Preston Earl BagentBagentPreston EarlMOWorld War, 1939-1945Army149th Engineer Combat BattalionStaff SergeantCamp McCain, Mississippi; Camp Pickett, Virginia; Normandy, France; Belgium; Germany; European TheaterNoVeteran"We dashed ashore and as a machine gun burst overhead I hit the sand. I looked to my left at the man laying next to me and I found he was dead." (Letter from Preston Bagent to his wife Carol, "Darling," 5/18/1945)A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Staff Sergeant Preston Earl Bagent worked as a draftsman and artist before joining the Army in 1943. The military made good use of his engineering skills, assigning him to the newly-created 149th Engineer Combat Battalion. After his transfer overseas and training in England, he got his "first taste of combat" on June 6, 1944. Bagent later documented his harrowing journey from his landing craft to Omaha Beach in an evocative series of drawings and letters to his wife. Following D-Day, his unit traveled from France to Belgium, Holland, and Germany, fixing roads and building bridges.Preston Bagent in camp at Omaha Beach, France [1944]D-Day On the BeachBagent and his wife, Carol Bagent, at Camp Pickett [Fort Pickett], Virginia, Thanksgiving 194311/1943Army photograph of Harold (Ashley) Atkins, company photographer for LCI 92.n.d.Map of beach and military encampment drawn on graphing papern.d.Lt. Anton Pisto, standing next to Bagent, seated in bathtub.n.d.Bridge built under fire at night, likely near the Rhine (referenced in correspondence MS01)1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium. Veteran notes that the photo shows "two cranes on the right-hand side that were swept away."1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944Construction of a bridge at Maesyck, Belgium1944(L-R) Harold (Ashley) Atkins, Lt. James Hart, Joe Stamford and Bagent (kneeling), near S-2 office (“Home of the Eightball Section”) at camp on Omaha Beach, France1944Unidentified soldiers repairing equipment at a motor pool near Omaha Beach, France1944Unidentified soldiers in the chow line at the Omaha Beach mess hall, Omaha Beach, France1944Omaha Beach camps, view from the hills1944Unidentified soldiers in the motor pool, Omaha Beach, France1944arold (Ashley) Atkins inflating an inner tube for tire repair at the Omaha Beach motor pool, Omaha Beach, France1944Unidentified woman sitting in front of a house in Paignton, England, where Bagent was billeted in a civilian home before the Normandy invasion (D-Day)1944View of a church in Antwerp, Belgium. Veteran’s son notes “Dad [Bagent] saw this ruin and thought it said much about war. He pointed it out to [Harold] Ashley [Atkins], who took the picture. It was Dad’s favorite.”1944(L-R) Joe Hynes, Roland Morris (kneeling), Paul Nesterman, Bob Lyndon, Bagent.n.d.Bagent standing near S-2 weapons carrier.n.d.Bagent standing in uniform.n.d.Headshot of Bagent in uniform.n.d.U.S.S. Dorothea L. Dix.n.d.Bagent designing a bridge in S-21944Two unidentified men unloading a “duck” (DUKW) at Omaha Beach motor pool, Omaha Beach, Francen.d.(L-R) soldier identified as Ron Kale or Kail, Bagent, John Tessiglea, George Prior, Ken Jenkins, and Harold (Ashley) Atkins (kneeling).n.d.German E-Boat at an unknown location, possibly Antwerp.n.d.John Tessiglea, in vehicle.n.d.George Prior, standing.n.d.Soldier identified as Ron Kale or Kail, seated, in uniform.n.d.Bruce DeForest, seated in vehicle.n.d.Lt. James M. Hart, officer who censored Bagent’s mail.n.d.Ken Jenkins, standing in front of a structure.n.d.Claus Newman.n.d.German ordnancen.d.German ordnancen.d.German minen.d.Tents used by the water unit at Omaha Beach, Francen.d.Barracks for Company A, B and C at Omaha Beachn.d.German improvised explosive devices.n.d.A German machine gun.n.d.Bagent painting an image of Mickey Mouse on a truck.n.d.Model of the Normandy beaches that Bagent and others designed ahead of the D-Day invasion.n.d.Model of the Normandy beaches that Bagent and others designed ahead of the D-Day invasion.n.d.Model of the Normandy beaches that Bagent and others designed ahead of the D-Day invasion.n.d.Model of the Normandy beaches that Bagent and others designed ahead of the D-Day invasion.n.d.Model of the Normandy beaches that Bagent and