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A Combat Engineer with Patton's Army: The Fight Across Europe with the 80th "Blue Ridge" Division in World War II Kindle Edition

by Lois Lembo (Author), Leon Reed (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
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George Patton is renowned for his daring tank thrusts and rapid movement, but the many rivers and obstacles his Third Army encountered crossing Europe required engineers spearheading his advance. A Combat Engineer with Patton’s Army is the untold story of Frank Lembo, one of Patton’s men who helped move the American command in the battle of Argentan in the Normandy Campaign, in the high-speed pursuit of the German Wehrmacht eastward across France, and in the brutal battles waged during the Battle of the Bulge and during the final combats along the borders of the collapsing Reich.

Throughout his time in Europe Lembo maintained a running commentary of his experiences with Betty Craig, his fiancé and future wife. This extensive correspondence provides a unique eyewitness view of the life and work of a combat engineer under wartime conditions. As a squad (and later platoon) leader, Frank and his comrades cleared mines, conducted reconnaissance behind enemy lines, built bridges, and performed other tasks necessary to support the movement of the 317th, 318th, and 319th Infantry Regiments of the Blue Ridge Division—Patton’s workhorses, if not his glamour boys.

Frank wrote about the deadly river crossings at the Moselle, Seille, and Sauer, all under enemy fire, and of the frustrating pauses when supplies were diverted. He participated in the mid-December sprint to Luxembourg and the relief provided at Bastogne during the Bulge, the liberation of concentration camps once Third Army had charged into Germany, and of their occupation duty in Bavaria. Frank’s letters go beyond his direct combat experiences to include the camaraderie among the GIs, living conditions, weather, and the hijinks that helped keep the constant threat of death at bay. His letters also worked to reassure Betty with hopeful dreams for their future together.

Including dozens of previously unpublished photographs, A Combat Engineer with Patton’s Army: The Fight Across Europe with the 80th “Blue Ridge” Division in World War II offers the rare perspective of what day-to-day warfare at the ground-level looked like in the European Theater through the eyes of one of the men spearheading the advance.
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  1. Print length
    289 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Savas Beatie
  5. Publication date
    June 9, 2020
  6. File size
    37565 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Frank had enough gumption to put in writing his experiences. It’s a great asset to our history. The letters he wrote his fiancé are a priceless record and his daughter did a great job of filling in the story. As an 80th Division infantryman, I can verify that the experiences of Frank were of the highest traditions of our unit. Frank was a ‘Can do American G.I.’”
Staff Sergeant Bob Burrows, World War II veteran, 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division

"...highly recommended as an example of how one battalion supported the U.S. Army’s war in Europe and of one soldier’s service to his country."
Army History Magazine

“Combining a personal narrative with an operational history . . . certainly recommended.”
The Journal of America's Military Past

“As youngsters, we grew up with dads who fought in WWII, dads who rarely talked about the war and many who came back after ‘just doing their job.’ We didn’t know what they went through, either physically or emotionally and it wasn’t until later years when they started talking about ‘the war.’ Now, it’s our turn, the Baby Boomer generation, to help share their stories. Lois Lembo and Leon Reed help bring the close encounter experiences of Lois’s dad, Frank Lembo, a member of the 305th Engineering Battalion of the 80th Infantry Division, in an engaging and often frightening story. This is a must read for any and all WWII enthusiasts.”
Andrew Z. Adkins III, author of “You Can’t Get Much Closer Than This: Combat with Company H, 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division”

