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  v

GHQ MILITARY RAILWAY SERVICE A. E. F .

1

1945 1946

_ Pass.T Q .. W ; i . . ~ t - ~ ~

8

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Nationality)

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unit Co

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Identification

nnd uthoriz ti n to

ride

trnins

and

to

:

:1

c

irculate on all

German Railways

under

control

·  ; ; : ~ ~ ~ ; ~ t

.

V..v-

  1 . ~ : : . Brigadier

General

/

cun t

Commondinll

Officer) U. S

Army

· Director General

Identifikation und Genehmigung

die

Ziige

zu beniitzen

im Gesammtbereich der Deutschen

r

Eisenbahn unter

Kontrolle

dieses

Hauptquar-

tiers.

1

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DOUBLS

ANIVERS

ARY

EDITION

July 29,1945

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OVERSEAS CHJ.ONOLOGICAL

IUSTOH.Y

Throu g

hout th

e 7th day

of Ju ly EJii3,

menbers of

a.

SOXO

des t ined uni t

we

re bus i ly

e ngaged

novinG

fror1  Car:Ji)

Shanks,

Nevi

York

to

a ~ I u d s o n Ri

·.r

e r Pi e r , a l l

loca t

ed in the

HYPOE. The SOXO'G, as

th

c;y have

ca l l

ed

th

emse

l ves

froyn, time

to

t i r le ,

wi l l nover for -

t;·J t

t ha t

hike wi t h f u l l

equil)m

e

n t

plus ex t ras (

r : l p r r ~ g n . te

clo th ing ,

over shoos,

e t c . )

froJ11. canp to the wai

t ine:

New

York

Centru.l

l3oat Train ,

tho fe r ry ri<.le and

then noro

mlking while the POE

band

y e d , to th e

l a n k

and to

the

var ious decks of

th

e

~ o o d

ship

Aqui tania .

Throu ghout th·

:::.

abovo

raove:1ents,

th

;-;

SOXO'S

·r i

o

v1eG.

v r ~ t h

f . ~ h

the Officers

l > l i

; h t . A horseshoe p a ck >-r i th i r p r t c

clothin; ;

c.nd ovorsLoes

a t t ach -

A

dis;Jatch

case:: gc.s

musks

wcrr:;

ca r r ied on th

e

j)

C:Jrso:l,

-vri

th

r ; E ~ U . ' : ' ; C

and

overcoat in

..·i th

e r

hand.

Of

courso they rea l iz

·:Jd t h a t

th

o ti-cao t ho

. t t h i s would probauly not

1appen again

und th

e y

vre

r o

r i g h t .

In

the

l a t

o

mornins

h

ou rs of 8

July Hi43,

the Aqui tania. Rlippcc1 u..vray on i t s sncrot

t ro

op

movcmont f ro

n

nov: York

{ a r b o r

c..m.

i d ·w

h i

s tl e

blovring f e r ry boats and

r.mch h['_nd

wavin

g from

var ious

pe:.ssc..l

in harbor .

7

unforg

e

tt n.1> lc

days

tl

t

sea

f o l l onecl

:Yo

wore on

our

O \m v;i thout

..

s ~ c r t b c in t; a f a s t sh ip . Tho Railvmy Operating

D

u t t a l i on composed of r-·,cn

fror:L

'12 di f fe ren t U.S.

r a i l r uuds ,

nad

c

t h i s ~ . 1 a

n

voyago

under

orders

of th o

NY

POE

1

,-,·or kinG on th e boat D.s cooks, K. Ps.

WAC

bu r;gago carry ing

o

xpert :s ,

mess of f i cu r s , pu l i c o dvto . i l s , modic _dr;tails an l _;_n gonc,r a l wo rk horses of

th

e

boa t .

This

vms

on

ly

an

in

d

i c a t ion

of

our

fu ture ass icrp e

n ts .

The

bri( ,htor

s ide

of tho t r i p

includffid

the W i ~ . C s

(1s t

group

to

~ ~ o ~ - v e r s e o . s - ) n.r1-l niGhtly ent e r ta i rment.

fl.

round

the mess hours , a t;oodly crowd

could

always bo f ound f ~ r o the s ta i rvmys.

This

spor t

was el iminated

whe n

orders

W8re

i ssu od

t o

the

WACs t o

appr:a

r in fa t iguos

o

n ly .

Mc.ny

budding romanced were

s t a r t

ed on

t h i s t r i p

culminat ing

clu rinc; o

u t s t ay il1

the

ETO. A

cer ta in Lieutenant

was knovm

to

llavo vion

·:t

f ew

no

r a e; r

oy

hc'.irs

be cause of

f r a t e rn i za t ion

d i f f i c u l t i

0s

on

his tour of

duty nspec in l ly upon

discovery of

notes

b

c:

inc lo we red from rt

por t

hole on deck 5

to

une on de cJ.: 3. Upon arrivcLl in th e Fi r th

·)f

Clyde 15

Ju ly

1943

we

proceeded to

Greenock,

Scot land to

d i s ,"n

bark .

The

inovi t ab l

baggage de t a i l s and

f ina l pol ice of the shiJ?

was a l locuted

t o

the 729th .

He ar r ived

a t

Shirohanpton

StaGinz ArGu on

17

July

1943, and

there

fol lovmd an

or i en t a t ion

t a l k

by

Major

General Ross, Chief

of

Transpor t a t ion , th

e

breaking up

of

th

e b n t t a l h m in to

bttlanc

ed t a c h r n ~ : m t dest ined for eve ry USA Depot

in

a l l UK Das(::

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SEC 'riONS.

Bat ta l ion

Headquarters mov(; d to Lonllon

with

t le persorms:l sect ion c;oir.

·co Sudbury.

Durinc

th is in i ir.tl

t..>•.;riod

vre

f i eked UIJ anJ

vrero assignod

some 350

(:;;.Acellent railrc ·ad

off icors

and

enl i s t

ed

men

frcm n::wvly f o

rmed

Previs ional

Rctilwn

:

Detc·.chr.1ents. Thes;:: men

wore

s c;c

ured from

th ,e S uni ts in th e UK pr io r t o uur

ar r i \

Durinc th e succ

oe

din .;

months

of expandin g llcpot

rcdlvm.y

otJTat ions

of

tho bat ta l ion ,

I'JG

had

approxil"latcly 42 offic'::lrs and

1200

en.g

li

s tod r.1en in 34 de t ac h

nen

t s in 4 Dase

Sect ions.

lJe i:n e; in so "lany depo t s ,

pr:hor

to

th e a r r i v · ~ l of the 72 8

th

Ha i1way Op e r a t in g

pa

tta li

on

in th o l a t e Fal l o:: 1943, r:lE:ant gn.r1t r e sv o

ns ib i l i

t i e s f or th e 729};h

'.:turing

th

8

lr1rg

e

SOS depot

opera t ions pr ior tu

D-Day. Com

pany A

was

a t

one t im

e

r

espons

ib l

e f or

th

e ma

in ten

ance

of

upproxime.tely

600

miles

of

t r r

lck8.ge . Comrnmy

D's

r e

sp ons

i b i l i t i

es

·we r G tha t of serv ic ing and nain ta in ing l occmoti

ve

cquipT:lon t and

cc.r

"'rec

ti

on

. Company C vra s r e sponsib le f or a ll shuntinG opera t ions which involved a

dai ly depo t ave ra ge

of

600 wagons

_mo

ved into

la r

ge r

d e ~ o t s .

Spacia l

work done by the

batto.}ion was un loadin r;; and stc;ra be opera t ions of T.C.

'cnockdown r a i lwe.y ca

r s .

Cvmpm:ty D

and

a l l exc

es

s men of Headquarters Company were

s t ar t c=Jd on

t h i s

wo rk

in

July

43. I t

wasn t

very lon

r:;

un t i l

th e men of

th

e

t r a in

.

novene,nt

Sect ion becrune

good

r i ge;e rs and cr&n e ope r a t ors and

found

a t Sudbury tha t

they

d i dn

 t

brinr.; their

overshoes along

f or any

purpose,

The re a r e still rumurs

~ c r o u n

tha t

s t a r s wil l

be given f o r the ba t t l e

of

Suubury, Newberry, Mo r t on on Lugrs ,

':: t c .

Simultaneously,

a t I1ainaul D Compa::::y embark od

on i t s

pioneer a

ss

emb

ly vm

rk

of re efe rs , box, cab

oose

,

0omlo

l a , war

f l a t s

and

tank

cars expa.ndin s ...,p;:;;ra

ti

ons

by

se

t t i n

g;

up

assemb

ly

l i n

e s

n t

Sudbury, Morton

on

Lut;g,

and

Doncaster ,

Er

ec

ti

on r

eccrd

se t up by th e

SOXOs were as

f oll ow s: gon do l a

s , 5B nan

hours , Box cars ,

80

nc.n h

ou

rs

mel r ef r ie;erator

cars 175

Til .n h ours per

car . Other sp <: Cial L

·

ioneer ·w

ork inclu;lcd

( in

th

e Sprint:; of

1944

) tho conversion of 25 Liber ty

Shi:)s

t o

Tr

oop shi;_Js : 'or

th

o

invas ion,

During

th e

f i r s t vr'C:ek

of

Febrmuy 19

'U1,

vM

r.toved to l ianchester , L:nglrmcl f or

.:;xten

s

ve

r.,ili a

ry

t r a in ing; . This vm:;: tb :;

f i r s t

t in

e:;

in 8 months th a t w ~ J were

to

ge t he r

a uni t . The ba t ta l ion vras huus

f.:

< 

t h i s

t i ::1e in a l

o..

q ;e uxh i b i ti

on

buil :lin G l ocat ed

a t

the

Bellvue Race C

our s

e . Previounly t ho

SOXOn

ho..d be en

bi l le tw:i

in Nissen

Race Course Grandstands, requis i tionod I:n ;;l i s h HomGs a: .d .School Du i l d in[;s . I t l ookeC:

~ o o d a ~ a i n to s ee th e ba t t a l i on

put

on a r ev i ew as

in

Bew Orl

eans .

The 13th

of

Harch 4 4 saw us

back

in the depots cf Southern Base ;:.;r:)ction with

Headquarters

a t Nevv-bury

Race Tr

ack

.

This

t ime,

th

e

SOXO

s

a t

th i s

detClch

mrmt f ound

th

enso lv

e8 b i l l e t ed

in th e Newbury Race Cc,

un;e

Ste1bl0s. Many t J:).D.n could

'be he a rd

braying

and k i

ck

inb thG s tab le

door

a f t e r r e ve

ill

e t o

th

e J i sc o "lfor t

of

th e Cum.nan.Ji nc; Offic e

r . I t

was a t th i s po i n t tha t SNAFU

re

a l l y se t in . Physica l

t r a in ing before

breakfas t ,

inspec t i

on

s

and

Bugl e ca l ls were

th

e o

rd

e r of th e day

D.l on g with u l ope r a t ions .

May 44 f o

un

d th e ba t ta l ion t oge the r

ac.;ain

a t Kirkh f.r.l, England

for

another intens ive

phys i c a l anc. n i l i t a r y

t r s . inin

g pro5ram. I t was a t th i s tir:..e: tha t th e 72 Rth vms

as

:Jigned

to th e

707th

Hailwo..y

G r ~ n d

Divis ion :?.nd a

l so

AJvance Sec t ion Com Zune . h.oad

1arches , bivouacs,

r i f l

e

ran

be ,

physica l

t r a in in t;

exorcises ,

e t c . , comprised our

ac

ti

v i t ios . Throu r;h ou t th i s

per iod

we vreru c or.1p l o

t i n

s the f in ish inc t ouche s on

ou

r

Ti3A

  c r a t inG fc.r a sh or t so n. voy[tge. Veh i c l Gs vmre checked and vro..terproofed. The

in

evita

b l

e shak

edown

insp ections vrere L a

dt.J

t o t;e t J own t o ASCZ

r equi r

erten

t s

and

orcle r

·.my

T/

E sho

r tag

e s . Blouses were turned in

and

t o date th e:; SOX:Os : ha ve

been

without

.:;n th i s i t

om

. I t was : l u r i n ~ ; th i s t ry in 'S po r i o •  t ha t a

off ic

er held nit ;ht ly

0 hour nee tinG s di scuss

in

i:; p r

oc;ress

marlc i n r e;barcl to ;.scz i n s t ruc t i on s , arJ.n i n i s t r a

t i

on

, supply, e tc . All

th i s

vrhile

th e SOXOs cavorted a t llhtckpool, Kirkhan

and th

e

su rr oundin g

English

countrys ide . I t was 'l l

ways

a sur e bet t · have the moot ing end up

by th 0 queotion "Have we th e; 15 Jay cCJi1diments?

11

Jus t to ·r e f r e sh your m.eno

ry,

r

e

:nembe r

the

phone; t i c a l

phab0 t ,

dot; t

a1:;s

, vvho i s yo ur i mned i a t e superior , Headquar ters

< . ~ l e p h o n t > nunber,

gcr1e r a l what

i s

your j 0b ,

e tc

•••

A

l.Jc;W

days

af t e r

D-Do.y

WG

vmr e ,;r

:'

:a r

ed

t o Sj)l i t

in t

o 7 s.::1lf

s u f f i c i ~ m t

b a l

anced

:letach.-rner.ts . The reason vms obvious. The ba t ta l ion Wfi S to

m.::cke th

e Channel t r i p by

severc.l :chips o..nd thereby not

have [1.11

your

C[

:;g s

in

one baskets • On

th

e

ll

h of

June

the 1s t and

2nd de t

aclw

.ents w0re o

rd

Gr ed t o

Southhampton

t o be att

ached

t o a

u. s.

En

z

; ineor J:(eg

i

.nent

w

i t h

a

mission

ru

n

work

tr

a i ns for

th

eri,

O

th er

do

t

aclment s

f o llowe d to co

nc

ent r a t i

on

e.nd marshallinG

o.ror.s.

On 2 July '±4 th e l s t and 2nd cle

t achuen

t s

reached Cherbour:j. The l

as

t

de

t o.chnent a r r ived on

25th

Gf <Tuly

44.

Most

f

th

e de t

achments

l o.ndod c

t t

Omaha

Deach

D.nd

a l l

will r cmenber the t r ek

up

th e

h i l l

c

md

th en t o a s ta gin t.; a r ea . ·

Pup

t ents

>;ere

p i t ched and

af t e r

an a

i r

ra id sone SCJXOs

·we re soon di[;t;in[;; foxholas . '1'1·ucks vrere

us ed

for t r anspo r ta t ion to Che

rb

ou r

r;

. Tho

~ e r r i e we r e

still

arcund S

t.

Lo a t th is

t i n

e .

