Wheels Rolling in Korea The Signalman's Journal March 1953 by Nancy on Scribd
Saturday, June 27, 2020
766th Railway Shop Battalion captured Nazi flag
Former Staff Sgt. George Mills Grant (middle), an electrician with the 766th Railway Shop Battalion during World War II, displays a Nazi flag with two close friends in Germany. The flag was part of a collection of World War II historical artifacts donated by retired Staff Sgt. H. Lee Adelman, Grant’s son-in-law and the Antiterrorism Director for Naval District Washington Headquarters. Also included in the collection was one of Grant’s uniform shirts, maps detailing the unit’s route through France and into Germany, as well as miscellaneous photographs and documents from Grant’s time in service and the unit’s history. The artifacts were collected and processed by the 326th Military History Detachment from Whitehall, Ohio and will be transferred to the 766th Transportation Battalion, formerly the Railway Shop Battalion, from South Bend, Ind., to be displayed
758th Railway Shop Battalion - Watters obit
James Louis Watters
April 6, 1923 - January 13, 2009
James Louis ""Jim"" Watters, 85, of Wilmington, died peacefully at Liberty Commons Nursing Center on January 13, 2009.He was born on April 6, 1923, in Wilmington, NC, the son of James Louis Watters Sr. and Mae Singletary Watters. He grew up at Carolina Beach / Kure Beach and developed a love of the outdoors at an early age along with his brothers and the rest of the KBRARs Kure Beach Raggedy Ass Rangers. He had a specific passion for fishing that he shared with his beloved wife Ann. They loved to go surf fishing on local beaches and would often go fishing at their favorite spot on Core Banks near Atlantic, NC. Growing up near Fort Fisher, he also developed a passion for Civil War history.
He took this passion and explored the areas around Fort Fisher and many of the sunken blockade runners with his brothers as willing accomplices. Jim a.k.a. ""Son"" retired from the US Army with the rank of Captain. His military career started at the age of 15 when he lied about his age and joined the NC National Guard I Company, 120th Infantry. He was, of course, found out and his tenure with the Guard came to a quick end. He started his military career in earnest when he was drafted by the US Army during WW II and sent to the China Burma India theatre of operations where he served with the 758th Railway Shop Battalion. After WWII he went to OCS, received his commission and served in Germany with the 2nd Armored Division. After active duty, he completed his service with the Army Reserve in Wilmington. In civilian life, he was a highly skilled welder, machinist and mechanic. He took these skills and became a dedicated vocational instructor with New Hanover County Schools and Cape Fear Technical Institute. Read on https://www.andrewsmortuary.com/obituary/5133504
766th Railway Shop Battalion Surls interview
Harry C. Surls
Image of Harry C. Surls
Harry Surls at time of interview War: World War, 1939-1945
Branch: Army Unit: 766th Railway Shop Battalion, 7th Army; 397th Military Police Battalion Service
Location: Fort Custer, Michigan; Camp McCoy, Wisconsin; Fort Slocum, New York; England; Belgium; France; Germany Rank: Technician Five
https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.19880/
Five railroad soldiers pose on a locomotive near the roundhouse used by the 757th Railway Shop
Five railroad soldiers pose on a locomotive near the roundhouse used by the 757th Railway Shop Battalion in Cherbourg, France. From Wisconsin are, (top) Sergeant Raymond Janiszewski of Milwaukee, (standing, left to right) Technical Sergeant Donald Fetzer of Manitowoc, First Lieutenant Sigmund Gralewicz of Milwaukee, Captain Earl D. Austin of Wauwatosa, and Sergeant Walter Demitros of Milwaukee.
Perched on the ladder is Staff Sergeant Robert Kurman, mechanic, of Brookyln, New York. A metal structure, with three soldiers working on it, is in the background.
https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM100569
Saturday, June 20, 2020
California State Railroad Museum docent training slide show on Military Railway Service
Thanks to Paul for sharing this slide show that he created for the California State Railroad Museum (CSRM) as part of their continuing education program.
