Great news for researching railway units ...

WWII Morning Reports up to 1943 are now available on the NARA website and can be located through the NARA Catalog. (More Morning Reports are being added, as I have located ones for 1944, too.) 

For those wishing to research WWI Morning Reports, I recommend using them on Fold3. Why search for the Morning Reports? 

 These organizational records can tell us where all the assigned soldiers were on a specific day, and the activities being done. They tell us when and how soldiers moved from place to place. They show when there were promotions, sick for duty and when they were sent to the hospital. 

They also show if soldiers were assigned to other organizations for temporary duty, or when they were permanently transferred to another organization. At a minimum, a soldier’s name will appear upon transferring in and transferring out of an organization. Memos may also be tucked into these reports. For those of us whose Army ancestors’ personnel files burned in the fire in 1973, without leaving enough to be restored through technical means, these records are a key part of the reconstruction process. here

Thanks to Fetty's daughter Maydean for these great photos and documents. 

This photo is my dad, Ralph Glenn Fetty on left and his life longfriend Annas W. Klingensmith at Fort Sam Houston, Texas where they met and trained together

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Members of the 729th Transportation Battalion, old and new, gathered for a ceremonial returning of the unit colors, early on a Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in New Haven, Conn. The 729th Railway Operating Battalion deactivated in 1976. Their last days were chaotic, according to U.S. Army Reserve Col. (Ret.) Vincent Palmeri, an alumnus of the 76th Division, the co-located higher headquarters of the 729th in Middletown, Conn., preventing the customary return of the unit colors to the U.S. Army Center of Military History. U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Richard Gillen, the commander at the time, kept the original colors, a relic from 1942, adorned with four campaign steamers, following the unit's tumultuous deactivation. His widow, Joy, preserved the unit banner, only surrendering it to Palmeri, a trusted retired officer, for safekeeping. 

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/483545/historic-colors-returned-transportation-battalion-europe

 Clifford Crane 

 

Joe L. Hall

 

 Charles James Collett 

 

 Oscar R. Kirchner 

 William T. Coffey 

 

Leonard P. Mays

 

 Albert Blythe 

 

Silas E. Foster

 

 Emmett John Hegarty 

 

 George E. Van Kleeck also served in 716th ROB

Edward Boland

Edwon Kite

This great photo album was passed around through various unit members many years ago, see the little note at end of photos for more informtion. https://photos.app.goo.gl/te3g9XkR5W1Ckq9fA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/te3g9XkR5W1Ckq9fA

This is an amazing biography and first hand account by Army railroader D.M.(Bing) Quimby serving with the 711th ROB during WWII in Iran. Thanks to his son, Russ Quimby and the Quimby family for sharing this amazing book with us,

Russ wrote ... Nancy, I just finished reading Christian Wolmar's "The Liberation Line" where I discovered your name and website. As a Class of 1974 West Point graduate who spent most of my working life in railroading, and as the son of a railroad engineer who was in the 711th ROB in Iran during WWII, I am gratified that you are preserving the Military Railway Service history and memories. Four of 13 chapters of my father's self published autobiography "One of the Last" by D.M. (Bing) Quimby (1995 Vantage Press) deal with his experiences in the 711th ROB in Iran. Only 200 copies were published, but I would be glad to send you a copy for reference. I think that you might find his story of some interest.

Fascinating autobiography of Bing Quimby, one of the last engineers to run a steam locomotive in the United States. A quintessential small town boy, the author describes his youth growing up in Nebraska in the 1920s, bumming his way to California in his teens (and getting into scrapes along the way), working as a fireman for the railroad, serving in the Army during World Ward II where his locomotive delivered supplies to the Russians from Iran, and then the years as an engineer of steam locomotives back home before making the transition to diesel. Illustrated with black and white photos. 232 pages. 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vantage Press; First Edition (January 1, 1995) 

Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 232 pages 

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0533111544 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0533111541 

 

0

 James J. Darcy

Glen V. Jones 

 

 Hollis O. Pack

Alfred Joseph Blake 

 

 

 

Lewis V. Stitt

 

Xavier F. Rolinski

 

 

The 740th Railway Operating Battalion in France & Belgium Charles W. Heffner

 

 

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