Rehabi l i tu t ion wo

rk on Ch

e

rbc.urg Peninsula s ta r ted inrneJiat

e ly

in wake

of

major

const ruct ion by the u.s. Engineers. A boneyard exp r e ss

was

s t a r t ed

to

co l l ec t wreck

s.J, dD..l"lat;ed

e.nd abandoned e

quipm

en

t.

Locul yowe r wns

us

ed a t f i r s t . Our

i n i t i

a l

r espons i b i l i t y o. t f i r s t inc luded th o running of th e Port Yards and th e main

l in

o to

Carentan, l a t e r cxt e71cl in ;; t o Lis

on

up on

cor.1pletion

of the Vire IUver Bridge.

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1

Gome J:J.o r e

f i r s t s

oe cur r

'3 Lc

dur in _;

ou

r tour of du ty on

th i s

l i v i

r" iu

n . Fi r s t pas s o n ge r

t r a in was run on 11 July L A ( D ] lus 35 ) f r cr.1 Cllerbourc to Cr..r c'ln t

an

. Car cutan a t

th i

s

ti

rw wa s l

os

s th an 5 'lih:s fro 'l th e

f r ont

l ines a

nd  

su-ojBc;t

l;c

• c a s i o n . a l 88

f i r e

On 20

July

1

A

tho f i r r t t r a i l

was

fro:t: . Cherbour g hau l i nl_; Niss en

· [

uts

for Gene r a l Leo  s Con

Zon

t:J Headqua

r t

e

rs

t o ' : n 0 On 25 July t he

i i r s t t r

oop

t r n. i n

~ : - ;

  a t Che·rbourc u l i n

tll

e 29Bth LTfml; r a l }Iospita l to Carun t

an

.

On

29

July ·14 USA oqui{lno

n t

b,. lran t •J o.r

r iv

u and ··vr.s raost ~ i l · r w

:o

l c ,J

r.18d

b •r a ll conc e r

n0d

On 17 Ju ly the

f i r s t

h c s ~

t r

a in ca? tu r E::d

Fr

er,ch

, Y t s e ~ l f , G r

cunclws"

anJ box ca

rs)

·;

·).S

run

to

Lison

c m t l Y ~ and r e tu rn in ;

viith

vroundw.l t

<; C ~ t c

b o u q ~ H..;,;ul a r

runs

wDr e

.1

ad.e th e n :af t or .

Thu s , t h o l ont; ::;r i nd fo r th•3 S O ~ ~ O e _ , ; ~ : t n wh

ich

has

con

t inu

ed. t o Jc.t u fo

ll

ow in :;

iene r a l IkG

1

s Armies . Open ctinc hazards wvre I:lD.llY c.' • G

••

r unn i n

1

 

a t n i _

h t

\ri thout

l i :::;htc or sic;no. ls

not.

k:wwin::; whcLt was ahoad . O c c u p e ( ~ bl

vck

wa.s a lmos 1:; a c.:- r t: .t

in

ty .

rho

728 th R.o.

3

. on 2 U s t

·'±4

t C J O ~ C ove r th8 Ter n .· ).El l l eLtVLl,"'; us with th e

:oad.

work

f r

on

u r t u

Lis

on p h:s b r ae1ch line s , S t . Vaaot aud a r . ~ . . ~ m r t o

r:tl

c,;nes

. Uur

job

for

th o succ eed in_; 6

rn.on

th s c on j) r i s od. the or i (:i nu. t in ;

Llf

t r a i l

-::s

r

on

Por t 7 l os,J i n _;

:tJo

i nl:;s a lon ; thu l i n e .

Su

pil li c s

weru

po ur i.n  _; ac r   ;s.s t ~ w

.;oaches nnJ thoy

vmro

t rucked to th,;se.

l o f \ .

;Jo i n ts . A

1

>oak 2

1

L h c

mrs - ~ , y

dur in G

; l1i s 6

::H.m

ths ·:lut;y shovn;cl 52 l oo.:led t r r.t i ns   ~ e d t <)

thu

nGx t (Ji v i s i ·Jn,

102

cl

i f

 o r

en

t

t r

A.

i n

t.mc

1

GIPin

e r.1ovonc.:nt u . Tho

Tr

a

in

Dispatch

e

rs

sh

c:0

t

1

:as

9-8·

f ;Je t l ow··

J b

f t e r

th is ;Lay  s businoss was ev e r .

I n l i r e c t

ly ,

th i s un i t has had ?at ton

t r

o

uble .

Li t;h tn in ;;

th rus t s

.,f our Arnias

t.f t e r St . Lo rmdu

it

a :1us t th a t i n

vo lur.1

e bo t n . L n s ~ c by r a i l . Rehai.J

i l -

·

l tc , t i on of r a il liner; w·w

ne

ce ss r.try f r d

;n ]aye

rlu Pu. i t s Cr;utancos ,

Fo l l i

i::ny

: uuge r e s t c) Le Mans . H:;:{S un

i t s

and tho U.S. Enc:i n·:u r s w e

ca l l

ud Ui)Ol1 t v do t h

i s

rush job . .

The 729th i.bilvmy I3o.tt ::;.lion f i in t o t he p i c tur e

as

fol lmrs : On 1 3

.ucus t

44-,

f\.

t 0100 ;w urs th

E

r,:Ecinteno.ncc of :·ray Con:"Jc.

my

C

om

r.1.n.nd0 r rec e i ved ord or s

t u his non

ns

f c,ll cnvR: Lt ; ~ ; J . l f \ . (,ff i c £J r an(l z   enli s t ed men of the Si Gnal

)e cti Lil1 t o (;O t o Four r;e r e s T h ~ a J : ; . . f ~ t an:l i ns t ::- ll f.c cunnm; i cati on syst•3n wor k i

nc;

w

r th

eventua l ly . Fee

t i n

c th e 72 t1 th

v m y

Oi_)e r t t i

w:

0a

t tr>.llt.:n

1

s Si cno. l Section Wl)rk

i.

ng

s o

uth .

A

ll

of

C

umi.l

Hny A t r

::c

cl:: ard

n

r i

ct;v

and

1

Adl<

li

n :

Se

c t

i

ons

w

e.

r o p

u l l

scl

from

:;he Cherbu

ur

r._; Peninsu l

 1.

Di v i s i on anu Br anch

l i n

e s v.ri th th l

m:co11

ti cn ,-.f two trn:nk

n s s l of t t o pat ro l o.nrl. :-:1a i nhdn t he Cho ri.J ourg Divis i un .

Thes

e ::;tm;>;s

1tJ\:J

r e di ve rt

ed

b <.1 the U. S . Zn ._; i rwo rs i n na.kin _  o a r l lines

us ab

l e f r cn

La

IIayo du

wuth. T u· ee work t r a i ns, na

in l

;,··

bunk

cars u ith one cn.r on each re r G

d i

s -

u.

t ched. t u

tJ-w sc

0ne of opu rr

.1.t

i ons .

Thi

s

tr

u.c k r

ep n

il· mir-:s i rm wa s

supe

r visi3C.

by

Cvm

o.ny A Officers cmd l-TC

Os

, Sirllllte

.nec

usly, a

l l

ava i l

ab

l e cm

1

JJc i es wo r ," eo.

rnark o<l :for

;h i s ;.)r i or i t y r10ve and i s t r i l m t e d t c the vi ta l .l oac:in t_; po i .•1ts -:m th e b ; m Div i

i u r 1 u · ~ . 1 t i c n 101 f U L ~ c ' n .

t r a i

ns

1iie

r u

r.1.a

cle

tq .

Doubl

e)

heade rs we r u

lSe::l. on a

ll t r ains because

of t he low 8pecd r os t r i 0ti o11 on t11 : new lino and stc:op

:r a.Jes.

In

a

shor t

time th o muvoment bo i lilg s u l a r c;e th e:. Comi)o.ny C

t r

a in cr o

vrs

were 1.1. l l on

;he r oad . Tr o. i n o.ftor t r a in wo.r, d

is

; ;atchecl t o tho f r

un c

,

t ~ w

f i r s t

t r

cliu l l f whi ch

•

0

as t.i.lwc.ys i n bo.ck of U. S .

K l a o e r s rn.uv

i n.;

n h . , J : ; t , ~ slowly

:i s t he W0..8 ' - ' ~ ) a

i r e c l

.n

f r on t

of

tlt ort . i1.ll t r a in

and

en c r ows

wer0

;_; i vcn h {:_; clays

s u ~ J t y

of r

at ions

u r th Ji r ru n . len excell en t j ob of cl i s pu t

chin.

_  o f

1

)o

wc: r , e sc . , vms ::J(:rfor

':J.C·:l.

by the

·•ra i n

Il'lo

v

c;r

JE.m t Se0 t i c:n c f 1Ioaclqu artors Coupauy .

Di e s e l ~ o w o was u sGcl. a t f i r s t until exht.cus t ecl a.nc1 th e s t uan l ocor:t•  tive s, 2-11-0's.

and wa t e r su;:Jp l y p r ob l

e 1.S

VJe r o s ol \erl by

Hilit

a r y llai h re.y Serv i

C<J

pe rs onne l and

one cast: f tJ r s ocur i nrs, wat e r t l . f C

Anny

f i r e f i gh t e-; r vm t .. : r _' Ur: l

t r

u0k

was

used t o

_

.u

_rnp

w ~ in t o

th

<; 2-

l3

..o• . ~ k s uf th r: se tn t.in crevis v v - o   ~ l . f ·.Jr t hr oe t o fo ur days

vfi th ou t r <3 li •3 f , rn

nn

i n

..lt

cy o.n-1 ni ;

h t u s i n

?O

Si

tivc b l

ock t r

a i n ope r a t i on

f r

om

:>

t a tion t o s t a t i on . '7 c> t h r : . cr ew b r ou ._;h t t he f i r s t

t r

a i n c- f a, muni

t i

on in t o

Le

Mans a t 1

300

h uur s l ' : u

~ l w

t l .. .

One of th e ·i lrmy o.r..us i n · i nei•.].< n

ts

i n

t;<JrEW.ncly vm.s

as f oll ovrs:

8

r i

dge coe

s

1\UO

L:

ide

i n c i

: ~ ; :

·wh

i

ch

now

can

be

t r

ea

t

ed

a s

atmsinr;

h n.fJp8rw d on t

his

:l iv i s i 0n and i s o.s

fe ll

ow

s : Th

o < : : : H i } : l t r a in l e f t f,_ ,r

th

e

next s ta t ion

:.ri t h

a c l

ea

r

t r

ack

ahe1:1.d.

t c t

ho

r.ex t s ta

ti

on by

th,

• d i spatche

r .

The block ope r a t O:r

the

nex t s t a t i on 1ecamo a l amed vrh

C

n t

h'

  t

r a in

fa iled t :.: show u

.'

on

sc

h edul e .

_f t e r

a ll

ovJ

i n:: f or 11. r ·:;asonab l

E: de

l

rc

y

pe

r i

oc.l

, ht3

ca

llocl 1JRck t o t

he

J. ns t s t a

ti on to

incl

out the wh e r eabc

uts CJ

f

th

e t r a i n .

Upun inves t

i ; a t i

on.

, th e t r c.in s t op;

.J<.'d

e.t a

T i

betvreen

s t a t i ons , Unkno·vm t <

 

tho d i s p

atch

e r , l _ > l a t uon

f ron

one of the u.   ; .

ne:;

ineo r ·r..er.

in

ent s hw:l

to.b

m th e

t r

o.ck out ove r th e br i d::;e t u r cp f\.ir a ,:K . The

.i e u tenan t in

cho.r

.:;e n e c . ~ th

a t

h<·) wo.s

sunt

th e r e to

c o n

t tu job th o. t ho.d

>een po.rti o.

l l y

r ep

airer1

. a

no n

th

1

,r ev i ous . Such wn.s Ar ny R a i o a d . L n ~ ; i n thor-:e •lays .

~ h e U.S. i nciclEmt a

ll

y J.i:.l

one

job of mn.j or

o o . c ~

C

(>

ns t ructi

on

ove r

t-::· r e

and

th

o 72Dth :.ton ho. Je a l l p r i i s o f or th em .

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 5/27

Bi l l e t in t; an d

n

e . ;

p r

obl or•w we r e s

ir

:trl i f i tJd by u s i n::; cap t u r ed. box and ba r_;e;a;e

ca r s for bunk ancl

r.:te

s s ca

rs

ut va

r i

oi1c

4- ::J

t ael

mdn

t s a l c:-nb t h e· l i n e .

I t

was a l so

he

r o

t ha t th e

f i r

s t ll . O. D. I(

o l l i

nl: Ch a:>

e l ,

Don t a l o..ncl Jl edi

ca

l Ca rs we r

e: bu

il

b y

t

ho

75

7th

l{D.ilway Sho

:J

Battalion

fo

r th e 729th . At ont.> t i mn J..t our

nax

i nu.lCl ex , an s i

on on

t he

Ch 0

rb

o'Llr G

~ : ~ .

Di v i s io n t hC:; lmttalion ·was m i

n t ;

14 nesse s i'ood i ng

1'/00

USA

pe

r s onn e l ( f

t'.i'

O, A?O, li'i

nhnc

e , fd:L's ,

F  e

Fi ;ht e r

UE

it s ,

~ . i l l S uni ts ,

t r a i n

gu

a r

ds

,

o t c . ) .

On 21 J

r.:

ce l"lbor

we

r e c e iv e d our or

de

rs t o l eo..ve Ch or l10ur g

fo

r d

uty

i n

th

e An.twe r :r:

'o

rt

Ar e

o.. . L

ov

or:tent

c f co

ur se wa s m,:t(le by r ail i n 3 1u

nk

c u. r

t r o.

ins (

60

ca rs

each)

md on e:: TDA

tr

o.. i n . The SOX0 s r e f e r r e d t o ab ove

A. S

c i r cus

t r ains

pa

r t l

y du e to

the

ir appGar ance wh

il

e r o ll i

mg

a lo n.; ( sn oko

co

:r_ ns f r

oT l

eve

r y bunk c a r ) . Ho s t of

t he c a r s vrero ·w

i r

e d fo r o l oct r i c

li

gh t s and.

var

i ou s snn.

ll

powc;r t> l au t s c ou ld be

QLe r o..tinr; t

hro

ushlmt t h e

t r

f'.in .