He is concentrating on the contributions of the Southern Pacific Lines and the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway contributions, those units are the: 705th & 710th RGDs, the 713th & 716th ROBs and the 754th & 758th RSBs.
Email me if you'd like to share anything with Paul: militaryrailwayservice@gmail.
He is concentrating on the contributions of the Southern Pacific Lines and the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway contributions, those units are the: 705th & 710th RGDs, the 713th & 716th ROBs and the 754th & 758th RSBs.
Email me if you'd like to share anything with Paul: militaryrailwayservice@gmail.
MRS in WWII slide show by Nancy on Scribd
Friday, June 19, 2020
724 Railway Operating Battalion: Drive by celebrates Souderton resident Mark Limbert's 101st birthday
SOUDERTON — As neighbors and family members came out to join in the celebration, Souderton, Telford and Franconia police vehicles led the way for other vehicles taking part in the June 6 drive-by celebration of Highland Avenue resident Mark Limbert's 101st birthday.Limbert, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, volunteered for military duty in April of 1941, eight months before Pearl Harbor. “On April 6th 1943, Mark traveled from Fort Benning Georgia to Washington D.C.
He was commissioned a 1st lieutenant in the morning and married Dorothy in the afternoon, they spent the night together and then went their separate ways. Mark and Dorothy were married for 73 years until her passing in June 2016,” daughter-in-law Nancy Frei wrote in information about Limbert's military service. “Mark then shipped out to England then on to France where he was assigned to the shipping supplies to the front and wounded back.
The 724th drove the first train into Paris after liberation,” she wrote. Limbert was released from military duty on February 1, 1946 and settled into life in Souderton, she wrote. On September 14, 1950, he was called back into service and sent to Korea where he served in the Adjutant General's office, she wrote. “Mark was released from his Army duty at Ft. Indiantown Gap on June 7th 1952,” Frei wrote. “Records indicate he was given $576.70 upon separation.”
Sunday, June 14, 2020
722nd Railway Operating Battlion Keith
Thanks to Greg for sending some more 722nd photos.Group shot back reads " In this picture, from the left is George W. Irvin, Gordon Hawk (Middle) "Red" Grass "
The portrait is Bill Keith
Friday, June 12, 2020
737th Railway Operating Battalion Farr
Veteran of the Week: Private George Walker Farr
The Veteran of the Week is sponsored by the National Veterans Shrine and Register of Honor at the American Village — honoring America’s veterans and telling the stories of their service and sacrifice for the cause of liberty.
“The American Village is pleased to join the Shelby County Reporter in recognizing Private George Walker Farr as Veteran of the Week,” American Village founder and CEO Tom Walker said. “He is representative of the hundreds of thousands of Alabamians who have risked it all for the sake of our country and its freedom. To all veterans we owe a debt we can never fully repay.”
Visit the website, Veteransregisterofhonor.com, today and add your loved ones to the Register of Honor. Help us honor, recognize, respect and remember our country’s veterans. Here are highlights about this week’s Veteran of the Week: George Walker Farr was born in Birmingham in 1919. He entered the service as a U.S. Army Private in May of 1944 at Fort McPearson in Georgia. He served during World War II in the Philippines with the 737th Railway Operating Battalion, and was honorably discharged in November of 1945 in Seoul Korea. Farr immediately reenlisted and served two more years with a Military Police Detachment, receiving his second honorable discharge at Camp Stoneman, California in July of 1947. He died in 2007 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham.
https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2020/06/09/veteran-of-the-week-private-george-walker-farr/
“The American Village is pleased to join the Shelby County Reporter in recognizing Private George Walker Farr as Veteran of the Week,” American Village founder and CEO Tom Walker said. “He is representative of the hundreds of thousands of Alabamians who have risked it all for the sake of our country and its freedom. To all veterans we owe a debt we can never fully repay.”
