icle ▁maintenance ▁Est ab lish ing / m aint aining ▁supply ▁and ▁am mun ition ▁d umps ▁Building ▁bar ra cks , ▁dep ots , ▁and ▁similar ▁structures ▁Res cue ▁& ▁road ▁pat rol s , ▁bridge ▁and ▁road ▁reconna issance ▁Clear ing ▁of ▁de br is ▁and ▁w reck age ▁Ser ving ▁as ▁inf antry ▁when ▁needed ▁ ▁These ▁included ▁the ▁deployment ▁and ▁operation ▁of ▁assault ▁boats ▁and ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁various ▁p onto on ▁brid ges , ▁including ▁M 1 ▁t read ways , ▁and ▁mod ular ▁steel ▁tr uss ▁Ba iley ▁brid ges . ▁ ▁President ial ▁C itation ▁The ▁ 2 9 1 st ▁received ▁a ▁President ial ▁C itation ▁for ▁its ▁" out standing ▁performance ▁of ▁duty ▁in ▁action " ▁for ▁holding ▁a ▁def ensive ▁position ▁against ▁a ▁German ▁off ensive ▁from ▁ 1 7 ▁December ▁to ▁ 2 6 ▁December ▁in ▁the ▁Ar den nes ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Bul ge : ▁ ▁As ▁author ized ▁by ▁Executive ▁Order ▁No . ▁ 9 3 9 6 ▁( sec . ▁I , ▁Bul . ▁ 2 2 , ▁W D , ▁ 1 9 4 3 ), ▁su pers eding ▁Executive ▁Order ▁No . ▁ 9 0 7 5 ▁( sec . ▁III , ▁Bul . ▁ 1 1 , ▁W D , ▁ 1 9 4 2 ), ▁c itation ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁unit ▁in ▁General ▁Or ders , ▁No . ▁ 3 0 . ▁Head quarters ▁First ▁United ▁States ▁Army , ▁ 1 8 ▁February