~ ? . a d i o por

col a i n

wu

.s'h bcts i

ns

, ru g s , unu

sua

l be d s ,

~ n d s t

ov

e s we r e ano ·l.G t h e

it

er.1s t o b o f oun

.J

i n one of t h es e

COX

O c

a r

s . '

fo

had he a r d n:_1.ny s t or i e s

co n

cBrn i n c e n euy uc t i

v i

ty a r ound t h\;1 A

n"tv

ie r p Ar ea dnd

.1_t.>on ou r a

r r i

va l we we r e a b l e

-t

o ve

r i f

y s arae .

r.a t t a

li

on IIo aclqu u

rt

e

r s

wn.s l oc n.t e d i n Cun tr a l St a t i on . He

adq

u f'..

rt

e

r s

Company

:r1.e

n

;;

e r e

r.

m i nl y billot ed a t th o Ol d Fo

lk

s

ITom

e

_,

B Corctpar:.y in u. s

ch

oo

lh

ou s o noa r t he

·.n t

werp

Dan li.oundhou

sE:

; whi l e t h e r

es

t of t he bn. t t a it:i

cm

s to.ye(

l

i n th oi r b ull.k car s a t

,-o

rt

h Ya r ds . Our r \ ;

spon

s i b j_ liti es a t

Antw

e r p v-ve r e . r d . n : t h e No

rt

h Cl ass i f i

:;u.

ti

on

Yn

r

Js

~ m e l

the

r.w

.i

n

l i

ne t o

Ma

li

ne

s , l3o

l

r:;

i

UI'l.

. Yar d

1.h,

rk

i n' iv l v-::d

th

o

feed

i n

:;

:J:f

empt y wa

c; ons

t o th e 7,1

3rd

:l . 0 . ]3. ( i n c

haq;e

of

?u

rt r m

n - : ~ .

CjJ e r

a t

i om: ) Ccnd ·

.mkin t; up

lc

n.dod

t r

ains des tined f or t he f r o21t .

T

he

battali

on

Tra i n v e w

  t

Sec t:i.\m

haJ.

t h H r

C:

StJOnsibi l

i t of :C:LCc

:i.nta i n in

:_; c

S 'loot h

flow

of r ail t r a f f i c wo

rk

i nc s i

de

by s i de vri t h

the

I3\) l ;;i a n \l i sp

(t

tcl1.e

r s o.n

d op era t ors •

.ie pu t ov

er

t he Ar my

way

t r. t

ho ~ : ; i n o s nnd

soon r,n ~ : ~ . r ; G of' 27 l octdc d ·crains

Je r

24

h o

ur

s J?arte e d t v o

days

o.f t c r

t[tk

i nG

o v ~

r ,

n.s

conpn. r ·- d

with th

f·, a:vora .,;r:· of t e n

d  ;

th

e t ime of ou r .a r r i va

l .

The SCXU f> W- r e undor

eons

t o.nt er1.•:1my V-1 r·_n,t; V 2

a t

t acks

l

ur in

r; ou r t h r t. e r:tont

hs

s t ay h oru

a ~ l d 1 _ ; o t ~ 1 ·.·

:

  fio

or s

D.

 l d

en

li s t e d ucm .r,lo th r ou Gh

•l i t h f l y i nr;

co

l ors und

-e

r t h i s :n e utn.1 " ' - ~ l d •J

ilG

l'ctt i on::.t1

pr

r:ss u n ; . Gn 13 Peb r u n.

ry

<.::

5

J.

ll ba

t

ta li

or, r e corJ.s wc. r c b J a t

on

·,Th en 1 9 , 76-J t ons we r e r . w - v c x coo dL1g

by 3000 t on s t he r eache d [ct Che rb nu r : ; .

On

21

ll a

r ch

4:5

t h

,;

D

a t

t

::;.

l

ion

was

on

the

nov

e

at;a

i u .

:r-r'evJ

ll s s i ,

;J'l

l hmt t o

t hG

70

(I

t h

: . . t

w a y

Gr an:l Di vis ion l··r ou gh t u s t o Kr ef ·:.l d , Gvr

nany

to wc rk fur

th

e

t:

2nd

'1-ro up and u

ur

s t :.lt us from or i gi na

ti

ng t r-'

t l

w t of r e c t:: i ..; i n t; t

ra

i

ns

n.ncl d i s t r i -

mt in g t h

em.

t o t he S)t h il.rny

Ttnil

he

a.Js

f r

um

Eur .c:i1Gn - Gl u.ri.bach t 0 t h

:.;

hhi11e

I{

i vu r .

;:_J

r i o

r i

y .fo r H

ovcnc

mt s WJ. s t o t

hG

En s ir;.oer rnL. t e r i a l t r a i

i2

s f or tho c ,mst ru c

don of t he .R.h ilEJ

.i{

i ve r f r i dg; n u. t 1;::-e

s-::

1,

Gc

mn.ny

.

;. n y C

i.

Jf f i c er

and

J i os e l

e w we r e i m.H)(l i a t o l .',r n ov e d t o Ge l c:. e r n t o h:mdl e t o 37 1 an·: 1056 Ln n o e t e rritor y

1., r om Go l de r n t c t h o .dl ino Du r i n ts t h e i r da

il

y 24 h our C) e r

a t

i on t he y r.1e t a ll

le cvl line s f or cl a

livc r i

os cf En c il ee r

rru

:.t Gr i

o.

l . Th

i s

broup crmt r i

bl.l t

t.d th o

i r

sh

£,

r e

t

he

r e c c.r d conp l o

ti

ou

of

t lw

JJ

r i ·l g ':l p r o j e c

t .

Th i s 1

800

1

l on ; s t

ee

l

~ i r d

br i d £<,e

ru.s t u i l i n

10 days bua

t

in r.;

a ,_., l

alm

oJ

sc

h ;_du l e

by

t h r e e clays .

As t h e r o su

lt

of' t h i s

dtJ

t ac

'l

r:tt

.mt

s excel l en t wo

rk, th ;;:

y w;: r e h onor

ed

by

hav

i n c

729

t h

Ra

il

way

Op e r

a.

t

in

r;

Da

tt

a

li

on

11

i

nsc

r i

bed

wi

th Ulli

ts

on

t ho

of

f i

c i a l

:h i

ne

Hi v or

Rn.

ilr

c:

ad

r ~ e

s i .;n . Jur in ·; our i n

it

i a l i n th i s r.,r ea vvc: ope n.,tecl ,

L0 5 a r ti

ll

vr y batte r i es a l on-; ou r r a i l r o

aJ

we r e

sh

ol L .'1;

(i

e; r n :ln .i:J';s i t iuns

acr

oss

th

e

A t Kr of e l

cl

we w e she

ll

ed n i ·;h t l y .fu r s ur:tc

ti

'. tO t y ·J 8

1

s f r cm t ho J

uis

bur G

: d.e of th e illl.inu .

u

n

en.

r l

y i ~ . p r i l _ ,

th

e batta l i on was c alled on by th :::. 2d l :? S t o s ond c. s e l f s u .E'f

i -

e : J .

de t ach:::1.

ent

oi' 300 no::1 t

 -

H .:mm . 'rhe de t acbmen t . : : o r : l

,

f a .Jispatcho r r:tnd

.pe r a t or s an:l Mo

ss

: : - ~ f r on :Ioadqun.rters C

oml_)

any , C

on

? mlJ A, l .a ss i t s ~ : ; e

.md nu i l d i n c J ; l . Sl'c:t l l of C·

on;-_:>any

]1 LlCJ"lbors of e

qn

i ,m.en

+;,

El..J:'l ·l 1 :5 t r

o.

in

.nd

en

gi n e c r ews

f'r

on 'J •,n;_• ·,r

· c.

The y o;_JG ro.t ud. i n : : : Pa ,:r; r

to

r n m ,J n aroa sh i f t +..

i.ng l a t e r to Di ol e fu l <l r 1 u • t r cdm to Fi r s t a n Ll Nint h ;\n w TI.n.i l h e o.ds

a t

Ko..sso l and

[e r e fo r d . I t was o. l s o :.. t 1.;h :i. G

t:Lr:i

·;) WG Wdre r e o..ssi:;ne cl t ·, th t:J 70

7 t

h Ii.ai l way Grm '.d

l

iv is

i on .

On 20 A,Jril l J ,b5 th e r o

s t

of' th0 batta l ion m

oved

t c Ha nnov·e r vi o.. r '-< i l n.rid t r uck

t ransj_Jor t a ti on . s e r

ve

r way IJ r id

1

;e wr,s no t y

l.;

t n : ; : ~ , t h i s a r o

n.

t he

Li r s t l a q;e qt ,anti ti

es

of ca;)t

u::-ecl

1 ~ 1 o

v

a

n-

l c ::.tr :s we r e t o be f'cund an.l u t i l

ize.

:;

L

J.

i tin. l o_;Jc r n. t i on i nc l u de\1 a ._1ort ab l e s o

tu

lJ whe r

eby

f ouJ EJ.r   _l

.i' )L

wn r.

un

l ,a d e < 

fr01a

wes t oi '

Tl

i

ve

r anLl t r ucked eas t uf th e r ive r

an

·l r o l

oadc

J c·:::t mvai tin e;

; r a i n s des tined f or r a ilhead s 12 0 mile s

eus

t.

u e n t

fn t u r e ope r a t i o

ns

we r e th o

u s upp l y

t r

oops , u.nri J?()-,

t r

a i ns l u t

he t O V t .

J : 1 8 l l uf ,1

00

, 000 mi s ]:J l

acGd

1

) nr s ons

.nd

eas

t wa r d nov om

un

t

L•

f t h o

usan

d s of li

be

r a t e rl

l' o

l c s Em

J. Hu

s s i

n.ns

. Our t e r r i to r y

'' .C

lu

de J. 1 3irel<b f e l ·l t o Oe

bi

s fd l d0 w

i t h

a sl"la

ll

r a

ilway  

ne tw v

rk

a t t ho

end

of' t he

i n f ur t lw 00r d ,

84th

a

nd

l

02nd

I

nfan

t r y Di v is i

on

s .

T

he f i r s t

t r

a i n t o r un uv e r t ho n 8wl y e r

ected ~ J e

ser

i.

i:iver B

r i

clge was nan.nt:'lcl

b3r

a.

7t::9 t h -3n t; :L nc

and

tra in crew·. The t r a i n cr o

ss

e d

th

o r,-o

se

r Dr i d

3;

e a t 1

824

h ours.,

.bt h

Apri

1 , 1

.)

45 .

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8/9/2019 William Poch

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An i nt or e s t in · i t om in eon.nect i on

with

t ho t r a in novenent

r a t i

ac r oss the

>;:o s e r I

Uv

0r ~ l r ;

was

t

he Je s i c:

;nati on

of

t

he

b

lock s ta

t i on s 'on

th

e end s

of

th e

br i dt;e

as

Tacoma and Maybr ook. Taco r:J

f.l

i s a Te r m

inus

of the Northern ~ a c i f i c of

w

hich

t he Cor:mlandinb Off ic e r was f o

rm

e r l y assoc i a t e d be f oru ent e r i n . the Se rvice

a

nd

Illaybrook i s th e

la r g;o c l

a s s i f i ca t i o:J.

yard

of th e TJew

1Iaven

RR wh:J

SiJonsor

ud

th

e

Of f i c e r Pers o

nnel

of t h i s ou t f i t , ~ . C e t h o d of ope ra t io n wus

abs

olu te b lo ck. Trains

J roce

ed

in t_; UJ.JO n r ece ii:;t of Hil.S Clearance Form

11

A

11

f r

on ope r a t or a t th e :

Ua

ybrook or

Tacomn. when u l

oc

k

i s

known

t o

be c lea r ,

I n i t i

a l

tr

oop novoment s on

th i s

d iv i s i on cxt ondin; f r l)ffi Di e l e f <; l d

to

Oebi s f e

ld

e

vre r e ; t r a i n s of

82nd

Ai rb o

rn

e f or war ded

f r om th

e Col os

ne

Ar·3a

by 2n

d P.

o.ilvmy

Uni t s t o dest ina t i on . One

day

af te r th o f i r s t t r a i n c. r r ived th e Oth Army r

ad

i o

s ta t ed th o. t 32nd Ai r

bc.

rn h ad cr uss ed th o

Elbe

ll.iver i n th ,:; IIambur c Are a .

A busy s

pot

on

t h is r a i l r

oad

wa s

a t

:Ior e f ord whe r e the Army ha:l i t s r a t io n

cl.m:J.jJ

,

l''r i or to V- ::; Day 1 : 0 0 000 US

pe

rs o

nn

e l lNe r o f ed

f ro

n t h i s dtu:l) • A t h) icu l ope r a-

t ional mont h on t h i s Hannove r .D

iv i

s i on

wa

s r ef l e

cted

by th 0 May ac t iv i t y r

epo

rt of

U·w Qi'rain Movement Sec t i on

.,

Tr a in s noved c as t bound Trains moved west bound

·129. Di SI'l acol1 Pe rs onne l 104: , · ? r i s on e r s of ',Jar 32. Or a

to t

a l of 977 t r a in s •

.C r a

in mi

l es covor e:J Ea s t bound - 27,661.5. Tr u in milo8 covo r e1 ~ ~ G s u n u 3:), 867 .5 .

a t o ta l of Tro.in l.Ii l es cove r eJCl

of

61,529. Ton_rJ.af_;0 h ~ n e d 772 , 39 1 . Nwabo r

.J

f D

i s

p

lac

ed ?e

rs

onne.l :

luln

,

J l

ed

-

15

3

,2

40. Numbe r

of

?

r ison

e r s

uf

~ i o .

h o.ndl

cd

.J8 ,800.

Th

ri,

72J th Ito.ilway Oper a tin::; Da t t a

l ion , with

a

lon

_; l in e of f i r t now o.dds t o t h i s

l i s t , the f i r s t t 'r a in

t r

ans f e r 1\rith

il.

u ss i ans vrhen our

Si ;na l

)f f i0 J r , on du t o.checl

se rvic e

with 2cl

1-di

li

a r y il a

ilw

c.y

Se

r v ic e

1

J,dvo.nc o

Ec h

e l on au., ass i cne:cl

th

e j

ob

of

th

e

G c ~ r m o . n s

s i gn a l an:l c

orr

uac

m ic

o.

t i on

sys tems i n

o ~ J o

o r

de

r

e md

i n to

t he a r ea he f ound isap in , 

sh

e ll h ol e

s , s i

g

nal

t owe

rs smas

h

oc.l

t li ru bb l e , coFnunico.tion

cables

s ev e r ed , ove rh

ead

tr

an

smi

ss

i

vn ·w i r

e s f ou l i nr;

th

e tr

':

.cks; Ma:_;G.ebur-G, , Ge r

many

irher e

th

e t r

ansfe

r

wa

s e f f e

c t

ed , ha·.l t al:en an awfu l flOUnd i ng f r om A

lli

ed Ai r Forc e s .

}. J fo r e th e t own f ell in t o th e haml s vf

th

e ; ::tCJ rj. can Nin th Army , th ,jy r i

n;ecl th

e t own,

tmb t o hub with eve r y t ype of ar tillGr y i

nc.:

J.uclin1  the o . n t 2 4 . 0 l v ] ] ~ Long Tom s , con

sequ ent l y , th e yards l

ooked anyt

hi n ; ou t

like one of Ge

r nu

ny s

l

.st

r f;es t r a ilroad

t e r mi nal s .

