Size: 4 x 5 inches

This World War II era New Testament ‘Psalms’ Bible is named to a by the name of Ray O. who served in WWII as a combat engineer with the 209th Engineer Combat Battalion and "Merrill's Marauders" during the India-Burma Campaign. The 209th Engineer Combat Battalion had, on V-J Day, spent 24 months overseas, having left the United States on September 9, 1943. At war's end, the battalion was one of the most decorated in the CBI Theatre. Their awards included one Distinguished Service Cross, four Silver Stars, 33 Bronze Stars and 181 Purple Hearts.

This Bible is dated 1943 and is inscribed on the inside. The Bible overall is in very good condition and was well taken care of during the war. The bible comes with an inscribed page which was left and found inside the Bible on page 313. The  writing on the note dictates the unit's designation of the early 27th Engineer Combat Regiment before being redesigned as the 209th.

The lineage of the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne) springs from the 2d Battalion, redesignated as the 209th Engineer Combat Battalion. The 209th disembarked at Bombay, India on 23 October 1943, and immediately set to work on the Ledo Road. Subsequently, the 209th participated in the India-Burma Campaign. While attached to the 5307th Composite Unit ("Merrill's Marauders"), it participated in the surprise attack to seize a critical Myitkyina airfield. The battalion sustained 71 killed in action and 179 wounded in action during the 70-day-long battle. The 209th was inactivated at the conclusion of World War II

209th ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION by: Mr. Murray A. Massin:

The organization arrived in Ledo, Assam, after a trip across India by rail, truck and boat. Within a week they were set up for operations at Nawng Yang, Mile 43 on the Ledo Road, 15 miles from the point.

Throughout the next six months an amazing variety of tasks were carried out by various exponents of the outfit. They operated a saw mill at Nawng Yang; laid the first pipe line over Pang-saw Pass, which is the highest point on the Ledo Road; built a tank farm at Hell Gate, Installed the largest culvert system on the Road, at Thursday River; built and maintained a long stretch of roadway; and, finally, constructed bridges at the Tirao, Nam-chick, Nawng Yang, Tarung and Tawang Rivers.

The Tawang River Bridge, 37 miles south of Shingbwlyang, was the longest bridge on the Ledo Road. It was an American H-20 running 1285 feet across. In most cases, the deadlines set by the Commanding General were beaten by several days. In early March, the men of the 209th gaily waved on columns of Men-ill's Marauders as they passed down the road to begin their now famous jungle trek of nearly 1,000 miles. Had the Engineers known what fate had in store for them, their greetings to the Marauders would have been a great deal more solemn.

Soon afterward, the 10th Air Force began pressing for advance airfields in Burma, from which to support General Stilwell's ground advance toward Myitkyina, So, in April, the battalion took over the task of clearing airfields at Tingkawk, Sakan and Warazup. The first Purple Heart for the battalion was awarded to Pfc. Albert Hudy and Co. "A" on May 15th, when Jap planes bombed and strafed the Warazup airfield in a surprise attack.

Suddenly, at 0300 hours, on May 23d, Lt. Col. Leslie Sandvall, Battalion C.O., was ordered to prepare the entire battalion for combat duty. Within 36 hours, C-47s were taking off from Tingkawk and Warazup, fully loaded with the men who had helped build the fields. Just a week previous, Merrill's Marauders had spent their last available strength in capturing Myitkyina airstrip. The Engineers were called in to hold this valuable prize until General Stilwell could clear the town itself. As the planes landed on the mud-covered, crater-studded airfield, they were under attack from Jap artillery and sniper fire. The same planes took off soon afterward fully loaded with Marauder casualties.

The assignment of Chaplain Tobias to the unit gave the men a much-needed boost in morale. They were truly a green and inexperienced group, having had very little combat training. They could bridge the largest rivers and move the highest mountains, but combat was yet another thing. At this time, Capt. John Mattina, a West Point graduate, took over the all-important job of Artillery Officer, and with the aid of several of the remaining Marauders, gave hurried classes in the use of field pieces, mortars and heavy calibre machine guns. It remained for bitter experience to complete the teaching.

One of the now laughable incidents told about the first night on the perimeter was related by one of the men of Co. "A." Before dark, they had strung a series of wires to which empty cans were attached, then booby trapped with hand grenades. The men then settled down in their foxholes, attempting to get some sleep.

However, it wasn't long before a full scale Banzai attack was being made on their position. The clatter of cans, followed by a few sudden explosions was the signal. Every man on the line opened up with all he had. After awhile the firing died down and all was quiet. The next morning at daybreak, eager eyes sought the territory outside the perimeter. A great roar of laughter arose. On the field in front, lay not only dead Japs, but three dead mules and a couple of water buffalo. It certainly lifted the tension and the men were never again accused of being trigger-happy.

H. & S. Co. was given the task of supply for the battalion. T/4 Walter Sarocco, with a group under his control, was responsible for the evacuation of over 60 men from the aid station to the airstrip and each time the mule train returned it was laden with supplies. Shovel operators and cat skinners found the complicated machinery of a pack mule quite a bit different from their previous servants, but they learned quickly.

Front line communications were also an extremely difficult problem. S/Sgt. Carmi Marsh handled this task creditably. The men of the medical detachment distinguished themselves with their fine first aid work under direct enemy fire. Three of them were awarded the Purple Heart.

Later on, attempts were made to airdrop supplies directly to the front lines. Many times the 209th was so deep in enemy territory that it was necessary for the retrievers to dash into open country under enemy fire. At one time, T/5 Ben Curtis made seven successive trips one afternoon under such conditions.

On May 28th, just two days after the Engineers arrived, the Marauders began to pull out, and the 209th took over their position on the Mogaung-Myitkyina Railroad over which the Japs were hoping to bring reinforcements. Meanwhile, General Stllwell's forces north of Myitkyina were preparing for the final push into the town.

http://www.cbi-history.com/part_vi_209th_eng_combat_bn.html