Brigades

Heading the IX Engineer Command lineup of units were three provisional brigades. These comprised the second highest operational level of the command.

The First and Second Engineer Aviation Brigades were established on August 1, 1944 as a means of decentralizing control over the great distances growing out of the St-Lô breakthrough and subsequent displacement of separate armies and tactical air commands. Acting as advanced echelons of command headquarters and confining their control top only operational matters, the brigades were always in close proximity and laison with the TAC and Army which they were supporting. Aviation engineer units were shifted between the brigades as directed by operational needs. The First and Second Brigades did a major share of the aviation engineer planning and each contributed half of the total construction effort.

The Third Engineer Aviation Brigade was activated last winter when the command took on greater maintenance responsibilities. With the mission of maintaining operational airfields and performing construction in rear areas, the brigade called upon two provisional regiments to carry out all this work. By VE-Day, the brigade had assumed responsibility for all work west of the Rhine River and was maintaining an average of 75 airfields. It employed about 10,000 civilians and PWs to augment the work done by attached units.

922nd Engineer Aviation Regiment

Le Bourget, (A-54) the famous French airfield where Lindberg landed the Spirit of St. Louis after flying the Atlantic, stands as a symbol of the "front line operations" of the aviation engineers. A bronze plaque now rests on the wall of the administration building at the field in honor of Col. A.P. Little, Jr., and Lt. Col. G.B. Hall, of the 922nd. These two officers lost their lives at Le Bourget while attempting reconnaissance of this field while enemy troops were still in possession of much of it.

923rd Engineer Aviation Regiment

The 923rd Engineer Regiment is the only colored unit in the IX Engineer Command, and the largest single Negro organization in ETOUSA. The Regiment arrived on the continent of Europe in September, 1944 and has since been employed on airdomes on the southern airdromes on the southern front in support of the 1st French Army and the U.S. 7th Army, and has completed construction and rehabilitation projects across the Continent and into Germany. The famous 200 voice United States Army Negro Chorus is comprised of members of this regiment.