George William "Bill" Myers Jr. Obituary
CHILLICOTHE: George William "Bill" Myers, Jr. passed away on August 4, 2012 at Heartland Nursing Facility, at the age of 91. He was born in Chillicothe on December 28, 1920 to Mary and George W. Myers Sr.
Bill is survived by his wife of 65 years, Mary Elizabeth Mossbarger Myers; daughters and sons-in-law, Terressa and William Reep, and Elizabeth "Beth" and Everett "Bud" Montgomery; grandchildren: Jenny Marie Dennis, Charles "Chad" and his wife, Megan; great-grandson, Benjamin Myers Dennis; step-grandchildren: James and Amy Montgomery, and Shawna and Bryan Gibson; step-grandchildren: Bryce Montgomery and Addy Gibson; and several special nephews and nieces.
He was predeceased by his parents, a sister, Martha Daws; and brothers: Samuel and Earl.
Bill graduated from Centralia High School in 1938. He was a veteran of the 726th Railway Operating Battalion during World War II, serving in China, Burma, and India. He was awarded a Bronze Star in addition to other war related medals.

The Masonic Lodge and affiliations were an important part of Bill's life.

He was a member of Logan Elm Masonic Lodge #624 F. & A.M, York Rite Bodies of Chillicothe, Ross County Shrine Club (Past President), Scottish Rite Valley of Columbus, Aladdin Temple Shrine, Kentucky Colonels, Royal Order of the Jesters #169, Appalachian Hillbillies Clan #8 (Past Raban), Eastern Star #411.

Other memberships include Chillicothe Elks Lodge #52, Veterans of the Foreign Wars Post 108, American Legion Post #134, and AMVETS.

Bill retired after 45 years of service on the CSX, formerly the Baltimore and Ohio, where he was Trainmaster. He began his railroad career firing on steam engines. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm Wednesday, August 8, at the Haller Funeral Home. Military graveside services, conducted by the Ross Co. Veterans Honor Guard, will follow in Grandview Cemetery. Friends may call Tuesday from 5-7pm at Haller Funeral Home, where a Masonic Funeral will be conducted at 7pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Foundation, Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th fl., New York, NY 10001; or the American Cancer Society , Central Region-ROSS, 870 Michigan Ave., Columbus, OH 43215.

This rare WWII color film shows Santa Fe's contribution to the war effort. After WWII began the Santa Fe Railroad pressed all available steam and diesel locomotives into action to assist with America's war efforts.

Photo #63 is my grandfather, Pfc. Harry R. Trager and his buddy Chet Spears; Prestophoto Ltd., 56 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, England; 08-27-1943


Photo #99 is from L to R, T-5 R. Umbanhower, Pfc. Harry R. Trager, T-4 James Bogan, Sr.; 03-20-1943.
thanks again Toni 

Some additional notes from Toni PFC Trager's granddaughter:

 Harry Ruyle Trager was born December 20, 1912 in Indianapolis, IN. Trager entered the service of the New York Central System Railroad on December 12, 1936 as a yard brakeman and was promoted to yard conductor on September 3, 1941. On February 26, 1941 Trager left the service of the New York Central System to be inducted into the Army's Military Railroad Service on March 6, 1942 at Fort Benjamin Harrison at Indianapolis, IN. Pfc. Trager was assigned to Company C of the 729th ROB and was deployed to the European Theatre of Operations. Pfc. Trager served in England, France, and Germany and was awarded the Combat Infantry Man's Badge with Oak Leaves, the Rifle Sharpshooters Badge, the Decoration Medal for Good Conduct, the Medal for Campaign and Service Victory World War II, the Medal for Campaign and Service EAME Campaign Complete, and the Medal for Army of Occupation Germany. Pfc. Trager was discharged from the U.S. Army at Camp Attebury, IN on August 20, 1945. Harry Ruyle Trager continued his railroad service with New York Central System and Penn Central through the 1970s and counting MRS service accrued almost forty years on the railroad 

While my grandfather was deployed to the European Theatre of Operations he fell from the top of a train and fractured his leg. On September 25th, 1942 he was admitted to the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary for the fracture and here are some photos from his stay. My grandfather didn't know a stranger. I honestly believe during his hospital stay he made friends with everyone there, thus the photos.

Archives and Special Collections at the UAA-APU Consortium Library.  Archives and Special Collections has a variety of Alaska-related materials available for researchers:

UNITED STATES. ARMY. 770TH RAILWAY OPERATING BATTALION. Records; n.d., 1942-1944. .1 cu. ft.

The 770th Railway Operating Battalion was organized in New Mexico in September, 1942, as Engineer Railway Detachment 9646A. In April, 1943, it was redesignated as the 770th Railway Operating Battalion. The unit operated the narrow gauge White Pass and Yukon Railway from October 1, 1942 to October 22, 1944 after which it left Alaska.

This document is the Traffic and Operation Survey of the White Pass and Yukon Route Rail Division. It is a survey of the physical and operating characteristics of the railroad as well as the statistical traffic record of the unit during the war. The survey was designed, compiled, and edited by Sgt. Ralph Brown and assisted by Paul W. Malcolm. The document includes general
information, a traffic statement concerning operations, reports of interruptions, and a list of rolling stock and equipment.

This survey was acquired from Mr. Lyman Woodman of Anchorage, Alaska in 1981. Mr. Woodman received it from the author Ralph Brown.

HMC-0265

http://consortiumlibrary.org/archives/Welcome

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