others designed ahead of the D-Day invasion.n.d.Bagent, holding an issue of The Stars and Stripes with the headline “PEACE,” reporting the end of the war, Antwerp, Belgiumn.d.Officer’s quarters at D-16/1998French workers repairing a mill near Omaha Beach. The man on the far right is identified as Monsieur Roger La Maitre (referenced in correspondence (MS01)1944Mill pond control gate near Omaha Beach, France1944Mill water wheel near S-2 headquarters, Omaha Beach, France1944Diagram drawn by Veteran depicting arrangement of his tentn.d.Diagram drawn by veteran depicting the arrangment of his shelf and clothing in his quartersn.d.Soldier identified as Ron Kale or Kail in S-2 office, studying maps underneath pin-up posters.n.d.Bagent wearing a top hat he found, holding a picture of his wife, Carol Bagent.n.d.Bagent holding a pipe, seated in front of a map of Europen.d.Windmill, possibly near Antwerp Belgium.n.d.Letter to "Darling" [5/15/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/15/1945]Letter to "Darling" [1/11/1944]Letter to "Darling" [1/11/1944]Letter to "Darling" [10/10/1944]Letter to "Darling" [10/10/1944]Letter to "Darling" [6/24/1944]Letter to "Darling" [6/24/1944]Letter to "Darling" [5/17/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/17/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/18/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/18/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/16/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/18/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/22/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/22/1945]Fragment of letter [n.d.]Fragment of letter [n.d.]Letter to "Darling" [4/8/1945]Letter to "Darling" [4/8/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/2/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/2/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/27/1945]Letter to "Darling" [5/27/1945]Letter to "Darling" [8/8/1945]Letter to "Darling" [8/8/1945]Letter to "Darling" [10/16/1945]Letter to "Darling" [10/16/1945]Letter to "Darling" [10/22/1945]Letter to "Darling" [10/22/1945]Letter to "Darling" [10/27/1945]Letter to "Darling" [10/27/1945]Typewritten letter to Carol [11/4/1945]Typewritten letter to Carol [11/4/1945]Cartoon, "They must have awfully good food…"Cartoon, "They must have awfully good food…"Cartoon, "Make it good, it's for my wife."Cartoon, "Make it good, it's for my wife."Fragment of letter with art work [5/29/1944]Fragment of letter with art work [5/29/1944]Fragment of letter with art work [4/28/1945]Fragment of letter with art work [4/28/1945]Fragment of letter with art work [n.d.]Fragment of letter with art work [n.d.]Fragment of letter with art work [9/7/1945]Fragment of letter with art work [9/7/1945]Cartoon of the veteran on D-DayCartoon of the veteran on D-DayCartoon drawn for the "Safety Bulletin" at the veteran's civilian jobCartoon drawn for the "Safety Bulletin" at the veteran's civilian jobCartoon: "But Honey, you can't put S/Sergeants on KP."Cartoon: "But Honey, you can't put S/Sergeants on KP."149th Engineer Combat Battalion Insignia149th Engineer Combat Battalion InsigniaDrawing depicting U.S. soldiers advancing against enemy fire somewhere in EuropeDrawing depicting U.S. soldiers advancing against enemy fire somewhere in EuropeArt work depicting soldiers and a bulldozer against the backdrop of the ruins of a churchArt work depicting soldiers and a bulldozer against the backdrop of the ruins of a churchArt work depicting a scene from D-Day, with soldiers advancing up a beach while a bulldozer forges aheadArt work depicting a scene from D-Day, with soldiers advancing up a beach while a bulldozer forges aheadArt work depicting U.S. soldiers taking the beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944Art work depicting U.S. soldiers taking the beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944Enlisted Record and Report of SeparationEnlisted Record and Report of SeparationHonorable DischargeHonorable DischargeSeparation Qualification RecordSeparation Qualification RecordVeterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congresshttps://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.46886/DLC-AFC2022-09-30loc.natlib.afc2001001.46886