Gernan la

bo

r ,

e

quipm

en t

and ma

t e

r i a l s

was u t i l i e e

<

l.. t o accomp l i s h

th

o mi ss ion . Com

m

unic

a ti ons wore

pa

rti .'llly r e

s t

or e.:l t o t ake co. r e of movement s and

th

e b l CJ ckine;

of t r a

i n s .

Ge rman t r a in

cr

sws we r e

i:J

r e ss

ed

i nt o ScJ r vic.:e , buc we r e to l 1  to s tay

wmy from

th

a t r a i

ns when th

e ac t

ua

l

t r

a i n

t r

an

s f

e r took p

la.c

c . Mos t of th is

f i r s t

t ra in or i gi na t

Gd

in th e Huhr Valle y, ·which i nc lu ded s ome

of

t he libe r a ted Huss i an

of Wa r th a t hnd

been

t a ken p r i s one r u r i n th e battl e f or St a ling r

ad

. The

job was donG and a t 1000 h ours on 17 a

y

1 94 5, 5000 u s s i of

Ha

r we r e

tu rn

ed over t o

Co l ona

l Roscofsky C' f th e Rucsiftn Forc e s ,

The m

i s s i

on

was commended 1  y

Col one l Hul i c k , ilss

1

t Gene r a l I Ianace r ,

2d

''1

ili

a r y Ilai l

wa

y So rv ic P,

Cn

0100 h o

urs ,

1 5

cTum•

l D45, th e 729th

turne

d

ove

r e a st -west

l in

os

to

-;:h e

.ir i i s h and Go rmans o.nd Wf3 r e aQ;ain t; o t he 70 J tll

n.n.ilvmy

Gr and :J i v i s i on of

t

his

dat e .

O

ur

now

responsib

il

i t y

i

ncluded

ope

r a

ti

on

of t

ha t

pu

r t of

th

:

;

Dremen

)Gcu:;:o.tion

o.

l supply line frOEJ. i. \msto r f t o Dobra (near rha s c

I I I

opo r a tion

.s p lanned w ith the Ge r mans do in t he worll::.

De i nc;

th

e f i f t h

Ra

i re.y nu t f i in th 'J

ETO

ou t :m th e sen i or ity li s t , a l l th o

)UXOs are

l oo

k i

n:; f or war d t o

t ha t

t r i p back t o

th

e St n. t o s i n ~ c p t

m b e

G

ur

n ew

occunati ona

l o.ssi&;nr,1ent

was of sh

o

r t

du r a t ion . Cn 21 Jun u l

:H 5

,

th

e

ba tta lion vro.s ord

ci:

r

ed

t i;J Un.astr ich t , t u r e li eve o·"::th :l(a

ilw:=>.y

C;_)e r a t in c

Jc,tta lion, whi ch i s t o have new J u ti e s ,

and

r oass i r;ned to th ,;; 7l0 th i.{ai l way Gr and

)i v i s i on . Our new s e tup c r.

l l c

fo r r u r E I . th <:. r ailr oad ne t wo rk

f r

·>.

Li

eg0 , i u r . t ,

to Maas t r i c ht , 0 , - · n : n m J Jic lLmd , t o Munche n Gl a c1bach, Ge rnany; nnoth er

l ine

from

Munchon Gl o.dbc,.cl

1,

\} ; r many , t u

o c o n

t h ,

Ge

rm any , and I'.faa

s t r ich

t ,

;ro ll

an d

; a shor t linu f r

,n

n

r a t h ,

Gerr:1rmy t o lie s t Aache::n , Ge r rn .ny.

On

2

Ju ly

·15 , a

chance f r

om

Phase

I I

Ope r

a t i

0n t o

Ph a

s e

I I I

Ope r a

ti

on

was accom;

li

sh

ed

w

i t h

the De l 6

ians ,

Dutch a nd

G•3rmLms wo

r k i

nz

t i1o r ailroad in th e i r r espe ct ive count r i e s .

8/9/2019 William Poch

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L

r:

essar ;e .from the

Commandi?1g O f f i ce r

As an

added

fon t note

f r

o11 th e un de r s i gned t o ell the Off i ce rs

and

~ 1 l i s t e d

Me

n

o f

th

e 7

29

th

Rai l

way

O p

t i n

B a t t a l i o n .

It has

be

e n

my

v e ry r,o od f o r t t

m6

to hnvo l.Jeon g

iv

e n the

command of such o.

v

1o 11 k n i t O Lltfi t . As i s wi t h o v

one,

who

cones a lon

e;

ns ~ : : ~ [ l tranc;o r ::md t ako ::-. over an

orgo.n izr. ti

rm wh i c h

has b em

i

f fu n c t i o n i n g f

;)

r snuo time , I cun on ly

say th f1

t no one

cnuld h n vo been

ru

c o i

ved bo t t c r

or mor>e c0r:1plc

te coo

p c r o. t i•)n

th a n wo.s acco r ded ~ o

Th

e 729tih .h o. llway Uper o. t in g bat to . l lnn

is

noted f a r

and

I s h a l l

say wic:lo as

em A -1

un it.

Nev

e r v<o r e yn u g i

ve

n a j

ob P

r1i s s i on

which yn

u

el

i

d

n r t

d0 f:

m c1 d o

it

wo

11. Tho Ui li

o. r 7 Ra i J

ii c

.y

s u rv i co

down thru th

e

Gr

a n d Dj.visinns

and

th

0 d

iff

e r a

n t

Dup o

t s

un

d e r

which

we havo boen , h<.>VO n a ll r:·cc n

si()ns

c o r : 1 m e 1 < . . L o d th <

·

Uni t h i .r;hl y .

True

we h nvo h.nd nu r s ho.r e of t r o u b l e s

a n

uac

:o

r l i s t ct

Les ,

l:Jut vvl th th e

une r r in

g f nr

ti

u de :)f

tho

729th Rc..

il

vmy Opn r 2.. tL1 t; Eo.

t t f : t l i

,·m th ey

were

c

rJr r e c t ed m e l b

u

n o s

as u s u a l wa s r r i e c l n

u t

t o a s a

t i s f a c t -

n

ry

c r

m c l u

s

:L o

n .

The u n i t whi le

s

t a ti nned in Ch e r1Jn

u r

g , France n m ~ a t v a ri :.us

poin t s

a lnn g

th

o l in e , d i d a r ena rk ab

le

j ·• l ) an c:

each c.

m c1 -ev e ry nn e

of y r•u can bo p r nu d nf

the

way in

whic.h

y c,u c a r r i e d out

y0ur

miss i0n . Af t e r

all th e r e was n n

q u es t i

nn

in

th e

min

ds o f th o

se

who

planne d

D-Day

as t ':J v ; ~ h a t u n i t Vlnulrl. b e th e f i r s t t ·) lan d ·J

r1

th o

co n t in en t . Your rec rn•d wh ile h1 E n ~   cl.ec i r::od t h a t :1ou w 0 u l be

th e one.

Then

aga

in a l l

nonbe r s

of

th

e

729th

Hn

ilwny

1

pe

rr . t in

,

-; La tt

a

li ·

n

can

be p r nu d o f th e i r r e c n r d wh ile s t u ti nn ed in An t werp , De l g iu n . No

more t r y i n r, or

h aza r

c1ous c onc1i

ti

nns c a n l1e th :> u c h t

o f un

C .e r wh i ch

all rJf yo u h

ac1

t o pe r f o

rm

y o u 1 ~

cluti

o

s .

H ~ . l c a n be

humLly

th ank

f u l

t h a t we cme r .r;ocl unsc a

th

ed as wol l

as

we C. i c: . TI•ue, qui t o a

fe

 .:v nf

you

wer

e awar d ed th A Purp le iioa

rt b u t ,

we c a n _ bo th ank

f u l

t h a t ynu

a r c ab l o t o wenr th en .

~ h

h ich es t p ra i s e

tho

Le lg i a n

hai lway

o f f i c i a l s

c ou l d g iv e , VJere g iv e n th e

729th

Ra i lw ay

operr-:tting

B8.

tt a

li

rm when

we

c ~ _ e p C l r t o ( ~

th

a t a rea

fo r

Go r na ny.

The vny in

which

you

wr rk cc'l th e

s toa cl

y

fl

:Jw of t r a f f i c which was n :.t i n t a i n c d a n d

th e

way

th e

· . l m ~ d s

wore l<: e p t

in shrcpe C : ~

tho

lr

Ja

<1

s b nnclle c1 n e ver

f a i l e d t o aoaz e

them.

Th

e

same

c a n

be

s a i d

f r

oM y r

m r

v e n t

i n t

n Ge r

n a

ny . At

a l l

th

o l : c n ti   :l n:J in

which

you h a ve b ee n s t a

ti

·med , a n r : ~

t r y i n c;

on es

s or.

1e

of

th

orn \f1J e re , you

f u n c t i ::med

as

if it

vvan an

v

y c ~ a y

oc cu r

on co.

Now

th a t th e r•ea l work

i s

ovur ,

and

as we wn i t the finf:tl outcr:me,

which ov or it i s t o be , O c c \ ~ a t i Pa c i f i c , 0r home , I take t h i s

space

t n e x t n c ~ . my

t i incores t

nnd vmrr.wst than kB t ;J oa ch nn e: . every

O f f i ce r and

En

l i s te d LIn.n, f or tho splonC.id w:·1 rk yon h a vo c'lono , a nd

I

know

you

shn l

1 c nn t i n u e t J do sn , wherever yo u

may

~ o as t i n e

goes by .

S in ee r e ly ,

-  --

r/

 

.

-

 .·

 ::4 // ;.

:/

J

y •

> · ~ z _

j

,· .

..

.

./ 1

.J:l ·

1

. . . . ._ -

-

r

..

.·

· 

,...

, , '   L .

iii

•

c • surrH

J,t . c ol. TC

C tJmlilanc in g .

.

8/9/2019 William Poch

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1943

HEADQUARTERS

COMPANY REPORTS 1945

On this double anni vorsary ( 2 years 0vers oas of v,rhich one

year

has been spent on tho continent ) personnel of this company can fool

r ightful ly proud of t h ~ i r par t in he

lping th

o bat ta l ion

to

accomplish

i t s mission. A

  soctions

(Company Hoadquo.r to rs ,

Administrative,

2crsonnol, Bat ta l ion Supply, Trainmo

vomont

and Bat ta l ion Moss) of tho

j ompany wo

rked

as

a

tcam

.

as tho

rocod

of

service

indicatoseTho

d m i n i s t r a t i v o and Personnel Sections working under tho Adjutant and

5orgeant Ma jor

hav

e always como off with f lying colors. Officers of

the

·

Inspector

General 's

Department on thoir

periodic inspections

have alwa:')

~ i v a n these

sect ions

a rat ing

of

Excellent. Ba t t a l ion Supply personnel

:1a ve performed tho i r work under diff icul t t'Ondi t io 1:s o .g. changing

3Upply ,

si tuat ions as tho war progressed.

A

di f f icu l t ,

h e

c t ic job

was

::;hat

of running

down

our cratod

TBh

coming

across

tho

Normandy

beaches.

Jopo

ts moving constantly about and rod tapo didn t

help

the i r

j o

b.Thesc

Jo

ys can also boast about

being

well - t ravel led vetera

ns

of

France,

)

elgium

and Ge

rm

a

ny upon

their

re turn to tha t foreign

co

untry

(Tho

J ta tes) .

Tho

Trainmovomont

Section has cer ta in ly

come

through with

f lying

colors. Prior

to

working on J

tbe

Cherbourg Peninsula

Division, i t

was

m

untr ied

group without much c iv i l i an experience. They got the i r fee t

on

tho ground f ~ o m

the

s ta r t apd af te r

several personnel changes,

de veloped into a sn1ooth uni t . Our gradual

expansion

in Normandy put a

tremendous burden on thou. a t tho peak of expansion, 3

sep

a ra te

i ispa

tching

setups were

being

run jiilain l ine from Chorbour•g to Lis on

.)t

Vaasr

and Barflour,

Sottev

a

s t to Coutc.nces

Branch.

rrhis ·i -

nvolved

nnintaining

18 block s ta t ions . nn

0porator 's

work

is a par t icular ly

lonely

one in out of way s ta t ions. l s igny

Junction

is an example with

tno

S0X0s

l iv ing

on

10 in 1 rat ions with no

rocreationo.l

fac i l i t ies .

f or

miles.

Ma

npower pr

oblems

prevented

~

l t e r n a t i n g and shi f ing man,

l t h o u g h

a

f l

o

at ing

ope

ra tor enabled

a

ra

an

to get

t o Chorbourg

;ccas

ional ly .

'l'ho

rl

'rainr.10yment

Section

1

s

job

was

ospocio.lly

rugged

due

the

ba t t

a

l ion or iginat ing a l l l1Jaded t ra ins

with 6 l o

ading points

l o n g the l inu . Everyone worked

under constant high pressure. h

t hn

twer

r

hon

the

chips were

down,

th is section continued to maintain i t s f ine

r

iork

besides being under

a

severe mental s t ra in caused by constant Vl

~ n d V2 .at tacks .

h few

~ u r p l e hear ts were collected

hero.

Being well

3Xperienced

now, the boys tofJk operations

in

Gerno.ny in

s t r ide . wihen

Ne turned

the

herford-Lehrte hai l road over to

the

br

i t i ch

0001 hours

·15 Ju_11e 1'.145, the

chief

manner Calling E:.ll operaturs- ca l l ing a l l

.

Jperators;

hO.tJurt by

s ta t ion;

•iuo

to ued, 'l 'hat is a l l •

~ h e

bat ta l ion

mess

sect iou

has ana

is

u u ~ n g i t s f ine work

of

· c e d i n g the

ba t ta l ion . r

~ 4 huur

h

 

0,B. sutup p r u ~ n t s

a dif f icu l t

JroblelJl

of

messing,

with

men

being

on·

the

rua<i

a t

a l l

tilaes.

'l'his

soc

t

...

_o

n pioneoreu. se t t ing

up

mosses

in

mobile kitchen cars. ~ t o a r u tables

Jui l t by

the

757th

hwy

~ h o p

lm

for us, wore anuthor inovation a t uur

hour messes. J..t

is

acunittoa.

that sowe messes had

the i r ups

and downs

Jut louking a t

i t f r

om an over

a l l

view, the

constant

gooa heal th of

the bat ta l ion persunnul ~ p e n k s fur i t s e l f plus thu populari ty

of our

l losses with

non

7i: 'dth and. those 7<G dth ~ u A 0 s

whu

had been away

for

a short periucl. un the

Churbuurg

.0ivisiun the

mess sect iun performud

a

. f i c u l t

jwb by fu

c; d i

::

1g

our own uUAUS

plus

i:t1:0

t i f l J ,.tt·inance

,J: ' irofighter

tli •

.t>s,Train

I.J Ua

ra.s, d l ~ Luruign

t ra in

cr

o.vv-s,luilitary

Government,

~ n g i n e t 1 r s and t rans ients . ~ l w n the

queques

dovEJluped

t ; ; o ~ n g

in to Lis on,

the mess scctiun

sent

out i t s

11

J:·lying

r::wss'

1

1·

or

the t ra in crows.

