Dietsch, Bob
Posted on 14 September, 2021 by in Veterans By Name, D
December 21, 2013
Typed September 14, 2019
Page 65 Notebook 3
Bob Dietsch (Born 1924 passed on 11 August 2019)
Bob was drafted June 1942 into 19th combat Reg Engineers. He fought at Anzio, Cassino, Rapido River, Volturno River with the British 8th Army. Bob was in Yugoslavia when the war ended. Bob’s father Oscar wanted to served during WW2 so he joined the Merchant Marines in the Pacific and traveled 500,000 miles on an aviation fuel tanker. Bob blew up houses and bridges. He blew up houses so that large equipment (like tanks) could get through small intersections in narrow areas. He helped build a pontoon bridge 2,300ft in 25 hours while under fire by fighters and motars. Bob saw Commander of 11th Corps.? Bob said they did drink tea at the same time daily, but he never saw them drink it during a battle. Bob thought Monty was very against American soldiers so they, (American’s) just wrote him off.