War time editions of N.Y. Central Railroad Headlight are a goldmine and this edition includes mentions of soldiers in the units: 

CH September 1945

• 718^th, 721^st, 736^th, 737^th ROB
• 753^rd RSB
• 701^st RGD
• All NYC Battalions go to reserves Post War.
• 718^th ROB – first train across Rhine Guilfoil
• 2^nd MRS piper cubs doing reconnaissance- telegraph line
• 748^th ROB Truden
• 724^th ROB Brearton
• MRS Ital
• MRS Burma
• MRS #years of experience
• 706^th RGD
• 713^th ROB
• 721^st ROB Voights India
• MRS operated 12 RR lines in Germany
• 718^th ROB Merit Plaque
• 726^th Padula India
• Double Turntable at Cologne in Germany
• 2^nd MRS Elmes 

 

 

Sept 1944 

• MRS Iran killed Greeno 
• MRS France 
• 722nd Railway Operating Battalion Diesel Streamliner captured 
• 748th Railway Operating Battalion 
• Crockette died India Troy Time Record – Hitler’s Trains story 
• 712th Railway Operating Battalion Davis

 

John Pilsits Obituary John P. Pilsits, 99, of Oak Hill Village,

Middletown, died Thursday, November 16, 2023 at Oak Hill Village. John was born on October 14, 1924. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, stationed in India with the 748th Railway Operating Battalion. He was an avid Notre Dame fan, liked reading mystery books, walking and especially the times when he would see anyone and just say "hi." John was the youngest son (and the last of the family line) of the late Rudolph and Lucy Knoll Pilsits of Steelton. He was predeceased by his wife of 47 years Mary E. Magaro Pilsits. He is survived by four sons and one daughter. John Jr. of Aurora, IL., Richard of Enola, Dennis of Philadelphia, Keith of Etters, and Robin Kay Deibler of Wrightsville; 9 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 AM Monday, November 27, 2023 in Seven Sorrows BVM Catholic Church, 280 N. Race St., Middletown. Celebrant will be Rev. Timothy J. Sahd. 

Viewing will be in the narthex of the church Monday from 10:00 AM until the time of the service. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, West Hanover Twp. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oak Hill Village for the Benevolent Fund. www.pennlive.com/obits

Thanks Dave

 Camp Jesse Turner 1943

748th ROB panorama by Nancy on Scribd

748.pdf by Nancy

More from Frank Lewis

749 Rob Training Schedule All by Nancy

Thanks to John Lewis for sending this great photo front his dad, Francis Lewis' collection. This is the Company C 748th ROB in New Orleans in 1943.

Burma by Nancy

** Locomotive Engineers Journal September 1945

The biggest and most important job they tackled was running most of the Bengal & Assam Railway in northeast India, operating generally from Parbat-ipur northeast. The meter-gauge line east from Parbatipur was mainly single-track, powered by an assortment of locomotives made in Germany, England, Belgium, France and Czechoslovakia.

The Indian method of operation was often protracted. There were schedules, of course; but the Indians observed them in the manner of a timeless land. If a train arrived hours late, and the schedule called for a 15-minute stop, the Indians observed it, even though loading and unloading took only two minutes.

The war supplies over the railroad under Indian operation totaled only 15,000 long tons in May 1943. In June the Bengal & Assam didn't move enough tonnage to fill the planes flying the Hump to China.

Maj. Gen. W. E. R. Covell, chief of CBI Services of Supply, gave orders Christmas Day 1943 establishing the Military Railway Service, with headquarters at Gauhati, Assam, halfway between Parbatipur and Tinsukia. It was to operate 752 miles of meter-gauge track, headed by Headquarters, Military Railway Service, and Headquarters, 705th Railway Grand Division. Operating under this authority would be five railway battalions, the 721st, 725th, 726th, 745th and 748th, and one shop battalion, the 758th.

This grand division of about 4,600 officers and men arrived at Gauhati in late-January 1944 and set up offices and quarters in a weaving school. It assumed operation March 1, and by that time, CBI Theater had reached agreement with India to operate 804 miles of track.

748th Railway Operating Battalion by Nancy