From the Author

My father, Frank T. Lembo, was like other young men of his generation whose lives were interrupted by the call to serve in the US army during World War II. He was a man of his time: intelligent, resourceful, ambitious, and committed to doing his part to win World War II. I know this because he wrote hundreds of letters to my mother, Betty (nee Craig), and she kept every one. Articulate and perceptive, the letters relate his wartime thoughts and experiences with real-time immediacy.The letters -- 86 of them from Europe alone -- comprise a window into the life of a GI. He wrote about the horrors of war and weather, but also with humor about small pleasures and the camaraderie among the soldiers. He didn't let a letter go by without yearning for his sweetheart, which only deepened during his months away. ...I loved looking through his souvenirs when I was growing up. The item I enjoyed the most was the diary kept by my father's unit, "B Company of the 305th Engineer Combat Battalion, 80th Infantry," neatly typewritten on onionskin. The diary followed the movements and actions of the company as it paved the way for the Third Army across Europe. After my father gave me his collection, I became committed to filling in the blanks and fleshing out the story of his war.

My aunt Mary, Frank's youngest sister, said this book is a love story. Frank and Betty's love story ended in January 2006, two weeks before their 60th anniversary, when Frank passed. Betty rejoined him seven years later. Working on this book, I spent hours each day with my parents and, besides Mom and Dad, I became acquainted with this interesting young couple, Frank and Betty. I hope you enjoy reading their story.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B089SQP9F5
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Savas Beatie (June 9, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 9, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 37565 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

About the author

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Leon S Reed

Leon S Reed

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I am a retired career switcher ESOL and US History teacher (Woodbridge HS, VA). Before that, I worked for the US Senate Banking Committee and was a defense consultant.

I have always had a passion for military history and particularly the Civil War, and particularly Gettysburg. I don't remember a time I wasn't surrounded by stories of my great-great grandfather, Morgan Snyder, who was in the 55th Ohio and fought at Gettysburg.

When I retired, we moved to Gettysburg where we live in a house that borders directly on the National Park. I got a chance to pursue my interest in the Civil War: exploring the battlefield on my bicycle, volunteering for the National Park Service (in their Resource Room, where we help people research their Civil War ancestors, and in the education program), writing and photographing for "Civil War News," Gettysburg magazine, and other publications, and creating the Facebook page "Touring Gettysburg," where I feature my growing collection (approaching 15,000) of Gettysburg photographs. I used these photos to create two books about Gettysburg, "Stories the Monuments Tell: A Photo Tour of Gettysburg, Told by its Monuments" and "The Confederate Monuments at Gettysburg."

I'm married to Lois Lembo. Our children are Sam (and Melissa), Steve (and Casey), and Casey. Our grandchildren are Alice, Maya, Walter, and Andrew.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
38 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John Baker
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on US soldier's WW2 experiences
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
If you want to understand what U.S. combat soldiers experienced in World War II, this book is for you. The authors tell the compelling story of Frank Lembo, their family member, who served in a combat engineer battalion in Europe as part of General Patton’s Third Army forces.

Frank and his fellow engineers provided crucial support to U.S. troops from Normandy through the final fighting on German soil. They cleared German minefields and moved Patton’s forces across multiple rivers despite destroyed bridges and German defenses, while also undertaking other engineering duties.

Thanks to the treasure trove of wartime letters that Frank sent to his future spouse, Betty, the reader receives a first-hand account this combat soldier’s apprehensions and hopes while noticing how Frank continually downplays the combat risk that he continually faces so not to worry folks back home.

Fortunately, however, the authors have meticulously incorporated added information from wartime military records, unit histories, and other sources that illuminate the broader U.S. military campaign. This provides essential context for understanding Frank’s letters.