Visit the website, Veteransregisterofhonor.com, today and add your loved ones to the Register of Honor. Help us honor, recognize, respect and remember our country’s veterans. Here are highlights about this week’s Veteran of the Week: George Walker Farr was born in Birmingham in 1919. He entered the service as a U.S. Army Private in May of 1944 at Fort McPearson in Georgia. He served during World War II in the Philippines with the 737th Railway Operating Battalion, and was honorably discharged in November of 1945 in Seoul Korea. Farr immediately reenlisted and served two more years with a Military Police Detachment, receiving his second honorable discharge at Camp Stoneman, California in July of 1947. He died in 2007 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham.
https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2020/06/09/veteran-of-the-week-private-george-walker-farr/
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
711th Railway Operating Battalion- Ned Streiff Iran WWII
Ned Streiff - Interview with Ned Streiff(18:55)
Audio interview
Audio interview
740th Railway Operating Battalion 1944-11945 unknown soldier "Cliff " first name
Anyone know who's these photos might be ?
Photos of "Cliff"
https://www.scribd.com/document/465009003/740th-ROB-Cliff-Cliff-Photos
https://www.scribd.com/document/465008985/740th-ROB-Cliff-Cliff-Photos-2
Photos of war damage, rails and other soldiers (marked) :
Photos of war damage, rails and other soldiers (unmarked) :
https://www.scribd.com/document/465009017/740th-ROB-Cliff-Unmarked-No1 https://www.scribd.com/document/465009023/740th-ROB-Cliff-Unmarked-No2
Photos of "Cliff"
https://www.scribd.com/document/465009003/740th-ROB-Cliff-Cliff-Photos
https://www.scribd.com/document/465008985/740th-ROB-Cliff-Cliff-Photos-2
Photos of war damage, rails and other soldiers (marked) :
740th ROB Cliff Marked No1 by Nancy on Scribd
https://www.scribd.com/document/465009010/740th-ROB-Cliff-Marked-No2 Photos of war damage, rails and other soldiers (unmarked) :
https://www.scribd.com/document/465009017/740th-ROB-Cliff-Unmarked-No1 https://www.scribd.com/document/465009023/740th-ROB-Cliff-Unmarked-No2
Saturday, June 6, 2020
Do you know the Names and Numbers of S160 Locomotives Named in Memorial of Military Personnel in February 1945?
**Thanks to Lewis for working on this if you know email me militaryrailwayservice@gmail.
Do you know the numbers, names and ranks of the eighteen locomotives named in Belgium during February 1945 after 708 RGD soldiers and are there any photographs of these named locomotives?
During the WW2 USA supplied 2120 S160 locomotive The United States Army Transportation Corps S160 Class is a class of 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotive designed for use in Europe during World War II for heavy freight work. They worked on railroads across the world, including Africa, Asia, all of Europe and South America.
During February 1945 eighteen S160 were named after Military personnel who lost their lives during the aerial and V1 bombardment of Liege and environs, Belgium. The locomotives were named after servicemen from 740th and 741th railway operations battalions and 755th railway shop battalion. Torret (1995) list 15 of the locomotive numbers and the names of three of the locomotives.
Locomotive No Name Battalion
1 1609 ?
2 2039 ?
3 2052 ?
4 2171 ?
5 2174 Pvt J. A. Auriemma 741
6 2181 Pvt H.B.Lindsey 741
7 2182 ?
8 2208 ?
9 2327 ?
10 2360 ?
11 2582 Pvt H. J. O'Brien 741
12 2603 T/5 A.A. Van Kleeck 740
13 2615 ?
14 2792 Pvt J. M. McGillis 755
15 2913 Pvt C J Anderson 741
16
17
18
Gregory (1947) includes a photo of 2582 Pvt H. J. O’Brien being names by Major Gen. Frank S. Ross at Kinkempois Yard on 28th February 1945, also present were Lt. Col. S. Pulliam, Brig. Gen. C. Gray and Col. W. S. Carr. T/4 E. H. Welborn and T/Sgt A. R. MacDonald crewed the locomotive.
