750th Railway Operating Battalion Harold C. Maynard Application for headstone 961
Thursday, September 05, 2024 | Labels: 750th Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
765th Railway Operating Battalion Raymond Leon “Ray” Marshall Application for headstone 1965
Tuesday, September 03, 2024 | Labels: 765th Railway Shop Battalion | 0 Comments
752nd Railway Operating Battalion -Russell G. Decker obit
Mr. Russell G. Decker Obituary Parma, Ohio
Russell G. Decker, age 88 of Parma,
WWII Army Veteran, beloved husband and soul mate 54 years of the late Ruth E. (nee Askew); loving father of James (Sandy) and Janet Feckler (Thomas); dear grandfather of James, Moneka, Richard (Deanne), Jason, Jennifer, and Heather; great-grandfather of Austin, Haven, Donnie and Olivia; father-in-law of Richard Urich; uncle and friend of many. Russell was a man with a big heart who never knew a stranger. A family man who truly enjoyed being with his family. In a crowd, he was the life of the party. At home, work and church,he always had a great sense of humor. Russell was an active, longtime, and faithful member of St. James Lutheran Church where he served on various committees and as an Elder and youth group counselor.
He was very proud of his country, serving in the Army during World War II in the European Theatre of Operations with Company C, 752 Railway Operating Battalion. His battalion hauled freight, ammunition, gasoline, tanks, guns, engineer construction equipment, troop hospital cars, and food. Russell was decorated with two bronze stars and was a locomotive engineer operating Army locomotives from Le Harve, France to various locations in Germany. Russell's battalion #752 got together for a reunion every year for 50 years and he never missed one. He was also very active in the local chapter of the Cleveland Lutheran VFW. Russell was a chemical operator 30 years for the B.F. Goodrich Chemical Company in Avon.
He passed away on Sunday, August 15, 2010. Memorial contributions may be forwarded to St. James Lutheran Church, 4771 Broadview Rd., Cleveland, OH 44109. Funeral Service at St. James Lutheran Church, 4771 Broadview Rd., Cleveland on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 10 a.m. Interment at Sunset Memorial Park, North Olmsted. Friends may call at the BUSCH FUNERAL HOME, 7501 RIDGE RD., PARMA FROM 2-4 AND 6-8 P.M. ON TUESDAY. 440-842-7800
Friday, August 30, 2024 | Labels: 752nd Railway Operating Battalion, obit | 0 Comments
791th Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1944
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 791st Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
764th Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1944
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 764th Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
743rd Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1944
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 743rd Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
735th Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1945
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 735th Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
733rd Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1944
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 733rd Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
732nd Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1945
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 732nd Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
724th Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1944
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 724th Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
714th Railway Operating Battalion deserters 1944
Sunday, August 25, 2024 | Labels: 714th Railway Operating Battalion | 0 Comments
710th Railway Grand Division headquarters list
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Labels: 710th Railway Grand Division, roster | 0 Comments
718th Railway Operating Battalion timetable and map
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Labels: 718th Railway Operating Battalion, map, timetable | 0 Comments
706th Railway Grand Division various notes and articles
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Labels: 706th Railway Grand Division | 0 Comments
704th Railway Grand Division obit - Heron
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Labels: 704th Railway Grand Division | 0 Comments
703rd Railway Grand Division plaque
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Labels: 703 Railway Grand Division, Gray Gen. Carl, trench art | 0 Comments
705th RGD Running on time in a timeless land
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Labels: 705th Railway Grand Division, Burma | 0 Comments
705th Railway Grand Division photo New Orleans
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Labels: 705th Railway Grand Division, New Orleans, training | 0 Comments
743rd Railway Operating Battalion investigation and court martial and theft from supply train in Antwerp July and August 1945
I've always been interested in a collection of document on the 743rd ROB in the National Archives. This my dad's WWII unit and I finally spent the money to get the collection copied by the National Archives and I will post the documents below.
I have been able to get together a master list of all names mentioned in this investigation, trial and court martial. Getting this file was quite expensive and if would like to donate - please do. (donation link to the right)
Part 2 List
Surname First Name Rank
Ashworth Edward R.
Barron Leo R. T/4
Beach T. R. Lt Col
Beatty Edward L. Jr.
Belin Louis A. IV
Bennett Carl I. T/4
Benson Herman T.
Berger Isaiah S.
Borders Ira L.
Boyd Frank O. Jr.
Braternita Charles A. Major
Brown Leonard W.
Burke Ralph E.
Burnett Harry B. Jr.
Cagle B. M.
Carter Glenn R.
Cham Sgt
Christianson Kenneth C.
Coffinberger Walter S. Pvt
Connolly Michael F.
Cook Frank G. Lt Col
Coyne Richard F. Pvt
Crank Alfred
Crouch Elijah F.
Daugherty Joseph L.
Davidson T/4
Davis
DeWeese William H. Pvt
Diebold Charles L.
Dixon William B. 1st/Sgt
Edwards G.
Felling Sgt
Ferguson Russel S.
