2.7 by 3.8 inches
The 1637th Engineer Coastruction Bal-
talion was activaled al Ft. Lewis, WA, in
Nov 1944. The battalion spent the winler
of 1944 and spring of 1945 taining. They
were committed to road and bridge repair
following spring flooding in the area.
The engineer battalion was sent to the
TO but arrived too late to see combat. Fol-
lowing some make work construction of bu-
racks and other buildings, they were or-
dered to the SW PTO in the summer of 1945
En rovic, the ship carrying the ballal-
ion sullered the mistortune or becomine
stuck in the Panama Canal for abnost a
week.
The braluck killion amve. too ?lefor combat in the Philippines in July 1945.
The unit cnntinued barracks and building
construction. The battalion remained as-
signed to the Philippines until it was inacti-
valed in February 1946.
The 1637th Engineer Construction Bal-
talion had a rare US-made SSI. On a squared
white wool shicld with an attached tab, there
is a black rampant lion on black irregular
ground, with black German-style letters
"CB" (construction battalion). The back-
ground behind the lion is red, as is the let-
tering "Engincers" on the white back-
ground tab. The three colors of black, red
and white suggest we vanquished Ger-
