732nd Railway Operating Battalion pulling a train over the Saar River at Konz-Karthaus, Germany

Special photo caption sent to Luke Harnish 5/28/24 Document saved as: Luke Harnish email Special photo May 28, 2024 

 Two Whitcomb 65-Diessel-Electric 19A locomotives built by the Whitcomb Locomotive Company in Rochelle, Illinois operated by the 732nd Railway Operating Battalion are pulling a train over the Saar River at Konz-Karthaus, Germany, 5 miles south of Trier, Germany’s oldest city. From the fresh look of a just completed construction project, with lumber scattered around and two men seen actively engaged in work, it appears that perhaps this photo was taken to celebrate the crossing of the first train across this just completed bridge. The original photo caption only gave the date as March 1945. Other photographs within the collection from which this one was acquired are dated March 17, 1945. A question on the March 17 date may be in conflict with the content of a newspaper article that appeared in the June 18, 1945, issue of The Gettysburg Times newspaper from Gettysburg Pennsylvania. That article highlighted the actions of Sgt. John H. Keller, a wartime resident of McKnightstown, Adams County Pennsylvania. Sgt. Keller served with the 347th Engineer General Service Regiment. 

In the article, Sgt. Keller stated that from March 14 to 25, 1945 he was in charge of a group of 40 enlisted men who set spans of steel and rail in constructing a railroad bridge across the Saar River. It appears that March 25 may possibly be the completion of the new bridge. If such is the case then a train crossing on March 17 may not have been possible. An alternative possibility is that the bridge was ready for train traffic on March 17, and the 347th Engineer’s remained on site attending to finishing-up their full project on March 25. Clarification on the questions on these dates may be found in the pages of a WWII memoir written by Arthur T. Harnish a welder in the 347th Engineer General Service Regiment. With the cooperation of the Harnish family a copy of Arthur’s memoir, My life during WWII: Headquarter & Service Company, 347th Engineers, General Service Regiment, Army of the United States could be in the hands of Duayne Forsberg to prepare a more accurate history. 

Two men can be seen at the first bridge pier, could one of them be Arthur Harnish, there is really no way to tell, but it’s a great thought to have. Orientation: This train is heading west, approaching the community of Konzerbruck on the west bank of the Saar River. The town of Konz, Germany on the east side of the Saar River, is visible in the upper left background. The row of buildings were severely damaged during the war and no longer exist. To the right is the wreckage of original bridge on the upstream side of the new bridge. Debris of the old bridge eventually was removed to prevent damage to the replacement bridge during periods of high water.