Call NumberOH204-2018-1422CreatorBoyd, Robert PlattDate1977-2009SummaryColonel Boyd discusses his experience as an engineer constructing the Al-Can Highway in between a series of civil engineering jobs in Alabama, Texas. He received a letter from the War Department offering him a one-year commitment, and went to ROTC training at Camp Jackson. His Al-Can co-workers would later comprise Company C in the 10th Mountain Division 126th Engineers, and after completing mountain training at Camp Hale, went to Camp Swift, Texas in June 1944 for combat training. He recounts their experiences with mules at Camp Swift, including method of accurately identifying each company’s mule contingency. In Italy they engaged in combat in January and were responsible for constructing a tramway to transport supplies and ammunition during the secret attack on Mt. Serrasiccia during the battle for Riva Ridge and Mount Belvedere; the tramway also provided efficient retrieval of the wounded. After the capture of Mount Belvedere, Boyd and his C Company participated in the campaign to the Po River Valley, rebuilding the seven road bridges along the east side of Lake Garda that had been blown by the retreating German army as well as constructing a tread-way bridge to transport trucks and tanks across the river. After the end of World War II, Colonel Boyd remained in the regular Army, during which time he was chosen to effect the rehabilitation of Alaskan air bases, and later rebuilt a strategic bomber base in England. He was stationed in Cambodia for a short time as well as in Europe. He attained the rank of full colonel and served in the Washington office of the Chief Engineer and later in Europe with the 37th Engineer Combat Group. He also served in the 7th and 3rd Army Engineer Groups.Physical Description1 audio file (21:12)Born-Digital or AnalogAnalogSubjectBoyd, Robert Platt--InterviewsUnited States. Army. Mountain Division, 10th--InterviewsUnited States. Army. Engineer Mountain Battalion, 126th. Company C--InterviewsWorld War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, AmericanSoldiers--United States--InterviewsSki troops--InterviewsMilitary engineers--InterviewsGeographic AreaItalyCamp Swift (Tex.)Collection10th Mountain Division RecordsDigital Version Created FromCassette tapes held by Denver Public LibraryOriginal Material Found in CollectionOH204. Robert Platt Boyd, Jr. oral history; 10th Mountain Division Resource Center CollectionNotesThis oral history was digitized as part of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) Recordings at Risk grant project.Languageeng
Rights Statementhttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/Credit 10th Mountain Division Resource Center, Denver Public Library, [call number]Digital Reproduction Available for PurchaseNo
Boyd, Robert Platt, Robert Platt Boyd, Jr. Audio (1977-2009). Denver Public Library Digital Collections, accessed 13/11/2025, https://digital.denverlibrary.org/nodes/view/858972