Flake S/Sgt
Flynn Donald J. Pfc
Flynn Donald J. Pvt
Foley George W. Lt
Foster S/Sgt
Foust Johnnie P. Pvt
Fuller T/5
Garrett Daniel A.
Girouard Anthony
Glass S/Sgt
Gluckmann Morton
Godkoska T/Sgt
Gutkoska T/Sgt
Harding Arthur T.
Harris Alva E.
Hathaway Nelson C. Pvt
Hester Charles V.
Hutchinson Sgt
Jackson Raymond W. T/5
Jean Wilfred A.
Johnson Leon S.
Kline Thomas J. Jr.
Langston James L.
Lefever Major
Lukasiewicz Thomas S.
Lutjen Marvin L.
Mallibert Jean J.
Marsalis Edwin L. 1st Lt
McCarthy James Jr.
McKenna Sgt
Meske Capt
Moore Philip T. Pvt
Mueller Francis Capt
Murphy Thomas P.
Pack Hollis O. T/5
Parker Stanley X.
Pennington Floyd
Pommer Leonhardt C. Jr.
Power Robert D. Lt
Poyner Pfc
Regan Philip J.
Regina Joseph J. Pvt
Remington Sgt
Rieman Lt
Robenolt Edward Jr.
Robertson Lt
Rust Herman A. Major
Santella Edward P.
Scribner T/4
Shelton John W. Capt
Simmons Lt
Sisson Jack T. Capt
Smithson T/4
Spencer Billy G.
Stephenson Robert G.
Stockman L. H. Major
Strommen Leslie H. Capt
Swope John G.
Tende George H.
Thomas Robert M.
Tomlinson John J.
Turpin William E.
Wagner Jay F.
Williams Lemmie X.
Young Kermit W.
Zoldan Jacob
Part 1 list
Armstrong Dean R. T/5
Beman Edwin L. Lt
Black Sgt.
Brake Capt Fred A. Chaplain
Breternitz Colonel Charles I. Lt
Buchner Perry C. Lt Colonel
Burns Charlie
Coffinberger Walter S. Pvt
Cook Frank G.
Coyne Pvt.
Coyne Richard P. Pvt
Dart Sgt.
Davidson Sgt.
Deffeas William B. Pvt
DeWeese Sgt.
Donovan Leo I. Capt
Epps James L. 1st Sgt
Felling Sgt
Flynn Donald J. Pvt
Foley Capt.
Foust Johnnie P. Pvt
Hathaway Nelson C. Pvt
Henry Sgt.
Hutchinson James N. T/Sgt
Jackson Raymond W. Pvt
Jackson Pvt.
Jelling William C. Tec 4
Leonard Bob
Luce Maj.
McCoy Sgt.
Moore Philip B. Pvt
Mueller Francis A. Capt
Polk George M. Lt
Power Robert D. Lt
Rieman Lt.
Rust Norman A. Major
Schaeffer Otto B. T/Sgt
Shelton John W. Capt
Sisson Jack T. Capt
Smithson T/4Stockman L. H. Major
Stone John G. Col
Strain Leslie H. Capt
Watts Raymond L. Pfc
Part one
Saturday, July 13, 2024 | Labels: 743rd Railway Operating Battalion, theft | 0 Comments
713th Railway Operating Battalion misc photos
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 713th Railway Operating Battalion, photos | 0 Comments
713th Railway Operating Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia
713th Railway Operating Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia
At the outbreak of World War II the Army needed experts who could handle certain missions without extensive additional training. Most of the early Army railroad units were therefore composed of men who worked for specific Railroad companies. The 713th Railway Operating Battalion was formed on March 12, 1942, and consisted entirely of men who worked for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. Their job was to clear, repair, and build military railways as well as operate the trains.
The 713th, known as the “Santa Fe Battalion”, formed at Camp Clovis, New Mexico, and after initial military training was sent to Camp Dix, New Jersey, on January 21, 1943. The unit was first sent to North Africa where in seven months they transported 500,000 tons of cargo in 47,255 rail cars. The 713th went from North Africa to Italy and then on to Southern France. They ended the war in 1945 serving in Western Germany.
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 713th Railway Operating Battalion, pins | 0 Comments
713th Railway Operating Battlion - Stobart
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 713th Railway Operating Battalion, military records | 0 Comments
721st Railway Operating Battlion : Rails of war by Steven Hantzis
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 721st Railway Operating Battalion, Burma, china, India | 0 Comments
745th Railway Operating Battalion - tiger pelt displayed in India
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 745th Railway Operating Battalion, India | 0 Comments
Merci trains in 1949
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: France | 0 Comments
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.
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 732nd Railway Operating Battalion, engineers | 0 Comments
775th Railway Operating Battalion gets citation
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 775th Railway Grand Division, alaska | 0 Comments
722nd Railway Operating Battalion - Willard Sease
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 722nd Railway Operating Battalion, obit | 0 Comments
722nd Railway Operating Battalion Company C - Sylvester 'Doc' J. Margel
Tuesday, July 09, 2024 | Labels: 722nd Railway Operating Battalion, obit | 0 Comments