Recently I came across the photo of locomotive 2181 Pvt H. B. Lindsey on the internet and 2174 Pvt. J. A. Auriemma.
Livingstone (1981) list the eight 740th servicemen are the following T/4 D. R. Gnovese, T/5 J. L. Mullin, Corp S. J. Belcastro, T/5 F. Rallo, Pvt R. J. Greco, Pvt O. L. Lance, Pvt A. G. Lewis, and T/5 A. A. Van Kleeck.
Livingstone (1981) states 8 were named after servicemen from the 740th, 8 after servicemen from the 741st and one from 755th.
Ross (1945) states “On Dec. 24, a lone German plane bombed the joint billet of the 740th and 741st Railway Operating Battalions, six blocks from the Guillemins yard. Nine soldiers were killed, several injured. Three days later, a V-1 exploded in the Kinkempois yard in Liege. The 740th lost eight men this time, had twenty injured.”
Tourret (1995) states eighteen locomotives were name in February, the other references list seventeen, but are referring specifically to incidents in the 740th history.
Pictorial Handbook of Military Transportation: Operational Photographs of the U.S. Army
Transportation Corps European Theater of Operations 1945, list the eighteen men dedicated:
Rank Name Battalion Died Locomotive No.
1 Corp S. J. Belcastro 740 27/12/1944 2171 ?
2 T/4 D. R. Genovese 740 27/12/1944
3 Pvt R. J. Greco 740 27/12/1944
4 Pvt A. G. Lewis 740 27/12/1944
5 Pvt O. L. Lance 740 27/12/1944
6 T/5 J. L. Mullin 740 27/12/1944
7 T/5 F. Rallo 740 27/12/1944
8 T/5 A. A. Van Kleech 740 27/12/1944 2603
9 Pvt C. J. Anderson 741 24/12/1944
10 Pvt C. H. Creamer 741 24/12/1944
11 T/5 R. D. Gugger 741 24/12/1944
12 Pvt H. B. Linsey 741 24/12/1944 2181
13 Pvt M.H. Massaro 741 24/12/1944
14 Pvt B. Reiss 741 24/12/1944
15 Pvt E. H. Wiese 741 24/12/1944 1609 ?
16 Pvt J. A. Auriemma 741 12/12/1944 2174
17 Pvt H. J. O'Brien 741 24/12/1944 2582
18 Pvt J. M. McGillis 755 25/12/1944 2792
Unfortunately the scanned image of the locomotives around edge of the dedication is illegible, does anybody have a copy of Pictorial Handbook of Military Transportation: Operational Photographs of the U.S. Army Transportation Corps European Theater of Operations 1945. It shows 17 of the 17 locomotives.
References
Ross I. (1945) Combat Railroading VFW Bulletin Sept 1945 p33-35.
Gregory A. G. (1947) The saga of the 708 Railway Grand Division
Tourret R. (1995) Allied Military Locomotives of the Second World War
Livingstone J. (1981) 740th Railway Operating Battalion History
Pictorial Handbook of Military Transportation: Operational Photographs of the U.S. Army Transportation Corps European Theater of Operations August 1945, Technical Information Office
Office of the Chief of Transportation.
Do you know the numbers, names and ranks of the eighteen locomotives named in Belgium during February 1945 after 708 RGD soldiers and are there any photographs of these named locomotives?
During the WW2 USA supplied 2120 S160 locomotive The United States Army Transportation Corps S160 Class is a class of 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotive designed for use in Europe during World War II for heavy freight work. They worked on railroads across the world, including Africa, Asia, all of Europe and South America.
During February 1945 eighteen S160 were named after Military personnel who lost their lives during the aerial and V1 bombardment of Liege and environs, Belgium. The locomotives were named after servicemen from 740th and 741th railway operations battalions and 755th railway shop battalion. Torret (1995) list 15 of the locomotive numbers and the names of three of the locomotives.
Locomotive No Name Battalion
1 1609 ?
2 2039 ?
4 2171 ?
