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Beach Battalions
The Beach Battalions were formed to work with the Army Engineer Special Brigades and Engineers during amphibious operations. These units participated in all the major invasions during the war. Their Pacific counterparts were known as Beach Parties and formed from the ship's company rather than being an independent unit. The beach battalions served as command and control from ship-to-shore, as well as throughout their sector of beach. They had their own signalmen and radiomen, as well as their own corpsmen to render first aid. Other divisions of of the battalions were the hydrographic section which planned out the routes the landing craft would take, and look for safe channels and openings on the beaches. The boat repair sections would work their sections of the beach making small repairs and getting boats back in service and off the beach where they can do their jobs. Naval Combat Demolition Units (NCDUs) were also attached to the battalions to clear the beach of obstacles for the waves of landing craft. Another function of the beach battalion was to collect and guard prisoners of war until they could be turned over to the MP's.
