Thanks to Russ for sending this article about a "freak accident" with the 791st in Iran (1943-1944)

FREAK INCIDENT ON RAILROAD IS HARDLY CREDIBLE

The “freak incident of railroading,” occurring when Engineer Pvt. Carl Lopez and Fireman Pfc. Maurice Brady both fell sound asleep inside their locomotive as it rushed along the rails towards Doroud on the ISR, is unprecedented in hogger history, and perhaps shall never again recur; according to GIs in the 791st Ry. Op. Bn. at Camp Kramer, Andimeshk.

Happened in Early Days

It happened in the early days of railroading in Iran when the utmost in physical exertion was squeezed from every MBS man to expedite supplies to Russia. Carl and Maurice had gone without shut-eye for over 48 hours.

Nearing kilo 671 t h e i r eyelids seemed pulled downward by a conspiracy of force in the earth’s gravity. They fought against Morpheus but the click - click - clack - clack caused drowsiness and fatigue gave way to heavy slumber.

Carl awoke first and hurriedly shook Maurice to sensibility. “What in hell is happening?” Neither of them could figure it out and both were dumbfounded.

Train at Standstill

The engine raced at full steam. They felt the huge drivewheels churning beneath them . . . but the train was standing dead still, suspended midway up a slight grade!

Maurice leaped from the cab and beheld a sight which is believed no man ever saw before.

While these two exhausted GIs slept heavily, their locomotive had struck a greasy spot on the rails. The wheels lost traction and began digging in. The soft rails used in Iran plus the terrific heat of the sun beating upon them caused the track to melt beneath the friction of the harder wheels.

Maurice had to extinguish a fire which was burning up the ties beneath the rails—because steel track had been liquefied almost to the trackbed, where friction ignited the wood.

Anyone in the PGC doubting the truth of the story may go to the railway shops at Atterbury and there find ample proof in the form of the four sections of track which bear perfect impressions of drive wheels.

Pvt. Ralph Viggers

 

Alvarez, Miguel A.

Cook, Lewis W. Co.C

 

Roland O Dillon Feb 1945 32857414 Co B 764th Railway Shop Battalion

Martin A Doss May 1944 36764802 Co. A. 764th Railway Shcp Battalion Preston W. Ford Apr 1944 38520322 Hq Co. 733rd Railway Operating Battalion Sherman C. Frank Sep 1944 35499189 Co. A 714th Railway Operating Battalion Sherman C. Frank Oct 1944 35499189 714th Railway Oprating Battalion John E. Frazier Aug 1945 35768924 735th Railway Operating Battalion Dolphus N. Gambill Sep 1944 35417629 Co. A 714th Railway Operating Battalion Thomas S Lukasiewicz Jul 1945 36712687 Co A 743rd Railway Operating Battalion Clarence R. Beavers Apr 1944 35894739 Hq Co. 733rd Railway Operating Battalion Kenneth Bello Mar 1944 32881027 Hq Co. 743rd Railway Operating Battalion Elmer G. Piker Mar 1945 38233465 Co A 732d Railway Operating Battalion Walter L. Poole Jul 1945 34888800 Co C 724 Railway Operating Battalion Wallace C Resoff Dec 1944 399516 Co A 714th Railway Operating Battalion Miguel A Alverez Aug 1943 39835580 Hq Co. 791st Railway Operating Battalion Lewis W. Cook May 1944 33157232 Co. C. 791st Railway Operating Battalion

3rd Military Railway Service (702nd Military Grand Division) 711th Railway Operating Battalion, 730th Railway Operating Battalion, 754th Railway Shop Battalion, 762th Railway Shop Battalion, 791st Railway Operating Battalion

Thank so much for MSaxton research into this amazing group the railway units involved in this command were:

• 3rd Military Railway Service (702nd Military Railway Grand Division)
• 711th Railway Operating Battalion
• 730th Railway Operating Battalion 
• 754th Railway Shop Battalion 
• 762nd Railway Shop Battalion
• 791st Railway Operating Battalion 

 This booklet has a list of units in the Persian Gulf Command.

What's included:

   -- The front cover and the first 2 pages

   -- All but the first page of the section by Joel Sayre, 27 pages,
      is left out for copyright reasons.

   -- The last 6 pages, on military aspects, freight tonnages, the
      list of units, and the song "Men of the Persian Gulf Command"

   -- The back cover is missing from the copy I have so I copied the jpeg file
      from the PERSIAN GULF COMMAND VETERANS ORGANIZATION World War II website
            http://pgcvowwii.homestead.com/home.html
      The organization has disbanded for reasons of age but the website has
      some good material.

Joel Sayre (1901) was a war correspondent who spent 49 weeks with the
Persian Gulf Command.  He wrote for the New Yorker and was a friend
of James Thurber.  Short biography at IMDb.

     http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0768540/bio

He published the Persian Gulf Command material in three places, basically the
same material.

1.  The New Yorker
    06 Jan 1945, Some Marvels between Khorramshahr & Kazvin, Part I
    10 Feb 1945, Persian Gulf Command, Part II
    24 Mar 1945, Persian Gulf Command, Part III, The Whirling Men
    31 Mar 1945, Persian Gulf Command, You Don't Fool Around with a Railroad, Part IV

2.  This Army publication

3.  His book. Persian Gulf Command Some Marvels on the Road to Kazvin.
    Published by Random House, New York, 1945.  Introduction by James
    Thurber.  It's easy to find a copy to buy, either an original or a
    reprint.  140 pages, 4-5/8 X 7-1/8 inches

In the Army "Green Books" series, UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II.
The Middle East Theater.  THE PERSIAN CORRIDOR AND AID TO RUSSIA.
by T. H. Vail Motter.  Available free online
http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/008/8-1/index.html