592nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (592nd EBSR)
2nd Engineer Special Brigade
United States Army (USA)

Background
The United States Army (USA) 592nd Engineer Amphibian Regiment / 592nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (592nd EBSR), served in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during World War II. On October 1, 1942 designated the 592nd Engineer Amphibian Regiment (592nd EAR), 2nd Engineer Amphibian Brigade.

Wartime History
On February 18, 1943 the 592nd Engineer Amphibian Regiment (592nd EAR) embarked aboard a cargo ship at San Francisco that crossed the Pacific to Australia and was based at Rockhampton and continued training and testing their equipment. On June 14, 1943 departed by train for Cairns and occupied the camp to the north of the city established by the 532nd EAR until they departed for New Guinea and continued to train and perform exercises building bridges and solving engineering issues in the vicinity of South Yorkies Beach.

On July 4, 1943 redesignated the 592nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (592nd EBSR), 2nd Engineer Special Brigade. The regiment continued to train until October 194. On October 20, 1943 embarked aboard a ship and were transported to Oro Bay on New Guinea. In the combat zone, the regiment continued to prepare for upcoming combat operations. In late December 1943, A Company, B Company and C Company were assigned support the landing at Cape Gloucester with D Company assigned to land on Long Island.

On December 25, 1943 at 2:15pm an Allied landing force of three LCVP and five LCMs departed Finschafen transporting the U.S. Army 592nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (592nd EBSR), D Company and followed the north coast of New Guinea bound for Long Island. The rest of Company D embarked aboard three PT Boats that departed Finschafen at 6:00pm and caught up with the barges while underway. In total, the Allied invasion force included 185 Americans plus 35 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel from No. 338 Radar Station (338 RS) with LW/AW Mark IA radar plus technical personnel from No. 41 Wing. By 11:45pm the force reached northeast coast of Long Island off Malala.

On December 26, 1943 the 592nd EBSR A Company, B Company and C Company landed the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) at Cape Gloucester on West New Britain.

References
NARA 592nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (592nd EBSR)
Down Ramp Story of the Army Amphibian Engineers in World War II
Amphibian Engineer Operations Engineers of the Southwest Pacific
Put 'Em Across: The Story of the 2nd ESB
Oz@War - 592nd Engineer Amphibian Regiment 2nd Engineer Amphibian Brigade in Australia during WW2

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