J.. he

cooks

have always

some

good

f r iends

in

the-ra t ion

dumps

which has alway

helped

matt

ers considerably. 'l'hey

also

have been

good

procurers

of

1.dded no_

eded

cooking

equipment, by

often

hi t t ing tho

bunny t r a i l s •

. ~ . t th i s

time,

the Company Commandor

wishes to take

th i s

lpportunity

of

thanking a l l off icers and enl i s ted men

for

the i r

past

p e r a t i Q n f i n e

work

and

service . You

have

given

th is

service

~ n d e r

l i f f i cu l ,hazardous and high pressure conditions. 'l'he Company Officers

;rganize ana. s u p E : J r v ~ s e lmt

your

bo)'s uu the

wurk.'l'ho

other cumpany

Jfficers

anu

myself'

have

been

ana

are proud to lldau you

anu

vve

jarnestly

hove

th

a t

yuur re turn to

the utates is not rar

off.You

have

Jontributea your part and are ent i t led

to re turn to th

e

lungea.-for

J i v i l ~ a n s ta tus . vnce again l e t me s ay, yuu ha ve

Ill"J

deep a p p r e c ~ a t i o n

:

or yuur

lo;yal:ty ana. a.evotion

to

u.uty. luu have tho

r ight

to be- proud o:

che accompl:1.sb.ruen

ts

of

the

company.

~ ~ ~ • • • • • • • • • • •

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 10/27

1943

C O M P A r r ~ r

A REPOHTS

1

9,±

5

VJith only s ix months

of

miL'Lts.ry

and

t echnic e. l t ro. lnin g ,

i n c l :J.cl in g

mo

ve

r:1e n t H s t ae,:; in g tir .

1e

, behinc1 l

t ,

the 7 29 th Ha i lway

Opara t ins Bat t a l i o n b egan the f u l f i l l n 0 n t

of

i t ~

miss ion

in

B i d - J ~ l y ,

1S43,

when it l a nc',eu in E;l

,f:

; land . \ ~

As

an in t

oc r a l pGr t

of

the p ioneer r

a i lway

ope r a t in c b n t t ~ l i o n ~ 1

the E.T.O. ,

Co

npany

A

·

v:;as s t a r t

r;

d

0n

i t s

p

rLna:r'

y m

i::>sio

n

o ~ ~

mai

n t a i ning ov or 600 n il

os

of

t r

a ck ln 34 dep ots

s c a t t

o rad th r0ugh- \

out th e U.K.

w l t ~ i n

l oss

th

an a · woo k. Duo to

th

o

dep lo rab le

n d i t i ~ n

of ox i s tine t r a ck o.nc'l. th0 n e cos s i

ty

f' or cnns t rue ti on of n e:w ~ : . t c k in

v a r i ous dcp':l t s ,

it wecs

noc

o

sso.ry

to

p l a c o every r1an of Crn.1pany A,

r ogo. r C. l oss 0f r :.nk rJ r

rr

.o. a ss ign :r:1o

n t

on

tr

ack

vwrk

. Aft e r

th

o

a ssicnmc

m t

of I 'Ginf o

rc

m 1c n t s f r om n theJ' uni to tr1 u i d

in tho

p r i n a ry

mi s s i rm nf r \_J:tJ..:::,bilita

t in

g and cons t ruc t ing now t r aek , a p 0 r t i1m of

th o b.& . b Soct i0n

was ass

i g n ed th o ~ s k of

ere

c t i n g bu i l d ings nnd

o.ss i s t i n

g b C:ompany in tho progrG:'1 nf s e tting -up and

oncrc

, t i n c car

a s s o u b l i n r

:s

, n r, t a bl-y n. t suc1.bury and r t rm LU

G•

Dul'i nr, thG and sp r ing of '4

'-

1,   1 l ~ 1 p a n y

_'\. b u i l t many u n i t 1:;

·i f

no

w

t rac

k f'

r·r

th

e.

purp

ns c of s t t,

ri:o

r; TC

c·:-

,r s t

h(m

bo

in g s

eGb

l

od

in p r opr·.r a t i =m f ol'

D

duy .

Durin

g t :w v m t r ~ s uf ~ r n r e h n n e ~ J .p r i l , nvor

·

100

men ·• f

c n·

-,puny n·-,s t l y r f th o B

?e

r. n;:1c.1 S i c;no.l So

c t i

-m s ,

vn rlc od s ide b ~ , r s i de ..-: i t h B

c · 1 n p a n ~ r

n. t II 

H"trm

on Luc i :n

n.

~ 3 s p o r o .

off0rt t

,-, asscnb

l e

9.3

"lo.ny 8a

r s

a s

pr.1ss5.llle

in ~ J r c p a

t i

f

r)

r tho

c ·Jn

in

s in v a s i ,·,n . 'i,hc S l ;:;n

o.

1 Soct:'L

1;l r1o.c:Lc

a n ·, t r

.b

l :.= c

rmt r i b u t i ·

,n tr1

tho

hur;o t as l: o. t

hand

b ~ r n r ; c

r ~ ' t j _ : : - 1

g c r un e:s

anr..:'_

C.;1i ··- o t l

Hn

· vn

rk

in

the

u n l

n a g

s t

n cldng nne. t o r 'l f r_;:'c c a r:::J r .mtor ia l u t Su

db

ury ,

M" rt '1n ·m

Lu

g and F n t .

It c m1 :J o t ol cl .s, t t Lis t : ~ r ~

thn.t

c

1.m:'Lt

••f th o

tr

.

t ck

s o c t i r, n 0f

C:,

mpa

n y

1'1

lcL

yod :mt c..nd

. buiJ.

t th

o

t r acl::s

r.. t ' T i C : ~ w , · , r t h ··,vo r ':Jh i ch

·wore r1••vc:d

o.J..

l c :,r.fb t' t t r w)ps c . n c . ~

a r

n.or tbc.t r t i c : i . I K t t c . c l

in t J - ~ e

i nvas i

,

•n

rrr.

1 D

(ay

.

J.

rrrnr:;

::

t

hor

s

ccro

t

c . 1

UJTd.Srtl :1sr:;l.rr,nncn

ts

::.n

p r c p a r a t i

--

m f

···

r D clny , Cr•t,_p uny . r:o n vvc r e co.l lcd tn a::>sls t £ C0npr.:·. ny

l ~ l

f:l

t i n Lib e r t y ~ h i p s th an being r

o8dicc'..

f nr t ho tr::t.nc rJr'rn ti '

·n

c  f r:1on : : t n s u pp li er> et

c r rJ

ss th e c.lmnno l.

Ln

•1 t h c r do t n il t; f n O l l

vv:J.s

a s s i t3 no d t

·1

tho t :t

slr.

- 'f l ny

in

g t r a

ck

r u l l

in

en

th

o h n l J.s 0f

er

)nvertoC.

L ~ T

1

s ,

pu rn i

t t i n g tho l nc·.d

in

g of c -, n p l c tr:::C:. L

1

s a n c ~ r:Lil

'Ja

rs

'.l t

th

e p i or s

an

c

.

un l ::JRC.'..

in

g t n

ter'lp

'

r a ry

tr <:t CL i r o c y nn t 0 th e

l.leDchos

.

I:n J·uno 1 9'1:"-1, nn : J . c ~ v o . n c o l onon t of the ? 2 9 t ~ l Fy.

Op.

Un. ,

lncl"".J.cl

j_n

g ~ ~ ~ ~ C

•11pc.

ny,

h i t t he b er

,ch

os nf l'hrrlflnd-:-:r

tro

s t n r t t he

0 n r ~

·:Jhaso

rJ f

•

ur

opo r r·. t i 'lns i n th e E.rr

.o.

li nnoruc

1

.

es \ O were b y tt

.o

.:Jc l e c t i -·n

·1

f ' 'UP

un

it t n s p o a r h e ~ : _ c l th t.:'. i l i t y K:.ihrn.y Se rv ic e rm th e

crm

t in

en

t   t [ ;o t t

he

first trn lns l l i ~ l •·

u t

tLo v i t a l l y

~ L n p " r tRn t

1?

-·rt

'lf Crwr"L nur.c;, a

ll

c ··Jr1p8.n i e s f

r-:

'.C

Ut1

a :.1

.;

nun

on t a 1 t asl: .

~ i b l

C:-lnpan y l'rJs 1 s s i g n n n t wa s , nf C"

urs

c , t -, r es t  "'rc

t,-,

so rv ica -

1_;

ility

th

o

tr

s.ck , b

ri dcus

, wutc;r - s t u

ti ·,

ns , slr:;nnl s ystr;u 11nr1

c ·-·

mmunlc'

:. t:i. ' ·ns t hc. t bot:m s

1

th r ·)u

f:h l

y wr e cke d by br··r:itinc; ,

sholJ

...

f i r e f.'

.ncl,

f i na lly , c ' l o

li

1nprki.n ;; h a n in hnn ci.

-,vi

th th u Enc;inoor ' s ,

:·

.,ur b isc;os t ho.nc'lic

up

in th

•so

OL,:>.:> l y , h u

c t i c

c ; , y E ~ l.' ;o.s

th

o c

rmp

l e t c l acl;:

nf

t ur, J.s

ancl

Gq"L:ip

mcn t

excep

t f

''

r t J o ~ ~ : t

t i f u l l y

qua t e supl l ioG th a t

C8J'1G v;-

i th us on

the

f i r s t v

uh

i c l c s . ·r o l y n o c c ~ o c l equipr.w

n t t ha t

b

c<

c1 bocn 3 cu ro - ·

fu l l y pack oC: , w n t r - o.n·:1 ('_ivi J.oc.l

i n t

seve n

phLs

e s

wc..s still

in

En

g l nnc1.

Froncl.

:. t :1· .•l8 hc.c ':. c L

i s

o.

ppear

ocl

wi

tb t he enur.1y. rt i s t · , the

o v e r l a s t i n [;

C • : . ~ j _ t

r) f th o ;'10n

:1 f th

e C"Iilpa

ny th

n t S'JmOWhero, S0 '1EJhnw,

they

c.

l uc;

up

t o

•

l s

nf s ·-

1

'113

s o

rt

an(_

~

tho

j nt·

n o

with

n

i•

v:

i

t hnu t

them.

VJithin o. mutte r r)f a fow

do.ys

tho first

t r a i n

Yms run f r nn

c;herb:ou

r e t n cctron to.n

th

on on

to J,is rm.

:3ut

the nc

. in

l in e was only

) a rt c· f

the

s tr1ry : tr fl.cks, v:e..t o r f

SL

cili ti

As u n ~ . :

c oo. l in g f ncili iof:

hD.c: to be

ros

t 0r od in

tho

c;roa t

cherb

uurg y a r c. s , and, :i.r:.J l0 Ss ib l o

t ~ a n c h l in o s t n th o ~ a a c h o s had t 0 bo

na

do Gpcrn t

a t

l o. De, nu rs o l ve s ,

ca id

it

c•

1u l c  .n t

t

bo cl

1

.J D O ; th ey t 0l cl

us wo

h tH:. t n c ~ o it - s :: , wo cU e..

LS tho l s t J.r·my, in

th

o

s l

ow, b i t t or

lv

£f:e rrrvv f i :

b t i n s ,

pu13hoc.l r:

cmo:rny

01

..1.t nf st. s auvou.r c..n c . LO. Eayo u puj_

s , th

o u n i t f

CJ

ll owoLl

up,

t t i n t ho r o.

il

1 in ·3 S r oarly f :> r tho

i n e v i t

ab le

fl

r,w of s-c:t]Jplios t h a t

wn

ulc1 s cnn f ';ll

ow

. i  ,' i th th o

St .

u . IJroak- t hr cmr;h, e v e

ry

a vn iJ. ab lo

man

in

c

r1n

pexq

1

w

:c

s

th

r o

·wn i n t

o

the

o

f f 'o r t

t·1

L:e

t

th

e

ro. l l

l i n

es

f r

1

 

r l

r_,aHayo u pui

t s

c-G

s t

i n t :J ope r a ti rm a l C'lncUti r.1 :n Leh inc.l Gon. P a t t on ' s

;,_,r:my, th on

surc;in

c nn t :) Pa r i s .

• • •

•

•

• •

•

•

• •

• •

•

•

• •

• •

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 11/27

I·

C 0 r ~ P A

H Y A HEPOR

TS

Follow:i.n

g

the

" b

re

a k - t h

rou

g h

,

th e

co

mp a ny

co

n t i nued

reh ab ili

a t ion w

ork on t r a

c

k , b r i dge s ,

wa

t e r -

s t a t

io ns loo

k in g

t owa r d

the t im

e wh en

th

e

r a i l r oad could be tu rn

ed o

ve

r t o ph

ase

t wo

a n d th r oe

op

e r a

ti

o

ns .

In

n e c e

mb

e l' 1 9

44,

c o

mp

a n y A w

i t h

a

lr

age pa

rt

of

th

o B

a t t a l i

on ,

made

it

s h eac.l

qu

a

r t

e r s in buzz··b omb a l l ey a t

Nor

th y a r ds , An t we r p ,

Be l g ium. In c on t r a

s t to our

n or mandy op e r a

ti

o

n , we

f oun d

th

e r a

ilr

oad

in Be

l g

iu

m

a l r ead

y a g o

ing

c o

nce rn .

Tho

ro wus

work t o b e d

on

o ,

of

c o

u rs

e , b u t

we

d i d

n t t b e l i

e v e

it

wn u l d b e t

on

h e

c t i c -

-

u n t i l

t

he

buzz-

b o

mbs

a

nd

v - t w

ots

b

ogan

t o f in

cl

t he i r t a rge t s . Th o

i n c r os

s

an

t b o

mb-

a r

dmen t in e

v i t

a

b l

y h i t

t r a c ~ ma in

l in e an d

ya

r d , wa t e r

sys

t

em s ,

b r

idge

s , a n d c

om

munic a

ti

on s l in es . In ov a r y c a s e

t -10

ma n h i t th o

t r

oub l e s p r) t p r =)mp t l y

anu

s t

aye

d u n t i l

it

wa s c l oa rod u p .

on Ma

rc h 21 s t wa mov ed t o th o

Rhin

o Riv e r wi t h th o 9

th

Ar 1

zy.

Wi t h

h oad

qu

o. r t c r s c.. t Kr of e l c l , wo s t a r

t ed

t hE.; n ow f e.m

il

a r

p r ()

g r mn of

r oh abili a ti rm 'Jf

t r

a

cl

c, b

riclgos

c or:ununic a ti ons a n

<;J

wa t or

-s

t a

t i r

J

ns

0n s uch l in es a s

wo

r e s u b j e c t t o d ir e c t artill e ry

f i r

e . c on s i

de

r ab l e

a s s i s t

an

c e wa s r e n

de

r

ed

t

ho

c or

ps

of En g i

nee

r s

i nc i

de n t

a l t o

th

e

ir

n s t r u c t i of th e b r i dge a c r os s th o Rhin o a t wo s ol. 3 h0 rtly a

ft

e r

th o op e

nin

g i f th o Rhin o

Riv

e r b r i dge , we

ro

s umccl our of th o 9th

Ar my- f i n a l l ·y c a tc h i ng th orn o t t he Elb a

Riv

e

r .

Fr om Bi ul ofe l d , ab=J u t

3 0 k

il

omc t 0r s we

s t

of th e

wcso

r ,

t o

th

o

Elbe Riv

e r

b ~ n o

8Ur

r e

sp

ons

i b i l i y . once ag

a

in it

wn s t

ho

ol d f am il o. r

p r

o

c;

r o.ra ; t a k e :

we r ,

r eh a

bilit

a t e ,

th

en ~ u r n ov or t o

phase 2 anG

3

ope

r a t i 0

n .

Pe n d in g

th

o

a

r r i v

a l of o th e r b o.

tt ::tli

n

ns ,

wo n l

su

na i n t t

t inod

th

e l i n e

f r

6r:1

B i e l e f e l d S0u t h t o wa

r b u r

g .

With th o f in i s h of

th

o

wa

r ~ t ho tu rn in g ov e r nf

th

e E

as

t -wo s t

l in

e s

in

Ge

rm

a ny t o

t l

w B

ri

t i s h , we

had th

o

N

r t h s u t h c orrido r

f r

om vv un sd0 r f

t h

ru H n n v

t 0 Bo

b r

a l nn g on -,u

gh

t

,J

nr. k e a r e c

,1

m w

i s

['cl1 C G

an d r oo.p

ir

t

he danac;o dn

n e

y

t

hEJ

b l

(,w

i

ng

-

up

nf

a n ar.rr.mni

ti

nn

t r

a

in

.

In Jun o 1 9·

15

,

we

n ov

od ba

c k t o t ake c •m t r nl f r

nr.1

th o 734 th R. 0 . B .

of a r a ilr nad

runnin

g t h ru Holland , Bo l g iurJ a n d Go rrna n y ,

with

compa

n y H

eadqu

a r

te

r s a t sit t a rd ,

Ho ll

a n d . n e r

o ,

i n add

iti

on t o

no

r ma l

ma in t e n

an

c e , t

ho

tr

ac

k f

nr

c e s h a

C. ad l

ubl o

t r

a c k in g p r 0 j cc t t o c 0mpl o t

e .

Th

e

B B

f orce s wo

ro

i

m:wd

i a t o l y

de

t a ch

uc1

a t

th

e

Gr

a n d Divi s i nn

and

se n t

t n

a n o

th

e r t erri or y t o sa v e

a

lJr i de;o

in

ir:nuin o

n t da

n ge r :J f

c :Jlla

ps

e o. n G. , un

de

r

t r

a f f i c , t= r ebu i l d ,.mo s p a n .

It i s iL1p

os s i b l c t o r o c nunt in de t a

il th

e nura

br

r of

tim

e s "- '."

c

om

p a n y mon ho.v e r espo n cl.ecl t o t ho or,1or

hon

c i os t ha t

i nv i

t o.b l o

in

war z

r:

·n e r a

ilr nr:.

d i

ng

, wr e cks , ux

p l

r J s i

c;

n s , fir e

s ,

bu s s b:x.1bs , v - b 0mbs ,

f' l

ooC.

s

or

j u s t p l

a

in

C.o

r a

ilr.

 le

n t

s . wh a t e v e r

th

o

job,

i t s

boo

n

do

n e

b y

in t

e

li

g

en t ,

w

i l l i n

g an d s e l f - s a

c r i f i c i n

g n e

n ,

wn

rk in

c t 0wa r d on e e n d

rn l y - - t ha t t o go t

th

e wa r ov e r &n d

c o hnno. we

c a n t a ke p

r i de

in o

u r

ro

c

orc

1

. nf p i :meo

r in

g

in

o

u r

n

ch

ovemon t s

u r i n e

t w

.J

y ea r s in

th

o

ETO

: e n d i n t ho nu t f ' i t 'lf' wh ich we a r e a pa r t .

In

surmni

ng u p  -- c 0mpan y A , · u r i n g it s tw o y e a r s

in

t

he

E.T.O.

ha s ma

in t

a

in

cc

1

.

ov e r

1650

r.l i l os

nf

t r c k

r:,

v er

500

b

r i dges

, th o l o

ng

e

s t

.J f wh iLch wo r e r.w r o t han 800 f oo t

in

l on gh t ,

1410

miles 0f w

ir

e

c i r c u i t

s

wh

ic h

d.Jo s

n o t i n c lude l = c a l c

i r c u i t s

n r) r th e 135 n iles rJf c i r c u i t s

c   n s t r u c t ec: dur in g t

he

N=-" rn&n lly c a n

pa

i gn e.n d t u r n e ~ uv e r t n ; t ho r

ba

tt a

li

r

m ,

nn e wa t

c;

r

t i

f or e v e r y

qu

e u e .

T O a l l

non of ..',

 

c 'n pany . y nu h o. ve

ci.c·

n e o. o ~ L job s in c e l

ea

ving

t h G

n

Go

od

o l d

U S l ~

nn

e:..

I wi

sh

t ·) ex p r e ss

r.1y app

r e c i a ti ,·m

n

r a t i u d

t Q

ea

ch y u

f or

you r

po.r t

in

o

u r

m

i s

s i n

n .

T

ho

u gh un

in

ci iv i du a l j ob :.:my n o t hav e : J . p p o a i mlJ o r t a n t

c.

t r ~ e s

it

still wo. s

a

n e c essa r y p a rt of

th

e b i 3 ov e r a ll j ob po r f0 r Mcd .

J   E, u w ~ N

c

ap

t.

TC

•

• • • • •

•

•

•

• • • • • • • •• • • • •

•

• •

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 12/27

1943

COMPANY Bn REPORTS

1945

In

the two years tb.e

729th

Rwy Opn Bn

has

boen overs eo.s our

o..

ssignments

hav e t a ken us

through f ivo

d i f fo ran t

cn1.mtries,

the l a s t

bu t n o t l ea

s t

0f

these being Ge rma ny. In nrde r tn re a ch Germany, our

6

r i g i n a l goa l ,

the

prop

a

ra t inns

were many and v a r i ed an ofotn t imes

qu es ti oned a s to th

e i

r

necoss i

ty a nd i r1por tan c e . Only

no

w

s ince

Ge rm

a

ny

 s

f i n a l def

ea

t

and unc

o

ndi

ti

r

mal

surrender

do

we

roa l izo the

la

rge

par t th o

Railway

t t l i ~ n s p l ay

ed

in

na

king our v ic t o

ry

p ossiblE

'

I'he

time spent

Ll.

nd the

w0rk produced

previous t'l our occupa t i rm of

Germany n 0w b eyond a ll d'l ubt has pa id th e div id en d  ., we h av e b ee n

1o

' lki

ng f or wa rd to f or so long. Tho sna l l bu t ve ry import an t pa r t of

·; ur own Cnr1pany B h a s played in br inging our c orn.no n enemy to her

knees

~ a n be

sumncd up in

a f ew pa ra g r a

phs

but the r es u l t s

of

rmr l abo r c an

;: ; e

see

n .in eve ry ho.mle t; v i l ~ a g e a nd town

f r

o:-:1

~ o

r n d y t o Be

r l i n .

0ur f i r s t ass igmwnt in Engl and to0k us t ' l l i a inaul t in Essex

Joun

ty . Al thnur:h

Haino

.u l t was the c onpany he a dqua r t ers

and

th e h ub of

1 1 c ompany a c t i v i t i e s our men wero

sca t t e red

ov e r a s Tia llY a s eighteen

,-·.

i f f or an t de t achr 1Emts a t one tir :e . rJocom'ltives a nd cars i n near ly

every

sup

p l y

depn

t i n

England had

t

be

se rv iced

and

r

epai

r e d . At

}To. i nau l

t

f r

om

August un ti

1

s e p t ember

of ·13

hundreds

of

car

l oads

of

car

b u i l

d

ing mater i a l

were unl

naded

and s t a ck

ed fo r

a c

a r bu i ld ing

p rogram

th

en und e rw

o.y.

our own

conpany

B na n

un de

r th e

d i r

e

c t

s

upervison of

c

apta

in p a

r l i c

h , c a r p orenan, I , to Hyet t a nd

a s s i s t a n t

o a r

porenan

T /s g

t.

J n

hn

canpbol l b

u i

lt the f i r s t r

ef

r i

gera t o r cars to

'be assemb l

ed in Eng

l a

nd.

f\ to t n l

of

f ive re e f o rs a t 175

man hnurs per

ca r

and 131

t a nk

co.rs

a t 2 tl

na

n h ':nU S

per

c

a rs

we r e a.sscn

b le

-d in

our

Jne

manth s t ay

a t t h i s l

oca

ti o

n. w ~ r k i n g c0ndi t ions were not always th

e

~ e s Black

u t

ho

urs had tn

be

na in ta inod ,

no

c

ossa ta

t i ng

the

.

use

of

e

ver

y ava i l ab le n i nu t e

of

the daylie;ht hours nnd t

ho

f r e quen t

a i r

ra ids

r v 0 r e in

n n

w y helpf1.1l

i n

r.taking 0ru

u11loa ding a

nd bu i ld ing prngrm'1

t ~ e

suc

ess

th

a t

it

wa

s .

Fr

on

Sopto r:1

b e r

43 m1ti l Novenber 43

n

ur

ca r

depnrtment

wa s engaged

11 ins t a l

l i ng

s team

un i t s

fo r

h

os

p i t a l

t r o. in

s r..nd r

onode

l i ng

a l l type

~ ~

r s a t

D o n c o . s t e r Y

r k s h ~ r e . Th e re th e non ga

ined

a

wor

ld of

expe

r i enc e

chat

l a t e r

proved

inva

lu

a

b l

e

in

cnndi t i

ons encountered

nn t ho

cnntin

E

n t

~ h o s e

l o c a

t i nns

·

mentinnod w e ~ e of

cnurse on l y

one nf

th e

many

where

ca r s

and

l o c

omo

t iv e me n wo r e en

gage d .

h t th i s s ame t ime the l arge

supp ly depot a t

Th

a tch11m,

Sudbury, \rv

e s tMoo r s ,

Lock

e ry Ha

ll lJnr

t on

Bitzwo.r r en a

nd

others we

re

b

e i

ng

supp l ied

by locon ot v i os and

cars

s

erv iced

an d r e

pa i red

b Y Comp any B P1Bn. Aga

in

a t

Sudbury

in Nov e

mber of

; 3 the

carmen stD.rted

anoth e r

phase in

th e

ir in

th e i r ca r b u i l c l i n ~

)rog r Rm . From NOVen

ber 22

un t i l De c emb e r 1 ~ seventy (70) gnndolas

roro

bu i l t

a t

a r

n.te

of

58

YYJan

hnurs

ner

car

and

e i(1'ht

bnx

cnrs a t a

~ t e of e i

ghty

( 80) na l hnurs per car-. From DE:J c

er.1

b

o r 23

un t i l p ob ru o. ry

of

44

161 box ca

rs were

bu i l t

a t an

avera ge of 80 man r ours p e r c a r

''l.nd a s many as

tw

e l

ve

(12) c a r s per day wore produced. Hon worke d f r om

h y

l i g h t

un t i l

dark in snow a nd r a in and un d e r advo r

so

cnndi ti o

ns

but

No

a r e s u r e

th

a t no t oth e r Rai lway Ba t t a l ion c a n c h ~ l l e n g e

our

car

bui ld in

g r

ecord .

Nr

Jr

t o

n-On-Lu

g

f r

or.1

Ma rch 14

un t i l Ap

ril 26 j n J.S4

4 ,

27

2

more

box ca rs wore built under s i mila r c nnd i t i on s and a t a of

30

man

hrJurs p ar c ·

-, r .

-

While th

o m

ain l:::, d y

of

tho

c<Jmp a

ny

1;wre on gagod

in

nu r

car

bui ld in g

an d

depaot

ma

in t

omrn c o v::o wero Cal led

unnn to

n e r fn rn a t e.

sk

e n t i r e l v

new and

d l f f e r

an t th a n n

nYthinr-: vre

had previnu; ly under t

ake

n .

J

t

w

L

iverp

orJ l on Ma rch 1 9

of

~ 4 we - s t a r t ed c on ve r t Lib e

r t

y

Ships

in t o

t rnop

ships .Bunks

were

a

ss

enb

l ed ,

placed

and

we

ld

ed

b

etwee

n de

cks

and

'rJ

y

10

lVIa y

19<

14 t

we

n ty tw o

ships

h ac_ be e n made r eady a v

orng

in g 240 man

~ n u r s

per sh ip .

It wa s h e re tha t nur

welders

wore put t

th

o t e s t and

lrJt

f ound wa

nt ing .

Thei r

work was tiresor.1e and

th

e h

nurs

were lnng but

~ h e y s t ayed wi th

th

e

job

and

th

e y a lon g with a ll th o l ther menengaged

th a tp a r t i cu l a r j ob c an b e

proud

of t h e i r e,ccomplishnont .

Durine.;

ou

r

tw

e lve '1rmths s t ay in En g l and it W'luld ::1.ppear th s. t the

}ar

depar t me n t s wnrk has ove

r

shadowed and

pushed

in t

o th e

bnckgrnund

h o

job accomplished

by

th

e

locomotives

me n

but suc

h

i s b0 t

th e c qs e . l t

is o

nly bec

a

use

t

he r e su l t s nf

th o c a

rn

e n c an

be f :

_g

ur ed

in

b l s.

ck

o.11d

vh i t e a

nd

a c t ua l l y seem

on

the

asser.1bly

l ines th a t t h i s ap

pe o.rs tr

be

:J:J. r .

0cnr.1ntivos

hnd

t o

be kep t

i n

vr0

r k ing o

rd

e r t 0

make

it p

oss ib l

e fn r

h e

carnen

t o

ge t

th

e

Mater i a l

n

eeded

in

the i r

wor

k

n ~

s n

it

i s

j

us

t

t case od th

o

b a l l

ca

r r ie

r ge

t t i ng

th e a

t t en t i nn

a

f t

e r the

l ine has ~ e

the hol e .

·' -

8/9/2019 William Poch

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COiviPi\NY .B REPORTS

(Cnntinued)

Arr iv ing

in

Cherbcurg on D plus

00

tho

pow

e r

s i t ua t i on and

the

c ond i t inns a t tho

er tgine

house lonkod

a lmost hope les s . ~ r o c k a g o

was

s t rPwn f rnm nne end

nf

tho yard to tho

o ther

nnd 21 Of tho

22

locomotives in

the engin e bouse had

been

sabnt nged

as vvell

as the

tu rn

t ab l e .

In

a l l there were

appr

o

xamet ly

fn r ty lncomntives in

tho a r ea

inc luding those

in

the h r

mse b u t

within a w e l ~ s tiPlO

abnu

t e igh teen

of

t

hose

had

been

made

roady

fo r se rv i c e .

The rn

en

wnrkud

in three

s h i f t s

,

H hours a day in

r;rctor

to

supply

the pnv:er noedod f or

th

o

shn1•t

runs

i.n

ge t t i ng tho

mato r a i l

to the

advancing

a rmies .

Sovornl

American

hndo locomtoives

w : r e

fnnnd and

put

in tn se rv ice tl l ·, t had be en b r ought

bo Franc

e dur ing

tho

lRs t

war

and nns t

of tho

ntho: p ower

wa s

j u s t ~ B

·

1ld

or oldor

than

t h o s c ~ I t

was nr)t u n t i l about

a mn11th l n

t o r

th a t the ...

1ow U.S.h. . l0cnnwtiv

e s

wer·eunlo8

.ded e.t the Cherboui'g p o

r t md

put i n to

·.mmedio. te s e rv ic e re le ving the s i tua t ion . Pri ' l r

to

t h i s

timo t

wo

and

;h

ree

engines would have to be s t r i p p e d of

par t s to

ge t one engine

•oady fn r

th

o ro a d

and

th on

usua l ly

0n ly

to break

down

u f t

or a sh 0 r t

'

un

d'.le to b e

ing

j u s t plo.in

worn

out .

1'he b a t t o l i n n

spont s i x

months

Cherbr:urg

o p o r o . ~ i n g dotachrnents

out

of St Vaas t , C

8.

rent8.n,

Va10gnes,

Ls igny, Barf lour , a t t i v i l l e , S o t t e

vas t

and severa l o t h l oca t ions

h a t wore a t t ha t t im r l we l l pub l i s i zed or knnvm a s tho f: ,JJFms b a t t l e

: i e lds

of

other d a ys .

n . U e c e f ~ b e r

4 .J,

1

we moved ~ n t o i:..ntwerp,b o

lghun ,

the t a rge t fo r

nj_net

y

J

ercen t of Verm

a

ny

s fmn 0us \i

- l s

a_n d

V-?,s_ an d wo went

to

work

in

the

ty

proper

and th e famous ): 11 r cls. 'I'ho fol_lowing

informat ion

i s

;aken from our recor d s of vvork

o . c c o m p l h ~ h e d

ln .Delgiwn f rom January

m til the

middle

of Ma rch •15"

LOC

OMO'I

1

IVE

. E P I 1 E J \ f T

r.,

oc

omotlvos serv iced

Tons

of coa l

nsod

LOCOmotive

ROller

washod

r o n

t h l y

r .ocomnt i VC; rnspec ti )

J: S

CJ R

DEPARTMENT

car s

rnspoc te d

car s nepa i red

rpads r r 2 - 1 s f e r e d

Ca rs Rorr:'li1 od

3398

lo990

170

95

52917

2 0   J4

;0

. . . . ,

78

The

above rocbrd shnws only

the

~ a j o r jobs dons whiJ

.e s t u t i on od in

l g i u r n . In

a d

dt inn

to

tho

above a f e w o f

the

m1

7

 

d.ot

a i.l s

co-rr,:p

l e

t ed

·o re

l: i

.

gh t s

ins

t a l

l ed

nnd

ahop

off i ce

b u i l t a t

Nortl1

Y

n '

d ,

Brown

-hr; is

t

nd

AMerican

Diese l cranes

were

asseMb l e d n t Antwe

rp

n om, wrecks we re

l o a r e d and l ocomotives r o r r . d l o d ~ H

undreds of

c a rs

wore cl

:1

c.

nod beforo

.bey could be us

ed

f or s e rv i c e .

ov

e r

000

skates

used

to s l nw tho

spe

e d

1f

cars

c0n :i.ng ov or t ho hunp wer e pa i n t e d a nd a shnw or s y ster. i n s t a l l e d

,Jy hooking a

steo.

m l i ne -

from

an 0-6-0 lncomntive to a wr e

cked to.nk

car

~ h a t had b

ee

n p r : ~ a nd

c

) O t up

fo r use as

a

s h

w e r ~ b&th. Al l these

h i n g s a nd o th e r s t oo r n u s to mention arc

only

a pa r t

of

the work

l one in

Antw

e rp ,

Late in March

wo n Gvod i n to nur f i r s t

l o c a t i

on a nd assignment in

}ermany a t Krefe ld

jus t

west

of

the

V

veser Hiver .

He r e as in Cherb o

urg

jho

yards

and

engine

house had been

damaged

by

boot ing

bu t

not

to such

1.

l a rge

sca le anc .. so wl th in se v e ra l cln ys tho l o c r : w t i v o dep a r tment ·

:

as

able to ne e t the demand

fo r

locomotiveo, In

tho

th r e o months t ime

;h e b a t t a l i o n has been

Germany,

Company headqu a r t e rs ha s been loc a t ed

.n three d i f f e r a n t r a i l r o a d c i t i e s namely Kref e l d , Leinhausen and

1

0hr to . It was

dur ing

the r1onth of May

with

E :;G.dqtw.F

t;

e rs

in

Lehr t

c h ~ : t

oth the ca r and

locomotive

dep a r tments have t u rned

in

t h e i r bes t

work

ocoPds to da te b r i o f ou t l ine

of

the produc ;inn

roc

t) rd i s

as

fo l lows

nd covers the work turned out

a t

Lchr t e , VJ'i th

de

c ~ : t m c n t . s a t Le lnha us en

or fo rd , Oobisfolde and Mindeno ·

Locomotives ~ e r v i c o d

Boi le rs ~ ~ a s h e d

Locomotives Stenc i l ed

Tons

of

Cnal

Used

1706

116

500

8530

• • • • • ' • • 0 • • • • • •

8/9/2019 William Poch

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:.

C 1vPANY B HEPuhT i J

(Con t inned)

~ o n t h l y Locomotive

~ n s p e c t i o n s

ca rs

s t enc i l ed

ca r Repah•ed

r .

oads

Transfered

r .o comoti vos Roro.iled

Trains

inspected

each t ra in having

and

nverago of 45

cars .

93

1t1:80

389

16

1286

In a ll

of

our time spcmt in Ger:rnaby from 22 r c h un t i l

15

June

the

fn l lowins work record

~ s

been turn ed nut by

th

e

Lncomotivo

departmonte

Loc omo t ives worked on

T n

ns

of coal used

Locomotives s t enc i l ed

Boi lers

washed

Monthly Inspect ions

3475

17375

563

168

152

The

f n l l awing r e cord has

been turned

in

by

the c a r

nopar tnent

fo r

the samo per in d

in

GermRny.

cars

Repaired

ca rs s t enc i l ed

Trains Inspec t

ed

and Air Tes ted

Cars

Rorai led

Locomotives Rorai led

Loads

Transfero d

604

13220

2736

29

7

20

Personal message from

Capt

a in Fa r l i ch to the mon of Company B

 

I wish, thrnugh

th i s

anniversary

edi t rm

o f

11

rrwn

in One to

express . my thanks and approcia t i rm to

every

mo.n in Cnnpn.ny B

 

for a

jab well dol1e.

In

the pas t t

vn years ynu

havo,

through your

un t i r i ng

e f fo r t s

c

rJ

mpiled a recnrd t ha t I am sure

can

not be oqualod by any nther Railwo

i3 a ttalir:Jn in

any

thea t o r of operat i rms . Wi th ,•ut th e f u l l coopora ti,.,n of

every man in

the

crn:npany th i s record wnuld n

,;

t have boon possib le and

s to a l l of you fnr ynur

l oya l t y

anG

devotion

t o d

uty

~ l l say

thanks

'\.ga in

W

F .

\RLICH

Cc,p t •

l C

C

)m;.:J.

c .ncling.

8/9/2019 William Poch

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1943

COMPANY C REPORIJ'S

1945

Janua ry 11,19 43 was the day of i

c t iva t ion

for ?29th R.O . B . in

camp Har

a

han, La.

Th e C

:

J.dre h a d

be

en

chos

en

from

th

e

?59th R.O.B. and

a

few of our off ' ic8rs wor

e

of the ne

w Yo

rk ,

Nen

Hav

en a

nd

Ha

r t f o rd

which

wa s

to

s ponsor

our

b a t t a l i o n .

The asse

m

b l ing

of

thos

e man in

t h e i r ass ignud

a

re

a took only a f ow

days . Tho

r o

ut ine

of

d r i l l

a

nd

night

pr ob l m

n:;:J,

w

hich

w

i t h

co l d

n i

g

hts

a

nd

ho t

da ys

in

th

e

mud,

s o

on

pr

o

ved us

wo

r th

y a

nd

we

11 qu

a

lifi

e d

for

such

so

l d i OI'

in

g a s we

wo

r e t o

.

enc

oun t e

r .

Tho l a

s t g r

a nd a

vant of pa r t i c ip

a

t ion

w

as

a p a r a de r o

v i

ow

fo

r Gon or a l

nunter in which

o

ver 5000

mon

an

d

of f i ce r s to

ok pa

r t .

With

o

ne ch

a

p t e r of

0

u r his tory c l ~ s o d

we mnvod in Ma

rch

t o F t .

wa

yne, In

d i a n a , c a

mp Sco t t . Hero

we enc oun t e r e d th o

work

mo

s t

of

us

had

aqua in t

od

nurs o

lvos with

in

c i v i l i

an l i f e . Wo wo

rke

d w

i t h th

e

Pennsy ~ . R .

and f u l l G.I . crows

opera ted

with

tho

regu l

a r help . Th e

nearness

of h omes

fo r

many

and

th

e

hospi t

a l i t y of t h e

c i t i zens

of

Ft .

Wa

yne

vvill ma

ke

a

i nde l ib l e

ma rk

in the

memorL :s of Co

mp

a ny C

for

c amp Sc ott Upon

Jun

e l L

th VITO

headed ou t f o r

th

e p .o . E.

which br

rmght

us a l on g

the Hudso

n

River

t '' c a mp Shanks N.Y.

Boardin

g

the

Aquit a

nia lying in

New Yo

rk

h a

rbor

we

s t

a y ed

till th

o

mn

rh ing

of

th

e

8 th

Ju ly ,

when

anchor

was

lift

e d

an

d we movocl o

u t

of

the ·h a rb or b i dd i ng f o r we

11

to

th

o U.S

.A. We

had a j ob t rJ do

even

a

boar

d t

he

b c)a t s o C C:

Jmp

a ny r u

l l od up

t h e i r

s le

e

ve s

a n

c l

f o

ught the

b a t t l

e of K.P. a l l

the

wa y a

c r

o

ss

. •It wa s a j o

urney of

s ~ v

day

s

an

d

seven

nights

an

<l

on

tho

_

m

orn ing of tho

8th

day

carJe

the ca

ll

11

Land

Ho

11

•

In th

e n e

x t

f ow

h 1 r s we

g

l id

od up

th

o

F i r t h Of Clyde to anchor

o

f f tho sh

a

res of Sc

o

tl

an d . Ea

rl

y

th

o n o

x t

mo

rn ing th

e

sh ip

.

was

unlo

a

ded an

d

tho SOXOs

b

oa

r d

o<J

a

tr

a in f or

Shi r

oh arnpton

whBr

;o we

en

j

0ye d 2

clays

r e s t . l

1

rl0n

wo

wo rclU s buro c1 t o tho va r i c

m s

· 19 de t

D.

chmen t ;

f or oper a

ti

c

ms.

rrhe r o wore n ow

de

p:·J

t s s t a r t

o

C:. an

d worl{ wa s

p le n t i fu l

for

a ll The

th ree

l

o

rge r

dep

o

ts r r i e ~ p n ~ l of th

o 7 6 l ~ h

R.O.C.

which

h ad l o

f t

n

oar l y 100 me

n b Gh in (

:. while

th

ey

to

ok p a

rt in th

e

Afr ic i an Inva

s i

on .

Within

a

fow

11Wn ths o

ur G

o t a cllli1EJrJts g r ow

in

numb

or

a n

C

s orac SOXOs

had q u a l i f i

od t .:::. run L.M.S. ma in l in e betw ee n ::>ud

bury

an d Eggingt on .

O

ur

ba t t lo of movin c

supp l i

e s

th r

ou gh the

long

h o

urs

of r a

in , win

e ,

f og an C::. th

o

unkn

rnvn

h e l l of b l

a

ck

o

u t

wa s s o

on

a c m

nmn

n f a

c tor to a l l .

Ea ch

d.et a cbrno

n t oarnoc.

pra i se

f or

t he i r

wo

rk

s o w

e l l pe r f

or m

ed. The

i::iOXOs C'J

Vero

ei

th e:;

dep o t s of Englan d from th u s r.1a l lus t t o i t s l a rg e s t .

It wa s tho met

hod

of ho ok an

d l ink with

a shunt ing p ol r ,

ye t

th o

usan

Gs of ca r s wo

ro

h n d l e ~ in ~

24

h ou r ya r d Ga y . Aft e r

some

5

months th o ?28th

R.O.B.

c amu t u ou r a s s i s t a nce

an c

so

e:

n a f t e r ,

followo6.

.-_;thors • Turning

our

Q

ut ios

to th o

so

mon wo a ssembled a s a

ba t t a li un in

Bulvuo

Pa

rk , Mancl:lOator.I

-t wa s a g ra n : r ouni tm

fur a l l

am

a

f t

er a f ow

we

o

ks

of t r a in in g we we ro

~ i s b u r s e d

a g a

in for

a f ow mo

nths .

Ca

l l e

d.

t

o0e

trw r again

in

Apnil

a t

h.

i r l

:h

ar.1

we t ook

up

th

o l

i r

my o

rd.i

a l

aga

in .

Plans

for th

e

inv

a s i <m of

hurope

wore

buine

tr .; ug h t t o a

c l

o

se and

the

~ O X u s

ha d a

j ol.J

t o d o

.a

f ew days a

f t e r Ch

c

rb

o

urg

f o 1 1

Jur f i r s t

(.cetachment of s

ev

en movo

c

in to t a k e ov e r J.i'r onch en g i n es and ra i lways .