The reader gains a deep appreciation for the combat dangers that Frank and likely many other American soldiers experienced while fighting to liberate Europe by defeating Hitler and the Nazis.
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Rita Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars An important new book about WWII 305th Combat Engineers
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2020
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This book is the first book that I know of that has been written about the WWII 305th Combat Engineers. This is the first time anyone has gathered information and written about their journey through the heart of Europe during that war. It is written by Lois Lembo and her husband, Leon Reed. Lois' father, Frank T. Lembo, was a member of the 305th Combat Engineers, Company B, during WWII. Frank had written letters home during the war to his sweetheart, Betty Craig, and it is these letters that form the backbone of this book. Against the backdrop of all of the fighting and day-to-day horrors of war is the love story of two young people who were holding onto the dream of their future together. This is a perfect blending of the life of Frank Lembo the soldier with Frank Lembo the man. The amount of research that went into finding and documenting the journey of this man through his days of WWII is nothing short of remarkable. While there are many books available about World War II, up until now there hasn't been one that has done such an in-depth look at General Patton's Third Army, 305th Combat Engineers. This will be quite a valuable resource to the WWII library. I know this because my father was also a member of the 305th Combat Engineers, and up until now I have not been able to find any one source that chronicles their journey. This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it for not only the historical information it provides, but also for an intimate look at the human side of this World War II decorated war hero.
One person found this helpful
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Jim
4.0 out of 5 stars Well researched, fascinating view of life in World War II
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
I was most impressed by the depth of subject knowledge by the authors. That does not come by merely researched a subject for a new book to write. It comes from living a life thinking about these subjects and collecting materials that matter in the context of characters, time, place, and attitudes.
The documentation is good. I especially liked that in kindle, you can click on the footnote numbers and the note comes up, or you can wait, and read all the footnotes at the end of the chapters.
Frank , the main character, and Betty, almost as important in the book, competed for my attention even though the main focus of the book are the American armies and one specific Engineers group.
At about a quarter of the way through the book, I told my wife that it was a keeper and went on reading, staying up way too late for several nights. Isn't that the mark of a good book? Most of my likes are fiction, and this non fiction held my attention very well.
I would have liked to see more geography. It was descriptive, but a few maps would help me out.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Essayons
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2023
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Looking forward to reading the book. I actually met the author
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Scott Mingus
5.0 out of 5 stars A daughter's tribute to her father
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2020
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My dad was a veteran of the European Theater of World War II and I have always wanted to write a book on his unit and its actions but have not yet done so. Lois Lembo, working with co-author Leon Reed, has taken her father's wartime correspondence and woven it into a fascinating "he was there" personal account of a combat engineer during General Patton's fabled drive across western Europe. That move helped bring an end to the war. The book is a treasure trove of information, not only about the battles and maneuvers, but about the everyday emotions and thoughts of a common soldier. The letters and accompanying text bring new light to this. Well worth reading if you are interested in this type of account. A+
One person found this helpful
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D. Fellix
5.0 out of 5 stars A very personal perspective on WWII - a treasure for history buffs.
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
"A Combat Engineer with Patton's Army" by Lois Lembo and Leon Reed draws from an extensive collection of personal accounts of some of the major battles of WWII in Europe. Even those who are familiar with this history will find a fresh perspective as the book shares insights on the personal toll of war and its repercussions on the home-front. Few families treasured their WWII archives as the Lembo family did. Thanks to authors Lois Lembo and her husband Leon Reed, this clearly and concisely written, and gratifyingly illustrated, book is a treasure all history buffs can enjoy.
2 people found this helpful
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Tim Yova
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on Patton's Third Army in 1944-45.
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
What a great read! "A Combat Engineer in Patton's Army" takes a look at the last nine months of WW II through the eyes of a man that was at the point of the spear and won a Silver Star for his actions. Through Sgt. (later lieutenant) Lembo's letters to his fiancee and their own research, the authors have produced a well written account of the Third Army's historic dash through northern Europe. I've read many books on WW II and this is one of the best.
One person found this helpful
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Dr. Richard Trachtman, Ph. D.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Combat Engineer With Patton’s Army
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2020
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Frank Lembo writes to his sweetheart about his day to day thoughts while fighting against Hiller’s army. He worries that she might be attracted to someone else. He writes about the weather, enjoyments which take his mind off the war, and how he hates to be unable to wash regularly. But he seldom writes about his fears or the horrors of war. He thinks about marrying and raising a family, which is the only thing to fight for.
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