5 2174 Pvt J. A. Auriemma 741
6 2181 Pvt H.B.Lindsey 741
7 2182 ?
8 2208 ?
9 2327 ?
10 2360 ?
11 2582 Pvt H. J. O'Brien 741
12 2603 T/5 A.A. Van Kleeck 740
13 2615 ?
14 2792 Pvt J. M. McGillis 755
15 2913 Pvt C J Anderson 741
16
17
18
Gregory (1947) includes a photo of 2582 Pvt H. J. O’Brien being names by Major Gen. Frank S. Ross at Kinkempois Yard on 28th February 1945, also present were Lt. Col. S. Pulliam, Brig. Gen. C. Gray and Col. W. S. Carr. T/4 E. H. Welborn and T/Sgt A. R. MacDonald crewed the locomotive.
Recently I came across the photo of locomotive 2181 Pvt H. B. Lindsey on the internet and 2174 Pvt. J. A. Auriemma.
Livingstone (1981) list the eight 740th servicemen are the following T/4 D. R. Gnovese, T/5 J. L. Mullin, Corp S. J. Belcastro, T/5 F. Rallo, Pvt R. J. Greco, Pvt O. L. Lance, Pvt A. G. Lewis, and T/5 A. A. Van Kleeck.
Livingstone (1981) states 8 were named after servicemen from the 740th, 8 after servicemen from the 741st and one from 755th.
Ross (1945) states “On Dec. 24, a lone German plane bombed the joint billet of the 740th and 741st Railway Operating Battalions, six blocks from the Guillemins yard. Nine soldiers were killed, several injured. Three days later, a V-1 exploded in the Kinkempois yard in Liege. The 740th lost eight men this time, had twenty injured.”
Tourret (1995) states eighteen locomotives were name in February, the other references list seventeen, but are referring specifically to incidents in the 740th history.
Pictorial Handbook of Military Transportation: Operational Photographs of the U.S. Army
Transportation Corps European Theater of Operations 1945, list the eighteen men dedicated:
Rank Name Battalion Died Locomotive No.
1 Corp S. J. Belcastro 740 27/12/1944 2171 ?
2 T/4 D. R. Genovese 740 27/12/1944
3 Pvt R. J. Greco 740 27/12/1944
4 Pvt A. G. Lewis 740 27/12/1944
5 Pvt O. L. Lance 740 27/12/1944
6 T/5 J. L. Mullin 740 27/12/1944
7 T/5 F. Rallo 740 27/12/1944
8 T/5 A. A. Van Kleech 740 27/12/1944 2603
9 Pvt C. J. Anderson 741 24/12/1944
10 Pvt C. H. Creamer 741 24/12/1944
11 T/5 R. D. Gugger 741 24/12/1944
12 Pvt H. B. Linsey 741 24/12/1944 2181
13 Pvt M.H. Massaro 741 24/12/1944
14 Pvt B. Reiss 741 24/12/1944
15 Pvt E. H. Wiese 741 24/12/1944 1609 ?
16 Pvt J. A. Auriemma 741 12/12/1944 2174
17 Pvt H. J. O'Brien 741 24/12/1944 2582
18 Pvt J. M. McGillis 755 25/12/1944 2792
Unfortunately the scanned image of the locomotives around edge of the dedication is illegible, does anybody have a copy of Pictorial Handbook of Military Transportation: Operational Photographs of the U.S. Army Transportation Corps European Theater of Operations 1945. It shows 17 of the 17 locomotives.
References
Ross I. (1945) Combat Railroading VFW Bulletin Sept 1945 p33-35.
Gregory A. G. (1947) The saga of the 708 Railway Grand Division
Tourret R. (1995) Allied Military Locomotives of the Second World War
Livingstone J. (1981) 740th Railway Operating Battalion History
Pictorial Handbook of Military Transportation: Operational Photographs of the U.S. Army Transportation Corps European Theater of Operations August 1945, Technical Information Office
Office of the Chief of Transportation.
