~Brief Chronological Review of 720th Railway Operating Battalion ~
The 720th Railway Operating Battalion, Transportation Corps, was originally constituted in the Organized Reserves in 1923 as the 507th Engineer Battalion (Railway), and subsequently re-designated as 507th Engineer Battalion (Railway Operating), June 20, 1933; later as the 720th Engineer Battalion, February 21, 1941; and as the 720th Railway Operating Battalion, Transportation Corps, on December 1, 1942.
1943
• Aug.19- Ordered to be made active.
• Aug.26- Actual physical activation at Camp Harahan, New Orleans, La.; securing basic training.
• Nov. 1- Technical training at Camp Cushing, Ft. Sam Houston, Tex.
1944
• Jan. 4- Left Texas; heading north.
• Jan.19- Left Boston, Mass; overseas.
• Jan.29- Arrived, Liverpool, England.
• Feb. 6- Camp Seamills, near Bristol; deployed as 19 detachments; going East, West, South, for switching operations; engine and track maintenance; car erection- at depots in England, Scotland and Wales; as well as fitting up boats for "D" Day. Headquarters at Sudbury, Staffordshire.
• Apr.11- Recall of all units to Kirkham, Lancashire; for lectures on demolition, machine gun, and camouflage instructions.
• Apr.27- Deployed as 23 detachments. Task included railway operation; car erection; work on ships, in United Kingdom. Hdqrs, Newbury, Berkshire.
• May 25- Pfc. Sargent, of Co. "C", awarded the Soldiers Medal.
• JUNE 6- ALLIES LAND AT NORMANDY (D-DAY).
• July 12- Overseas alert orders; proceed for shipment to France.
• July 15- Motor Convoy and Company "C" arrive on the Continent.
• July18- Companies "A", "B", and Medical Detachment arrive.
• July 22- Headquarters Unit arrives. (All stationed at Cherbourg)
• July 22- "A", "B", "C", go to Lison, France.
• July 23- Hdqrs Co. arrives at Lison. Rehabilitation of tracks and switches, towers, power, and rolling stock; reconnaissance missions west to Lemans. The "720th" was specially assigned to handling supply trains moving from Cherbourg area, to support General Patton's drive to close the Falaise Gap. The first ten trains into the railhead were piloted by "720th" crews. Upon completion of the assignment, the territory- Lison to Vire, and Lison to Folligny- was controlled by "720th"
• Aug. 9- Tech.5/g J. Clardy Jr. killed.
• AUG. 15- ALLIES LAND IN SOUTHERN FRANCE.
• AUG. 19- AMERICAN WAR TANKS ENTER PARIS.
• Sept. 2- "720th" operated 48 eastward trains through Lison in a 36 hour period. (A huge task, of true unselfish devotion.)
• Oct. 23- Hdqrs. goes to Caen, France; control of Lison to Lisioux line; and also the Coursuelles line. (Long hours and hard work in adverse weather.)
1945
• MAR. 8- U.S. UNITS CROSS RHINE TO GERMANY
• Mar. 31- The "720th" enters Germany.
• Apr. 4- Headquarters at Wesel, Germany; enemy just evacuated.
• Apr. 8- Wesel to Munster line cleared by the "720th" of obstructions. First train was piloted by "720th" over Rhine on newly constructed Wesel Bridge. Enormous task of moving supplies for rapidly advancing 1st and 9th U.S. Armies; along with reconstruction, required superhuman efforts of all members of the 720th.
• APR. 12- PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT DIES SUDDENLY. VICE PRESIDENT TRUMAN BECOMES PRESIDENT.
• Apr. 28- 1st Lieut. Chas. Smith killed.
• MAY 7- GERMANY GIVES UP (MAY 8-VE DAY)
• June 1- Battalion cited in General Order for meritorious duty.
• June 24- Capt. J. King fatally injured.
• June 28- "720th" takes over transportation in Belgium.
• JULY 5- ENTIRE PHILIPPINES RETAKEN BY U.S.
• July 22- Battalion cited in General Order for superior duty.
• AUG. 5- ATOMIC BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA.
• AUG. 9- SECOND 'A' BOMBING AT NAGASAKI.
• AUG. 10- JAPAN GIVES UP (AUG.11-VJ DAY).
• AUG.14- PRESIDENT TRUMAN ANNOUNCES THAT JAPAN ACCEPTS SURRENDER TERMS.
• Aug. 25- Second anniversary observed by "720th" at Liege, Belgium.
• Oct. 18- The 720th begins demobilization; high-pointers being returned home; those over 64 points kept in 720th; under 64 points transferred to 743rd.
• Nov. 19- Those sent to 743rd, switched to 740th and other outfits, going to Marseilles, France.
• Dec. 5- the "720th" arrives in New York, aboard the Vulcania, from Le Havre, France.
• DEC. 9- GENERAL PATTON SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AUTO CRASH IN GERMANY, INJURIES PROVING FATAL DEC. 21. BURIED IN LUXEMBOURG.
• Members still with "720th", honorably discharged from 1260th Separation Center, at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
• Dec. 31- Storms delayed rest of 720th from reaching home in 1945. Record-breaking storms raged on the Atlantic. Captain of the Carrier Enterprise (transport), with 6,588 troops, said: "The closest thing to such storms I have seen, was a typhoon in the China sea. Waves were from 75 to 80 feet high, and wind velocity was from 80 to 85 miles an hour. In one 12 hour period we lost 41 miles. About 40 life rafts, 60 feet above water, were ripped away. For hours on end we could make only about one-half knot an hour."
1946
• Jan. 2- Many 720th members arrive with 723rd Railway Battalion; aboard the "Central Falls Victory."
• Jan. 3- Large group of 720th arrive with 740th Railway Battalion; aboard the "Saint Albans Victory."
• Members of the 720th arriving home in January, 1946, from Marseilles, were 12 days on the high seas, including Christmas and New Years Day.
• Returning units go to Camp Kilmer (N.J.) for honorable discharge.
~Commendations~
• Colonel N.J. Wilson, 21st British Area, commended the "720th" Battalion for performing its task well and efficiently at Lison and Caen.
• General Order 42, June 1, 1945; Headquarters, Normandy Base: Commendations for the Meritorious Performance of Duty by the 720th Railway Battalion.
• General Order No.8, July 22, 1944; Headquarters, Chanor Base Area; Commendation for the Superior Performance of Duty by the 720th Railway Operating Battalion.
~ Honored~
• Capt. Harold L. Barr, of Co. "A", on reconnaissance mission with Tech. Clardy Jr., sustained injuries; receiving the Purple Heart. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and received the French Croix de Guerre with Gold Star.
• Pfc. Edward P. Sargent awarded the Soldier's Medal, for heroism near Wom, Shropshire, England, having rescued a fellow soldier who fell under a moving train.
~Battle Stars~
Battle Participation Stars Designated
• Battle of Cherbourg
• Battle of Northern France
• Battle of Rhineland
• Battle of Central Europe
Text thanks to http://home.earthlink.net/~720throb/history.htm
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