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Combat Engineer: The Life and Leadership of Colonel H. Wallis Anderson, Commander of the Engineers at the Bulge and Remagen
In his service along the Mexican border and in both world wars, Colonel H. Wallis Anderson, Army Corps of Engineers, commanded troops in the most critical actions of his generation.
This tribute to an unsung American hero weaves through Anderson's life as a Pennsylvania railroad engineer and as an Army combat engineer. Throughout, he endures tragedy and triumph as a shining example of the uniquely American concept of a citizen-soldier.
Combat Engineer tells the well-known stories of the Bulge and Remagen from a new and different perspective, that of the commander. In both desperate actions, the senior engineer officer provides the steadying hand that inspires the troops to succeed. The story might seem fit for Hollywood, but no fictional account can compare to the real-life drama of Combat Engineer.
This tribute to an unsung American hero weaves through Anderson's life as a Pennsylvania railroad engineer and as an Army combat engineer. Throughout, he endures tragedy and triumph as a shining example of the uniquely American concept of a citizen-soldier.
Combat Engineer tells the well-known stories of the Bulge and Remagen from a new and different perspective, that of the commander. In both desperate actions, the senior engineer officer provides the steadying hand that inspires the troops to succeed. The story might seem fit for Hollywood, but no fictional account can compare to the real-life drama of Combat Engineer.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 14, 2021
I’m somewhat biased - the author is a brother & the subject is my maternal grandfather. There’s a tremendous amount of research & documentation. The book is quite readable for those of us who don’t count military history as a genre we regularly read. Well done John (& Grandpa)!
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February 22, 2022The Battle of the Bulge and the later rush to cross the Rhine are the subjects of countless films, whether dramatizations or documentaries. They are by now familiar battles to many. Yet, in Combat Engineer, John Racoosin brings those battles to life from a rarely seen point of view—that of combat engineers—and one combat engineer in particular—Col. Wallis Anderson the commander of the 1111th Engineer Combat Group. The colonel (Racoosin’s grandfather) was, as Racoosin says, the right man at the right place at the right time.
During his career with the Pennsylvania Railroad, Anderson learned the importance of knowing the terrain and the art and science of transportation. And, as he rose through the ranks of railroad management, he learned how to lead people. He would begin with a platoon in the Pennsylvania National Guard and later lead thousands of men on the battlefield.
One of the most important demands Anderson made of his men was that they train arduously and in harsh conditions. He said, “it is always better to train under adverse conditions and then accept more favorable circumstances as a bonus.” His words were prophetic and his insistence on training key to their survival when the 1111th found themselves in the famously bitter cold winter of 1944 in Europe.
Racoosin researched his subject exhaustively, leveraging Andersons’s letters and family memoirs as well as shelf upon shelf of works on World War II and the role of combat engineers. The colonel emerges from the page as a talented leader respected by his men. And readers ably watch as he takes time to reconnoiter the terrain, develop his battle plan, and deploy his engineers. They learn the valuable role the engineers play, whether it is building or destroying bridges or clearing or laying obstacles as the advancing army needs.
During his career with the Pennsylvania Railroad, Anderson learned the importance of knowing the terrain and the art and science of transportation. And, as he rose through the ranks of railroad management, he learned how to lead people. He would begin with a platoon in the Pennsylvania National Guard and later lead thousands of men on the battlefield.
One of the most important demands Anderson made of his men was that they train arduously and in harsh conditions. He said, “it is always better to train under adverse conditions and then accept more favorable circumstances as a bonus.” His words were prophetic and his insistence on training key to their survival when the 1111th found themselves in the famously bitter cold winter of 1944 in Europe.
Racoosin researched his subject exhaustively, leveraging Andersons’s letters and family memoirs as well as shelf upon shelf of works on World War II and the role of combat engineers. The colonel emerges from the page as a talented leader respected by his men. And readers ably watch as he takes time to reconnoiter the terrain, develop his battle plan, and deploy his engineers. They learn the valuable role the engineers play, whether it is building or destroying bridges or clearing or laying obstacles as the advancing army needs.
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April 7, 2022MWSA Review
Combat Engineer by John Racoosin is a well-researched, well-written book about the model citizen soldier. Colonel H. Wallis Anderson was a humble man who rose through the ranks of the Pennsylvania National Guard, earning a commission in time to go fight in Europe in World War I. He returned home to Pennsylvania and his job with the railroad and started a family. His determination and competence saw him rise through both the ranks of the railroad and of the reserves, and all was well until Europe exploded in World War II.
The rapid mobilization of America resulted in an immediate demand for combat engineers to assist the infantry and mechanized forces which were so important in this new war of mobility. Colonel Anderson was given almost the impossible task of developing an engineer group from scratch. Never one to back down from a challenge, he trained and inspired his men so that when the time came, they would be at their best.
That time came in the Ardennes in 1944. In a last desperate gasp, Hitler threw everything he had left at the American presence in Europe in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. When all the other units on the line broke and ran, the only thing between several Panzer columns and the vulnerable American rear was Colonel Anderson and his engineers.
The author does a fine job of detailing the history of Colonel Anderson without making the book read like a boring biography. There is plenty of dialogue, and even material from the German commander that Anderson’s troops faced. Through the entire book, Racoosin does a fine job of painting a portrait of a humble citizen soldier who inspired his men as the consummate combat leader.
Those who enjoy books about World War II, combat engineers, or leadership portraits in general will enjoy this book.
Review by Rob Ballister (April 2022)
Combat Engineer by John Racoosin is a well-researched, well-written book about the model citizen soldier. Colonel H. Wallis Anderson was a humble man who rose through the ranks of the Pennsylvania National Guard, earning a commission in time to go fight in Europe in World War I. He returned home to Pennsylvania and his job with the railroad and started a family. His determination and competence saw him rise through both the ranks of the railroad and of the reserves, and all was well until Europe exploded in World War II.
The rapid mobilization of America resulted in an immediate demand for combat engineers to assist the infantry and mechanized forces which were so important in this new war of mobility. Colonel Anderson was given almost the impossible task of developing an engineer group from scratch. Never one to back down from a challenge, he trained and inspired his men so that when the time came, they would be at their best.
That time came in the Ardennes in 1944. In a last desperate gasp, Hitler threw everything he had left at the American presence in Europe in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. When all the other units on the line broke and ran, the only thing between several Panzer columns and the vulnerable American rear was Colonel Anderson and his engineers.
The author does a fine job of detailing the history of Colonel Anderson without making the book read like a boring biography. There is plenty of dialogue, and even material from the German commander that Anderson’s troops faced. Through the entire book, Racoosin does a fine job of painting a portrait of a humble citizen soldier who inspired his men as the consummate combat leader.
Those who enjoy books about World War II, combat engineers, or leadership portraits in general will enjoy this book.
Review by Rob Ballister (April 2022)
May 8, 2021
Excellent Book
Excellent account of an outstanding leader, the epitome of the American Citizen Soldier. Colonel Anderson's emphasis on hard training and hands on leadership played a decisive role in his combat engineers success in World War II.
Excellent account of an outstanding leader, the epitome of the American Citizen Soldier. Colonel Anderson's emphasis on hard training and hands on leadership played a decisive role in his combat engineers success in World War II.
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April 2, 2022Read and reviewed as part of the 2022 MWSA awards season. See www.mwsadispatches.com for more details.
March 31, 2025
Excepcional relato biográfico de un zapador a lo largo de su vida y destinos en distintos conflictos.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews