| 9th Engineer Battalion | The 9th Engineer Support Battalion |
Remember When - Photos from the Past
On Jan 6, 1969 the Song Ba Ren River Bridge was completed by the 9th Engineer Battalion. It was 29 miles south of Danang and was 722 feet in length. It is believed to be the longest bridge built in the history of the Marine Corps.
The bridge was completed by 3rd platoon "D" Company, 9th Engineer
Battalion. In all two were killed and four were wounded seriously during
the completion of the bridge. Enemy snipers and monsoon rains could not
stop the bridge. It contained 380,000 two-by-sixes and 20,000 four-by-eights.
The river raised 12 feet higher during the rains. The Viet Cong and the
NVA repeatedly tried to damage the new bridge and at one point floated
20 sampans of NVA soldiers in a suicidal attempt to destroy the span.
Snipers also shot repeatedly at the men from a nearby abandoned church.
The bridge was dedicated in the name of Arlon Glen Schaffer Loveland,
Colorado who was killed in action on 24 September 1968.
If you are pictured in these photos please identify
yourself so your name can be appropriately added to this web page!
Richard Hoffman(Left Side), Pat Fogerty and Stephen Lewis(Middle Area)
Additional History Links: