine. Aside from the colonel's beaming pride in the courage and technical skill of his men, what makes this memoir of war, written with military historian Hammel, special is that the 291st battalion kept running into heavy-duty combat situations for which it was organizationally unprepared. The battalion found itself directly in the path of the German spearhead at the start of the Bulge and, in one of the European theater's crucial delaying actions, destroyed bridges, planted mines and defended roadblocks in the face of oncoming tank columns. Three months later, called on to construct an 1100-foot pontoon bridge at Remagen, the 291st accomplished a seemingly impossible task in 32 hours, despite fierce opposition. Photos.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Why did the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion stand its ground during the Battle of the Bulge when many combat and support outfits broke and fled? According to Pergrin, former commanding officer, pride, morale, training, and leadership caused the 291st to be named the premier engineer battalion in Europe in World War II. The battalion built the first bridge over the Rhine in the face of murderous enemy fire. Their stubborn stand during the Bulge enabled the U.S. First Army to reform and decisively counterattack. The 291st's part in the Bulge has been described in Janice Holt Giles's The Damned Engineers (LJ 7/70) and in the G.I. Journal of Sergeant Giles, which she edited ( LJ 5/1/65). Pergrin's work traces the history of the battalion from its formation and training through the campaigns in France, Belgium, and Germany. An exciting, well-written book that belongs in every World War II collection.
- Stanley Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 337 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl (July 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093555341X
• ISBN-13: 978-0935553413
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,094,470 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read about these unsung hero's, July 24, 2000

By 

Mitch Reed (Washington DC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Across the Rhine: The 291st Engineer Combat Battalion in France, Belgium, and Germany (Hardcover)

After hearing about Col Pergrin in the Philly news (WWII anniversary) I was hoping to find a book about his unit. This book is such a must for any WWII historian. It is quite readable, in spite the rich detail it goes into. The section (about 1/3 of the book) on the units exploits during the Battle of the Bulge, must rank among some the best first person accounts ever written! After reading that section I can see how "Those damned Engineers" ruined Hitler's winter offensive. The section on the bridging of the Rhine is another epic. I knew prior to reading this book that they did build the bridge, I was still hanging on every page, as if I was reading a novel. Col Pergrin's love and compassion for his troops is also well noted, he seems like a great leader (I wish we still had a few like him). One problem I had (very minor) was my lack of knowledge of the various types of bridges, which does not take away from this book, but if included would add so much to it. Overall I loved it!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone interested in combat engineering, July 13, 1998

By 

Michael Muck ([e-mail]) (Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Across the Rhine: The Story of the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a must read for anyone interested in combat engineering. COL Pergrin tells his story of forming and then leading a combat engineer battalion in World War II in Europe. The 291st had a huge reputation as an outstanding engineer unit, and as you read the Battalion Commander's recollections, you have no trouble understanding why. An interesting comment on the quality of officers that were grown in the two-three years prior to the invasion of France. COL Pergrin was a typical example of the quick assessment and then promotion of the true leaders. This book is enjoyable for those with some background in comabt engineering tasks. As an engineer officer, I learned much about the history and achievements of a great combat engineer unit.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book by Col Pergrin, September 3, 2010

By 

Marion J. Chard "M Chard" (Alger, MI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: First Across the Rhine: The 291st Engineer Combat Battalion in France, Belgium, and Germany (Kindle Edition)

I've had the pleasure to read this book, and to talk with the author. After all these years he is still sharp as a tack and willing to talk about his experiences. The book gives a great first hand look at the important role combat engineers played in WWII.