I' he ?29th

caLO to

holp

' us aga in in

Cherb

o

urg

ya r d s

anu

a

ll CLo

ing

the i r

bes t

wo

moved a n

el avera t:;

o of'

45

to 50 t r a ins

daily.rl 'llo &OJ..Os

even had

passenger t ra ins ..'lJo r>:t t in g which ~ i u n t always

Roop

sch edu l e but f cmnd

i t s way a r :Jun c: . h u

v ins

p r ..; vo:n uurs ol vos of men of s

t e l l

wo moved t o

No r th Yards in

n t w

r p b c l g iur.1 on Amas day . Yes, i f

th

e

&01\.0s

c ou l O

s tand · tho t es t

of

11

buss b rmb .11.lle

 y

11

th ey had m

:J.d

c th e t op.Come

r ockets or n one

the IJU.h.0g

mr)

ro

th o n o u b l o the prev i ous .output of

hntwerp

Yar

c l

s mo

vin

g

57 t ra in

s in o

ne

18

h o

ur

p e

rl

 Jd,.Ln lva rch the

b

e lg

i

ans

were ·ab l o t :J t a ke ov er a n d th o b01...0s rK,ve u. t o Uor uany with

.i.t O..

qs o.t hrof

ol c •

~ c t t o r u

a ga in on

lJ • :... •

.fr

Dr

;l th o s e serv i

ng

with

?40th

Hwy 0pn

bn to

the

o s s e l b r i

G.ge ,

we

found

th

e s [..mo

huurs but

d i f f u r a n t con d

iti

0ns .

Th o V

o ss

e l

b r l

.

dg

e wa s tho

f i r s t n .h . b r i

d

ge

a

cruss

th e hhine an d

Jur l J e t a

cb.ment lJ

s t oo u Ly 24 h ours a da y wo

rk ing

h a

nu in

h an u w

i t h th

o

Jn

g

ine e r

s

to

complete

the masterpiece

severa l

ua

ys a

hea

d of schedule .

tl'ina l l y on .11.pril 8 th

an

en g

ine crossoc.i

the c or11pleto s t ruc tu r e . with ca

rs

f a l l ~ t

anu. tir,1b

e r .

to tho

f a r

l..J 8 uk of th

e h.b.ino

. b . i v e r . ~ o n

t h ousantis

of

t o

ns ro l lo

d

over

t h i s

b r i

d

ge

t o

f r

o

n t

an d to :

tho Gefeat

J f u er raan J'.

l

vl ovin

g <leepe r

in tu Uerraany in .npr i l , in ord.er i;;o supply the l ~ i n t h

nrmy

Go tb .

,eJ..r_.

p os l

t i ons

on the

J:. .ilue

r ~ i v e r

;we

vve r e   i n o. irect ly

b eh.ipci the · r o n t • n new d

iv i s ion

was acquireu kn

<J

Wn

u

s tho J:"J.annove r

/

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 16/27

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'}913

COMPANY C REPORTS

(Cnntinuect)

19 4n

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vis

inn cnns i s tin;:':

of

125 Mi l e s nf dnuble t r ack exclus ive of

the

h

ran·ches

nur j01> of 1 1 . n v i n : t r o n : r s D . P s P . V v ~ an r1 frie:o;ht over th1.s div is inn

caMe tn

alMost

a new

r ecord

·which was cnns i s ten t with '

nnr

han0lino-

of

~ e r M a n PWs rmt 0f tho R.uhr PncTte t a t

the r a t e

of

10:,000

Jf.lr cta;r

rr;;er

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en

day ~ e r i n r l .• v i n _ : : : 92,900 t ron r s ~ 9 5

DPs,

124

1

000

PWs

a nd

n dni ly avera;::e of

26,540 tnns

had ke.rt the uOXOs on the b a l l .

}ITan:r

~ t e r n s cnns t i t u t e a ~ o n d

job and

a l l records s h ~ w compa ny C with a job

we   drmo. Thrnu   hrmt a l l

the foreto1c1.

on ora t inns we were fnr tuna te

tha t only 3 Men ~ a i d th i supre

Me

s a c r i f i ~ o .

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V T

AL

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rrsrtCS

The follrwrin '" fj_C'"UrEJs renres en t 011r 'Nnrk under th e 42nc1 Her. .Grrmn

< ts

ind ica ted :

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.. · ·

4

i To. En:;ines

us ec'i

. 22 Apr t 6 9

June

T

n t a l Mil

e s T r v e l

22 Apr

to 9

June

\ vera ,.e

~ 1 i l e s

Pe r Lnc orJn t ive

22

Anr to 9 June

Gross"Tons Handl

e d 22 Anr to

9

J u ~ o

Avera .ae Tonna"'e Per En

n-'i

n e i l 22 An r

to

9 June

Dai ly A

v r a ; : : e ' ~ T o n n a , e : o u

l c e d 22

A_:Jr t0

9 J"une

Tr

non Tr a

ins

Moved

Krefelc1. and

Hannnver

Cars.Troops

Moved

Kr

e

f e l

d

a n ~

H ~ n n n v e r

~ v e r a P : e

Cars

In

Trno n T "fd n s

Kr

cf ol

cl

n.nd Hannove r

·

ro ta l

VTroors Haul

en Krefelc-1

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nnov

e r

DP

Trains

M n v a ~ Krefe ld a m ~ Hnnnover

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o t a l Cnrs nPs

¥0vect, K r

f e l ~ and

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n h o v e r

\ve rase c a

rs

In DP

Tra ins Krofeld and H

n n o v e r

n t J a l D'T')s moved,· Krefelo e.nd Hamiover

, owTra ins mnv ed , Kr of e l d a n ~ Hnnnnver

~ n

POWs

~ n v ~ d

Krefeld and

Hannnvar

}

.vera_:e cars In

p w

Tra ins

K

re f

e l

cl and Hannover

'T'0 t a l pnws H r . u l r ~ c l Yr e fr :; lc't and

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-rrain ~ , . i J . e s : · '

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Ha:i

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8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 17/27

 

T h ~ _ M e d c _ l _ . ) G § ' . ~ ~ ~ ~ - n

t

Th e

Me

d ic

a l DetachGent b ega n Jpe r a ti Jns i m m   i t u n

~ ~ i n

c

e s h ~ r e a t c ~ a h a

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c or a

f pa

ti e

nt

s f r Jrn

pup

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during th e f i r s t

n igh t

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acue

ted pa t i en t s t J th A n

ea

r es t

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eech

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cu

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ti

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v i n c:, in C h e r b ~ u r g the Bc. t ta lLm Di

ep

c n::J8 ry end Den tE' l

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were

se

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th

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c ,

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pleced

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r

c e s t

a c h ~ e n c l J ng th 2 l i n e end

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se t up in ve r i :

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p la c

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included

rn f f i c a w ~ i t

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8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 18/27

 

Bat ta l ion

Tribute

VJe

aro

humbly

tbankfu l

t ha t

det lp i te our dangerous

job

of hau l in

g

;sas o l i ne , ammunlt ion t r a in s coupled with enemy a c t i v i t y ex.porionced in

f r ance ,

Belgium and

Germany, tr.te

ba t t a l ion as

a

who

l o

has bo

on

f or t una t e in

ouff

e

r in

g

only

f iv e

f a t a l

ca

s ua l t i e s .

wo

wish to

take

t h i s

lppo r tun i ty

to

paus o and p a y s i l e n t t r i h u t

c; to

thes o

f in

e

m n

who

made

t

ho supr

ene

s a c r i f i c

e a n d

w i l l not nu

.tk e th e t ~ r L p

hon

o vli th us .

we

dedic a te th iu Annivorsar ) Edi t ion in h o n ~ r

nf

th oso mon

whoso

1oa

t h s hav e b c,o n

tho

only cloud in

tho

Ba t t a l io n s P.luo

Sky

of

o

morios

11

-; ·

- ; ~

l

I

t Bf.l. t t l o

s t a r s

----:-·-:

:

·

For a ll those who

uro

swo [t t in g 011t poin t

tJcor cw

a roum

i.

th p pr osont

0r i t i c a l .

scoro ,

r c

H.:

o ivod o f f i c i a l

ETO orderD

g

i.v os

us

ano tho

·r s t a r

1aking four b a t t l

e

s tu r s in &11. Tho

s t a r s w

ill

r upros o

n t th

o

pa t t l u s

Jf Normandy,

North e

rn

Franco, Rhineland a

nd

c

an t r

u l

Europe.

Ba t t l e pa r t i c ip n t i on s t r onr;

lOrs

H. r o avm r doLL t o

uni t s

en t i t l e d t0

b c1. t t l e

c red i t s

a

nd

a r o

flown

w

i t h

m l tion a l

u n i t

f l

ag

::;.

1Nh

on

-':.l.ttallon

supply

g G

t s

on

th

o b a

ll

vw

t ch

f or

th

cfJG

st roamors

wo.ving

i th our colors u t our

B :L

t n l:L rm Hol.lCl

ql  t::: r t crs

.

11

OCS

Nevw

11

Tho fo l lowing

o n l i s t

od ~ e n of t h i s b a t t a l i o n s ucces s f u l l y p as

sed

t ~ e I n f an t r y OCS

c o

urso

n

nd arc

nnw

2 ~ Lieutenant s .

-

our cnngru tu ln t io -

rw to

thom,

T/Sr , t .

Willio.m

p .

G

  ;

i s l or a

nd

T/5 .

George

w.

p u rson s

fror

a

;]oo.

dquar tors Compa

ny,

T/5 .

Donald R.

nc t r l ch . ,T /5 .

Allen G. Hulv

c r

son , , P f c a r r ~ M· Ch

e ll

L

11tl

pfc .

Er ic F.

Kgrlson from compuny A.

T /4 . Go argo

Yarberry

and

pvt .

c r

o.

i .:i Glad::.; on f l O U C

uq

p any B.

l s t / s g t ..

way

ne F'· Th om sen , , s / s g

t ,

uuc E· noe;ors.

, I /

1

1 US.

X\'io

ll

Jh

e

rn

o

f f and T/5 .

Williar.1 C.

L i g h t c

p

fro:r:1 cor

 1p a

ny C.

• t • t t t t t t

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 19/27

t

1 - ~ ~ - - ~ - - -

r

I ; f :

HEDALS AND DECOR

 \

.T

I ONS

IT

. ll

I

Off ice r s

a

nc

:

.

Enl i s t ed

Men

s s i n e : : l . t r

t h i s

B a t t

l i ~ n

as

of

t h i s

date have been awarded t h ~ f o l l o w i ~ g me da

l s

an d d e c o r ~ t i n n s . I11 sone

cases ,

personne l have been awa rded

[10mo while

assi£;nod

to o ther

un i t s

in

the

pas t .

Award

of Le: inn

of

Meri t Lt . Cnl . Wn

r th ing ton

c. SMith

Award

n f

Si lv or S t

Capt . Ch D. r l e s

A

Francis

Awal'd

of Sol

d i e r s

1

l1odal

Pfc .

E s t i l l L. Pee l

USSR De c n

r a t i

rm - Or

clo

r n f th o Fa the r l a n d 2n d Class

Award

of

Purple

Honrt

Award

of

r r ; n z e s ta r

Lt .

Cnl.

Worthington

C.

Smith

Capt .

Char les A. Fr a nciG

Capt.AWill iam

F.

Fa r l i ch

lst.

Lt . Car l L. Ha

r t sh

nrn

lst.

L t Wi l f r ed

H.

Ho l l and

2d . L t Hu:vmrm

d

J • . Kib le r

M / S ~ t

Paui

F. Barin ge r

T/Sg t .

I l l ey H. Mc0ar

T t1 Haynonc l.

H.

G a t < ~

k o

5/G;.:;t.

H:

wn1.

r d vv.

Roel

T/5 F l oyd. NMI Ja c nby

T /t1

~ c 1

m

H s l · l  -

Jr·1

C·

  )

s

L • . ..

c..

l. • . ' l ,

·

··

T/S

g

t.

Lloyd

'l

1

•

Maxwell

T/5 Cny C. ·

bmi th

Pre. ~ ~ l f r e d liJIVII

H

a c h l ~ o f s k : l

T/5 lJ r

mald Lis le

ifc

·viillinm

F . Gim:wJ.in

Pre. Jess e

E.

Har r i s

Tfbc t . G e

~ e

H. Dyer

/ 5

R ~ m n C ~ ~ ~ l v a s

l: 'fc.

H b ~ J Lukens

pfc .

Aleck

NHI

Novick

T/1

Jacob A· Bla umer

T/'1

Will iam

c.

Ble cls oe

T/4

\

rJ

i l l iar.1

R•

yrmng

T/5

Charles

E•

Morrison

pfc .

Gleni1 r-r.

Smithe rman

Sg

t .

Russ oll A. Buchan

rr 7L 011

vor A.

A n C : ~ o rs on

T/5 Thomas R. Burkoy

T/'± .Tim NHI Peavy

r f c Cly

c:.c

R. Hacon .

Cpl .

S tash

M. Tytanic

r f c . Warren

A.

Isenujann

r v t ~

Horr i s D.

Mil l a r

Cpl . A

nthony

Gaimb o

ne

r v t . J olL1 ~ . 1 c Lovich

Pfc .

G

co

r t; H.

Er

c w. mn

rrc.

Viil l iam

F.

Giammo

Cpl.

Stash M. Tytanic

l ' fc . Vla

r ren A.

Isernrnmm

Dis t ingu i shed Unj_

t Badge

T / S g t ~ George

H. Dyol'

• •

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• • • • • • • •

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8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 20/27

  .......

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.

 

This i s wha t we had to

put

u p

with

vvhil

c::

Bat t a l ion

was

s t a t i on

ed a t Antwe rp , pe lg inm from December 25 ,1

9<

}4

to

March 2·4,1945.

BUZZ

B

OMBS

ON

ANTWEHP

S t a t i s t i c s

fu r nished

by

Br i t i sh

Provos t Marshal

From

per iod 23

Oct

19

44

to 28 r c ~ 1945

1-248 v 1

171

2 - - -V-2

Ho

a v ie s t

Day

8

M

a r

ch 1 945

111 - - - V-1

9

- - -

V-2

Ave r

age k i l l e d po

r bo

mb - - -13 .9

Avorago

i n j u r ed

por

bonb - -

3 5.33

Rex Cin

ema

- - -

on e

bomb

(

V-2

)

567 - - - L:

illecl

226 - - -

i n ju red

Victor

y S

tr

a s s e -

- -

one

bOElb (V- 2 )

15 ·1

- - -

k

ill

e d

307

- - - in

ju r ocl

. . . . .

II 00XIJ

S:bhVIC E

II

iJn a l l t

es

t a nd

in s pe

c t ion t r a ;i.n runs. ,

th

e 729th h

. 0 . b .

has i t s Road

~

o r e m a n

in

c

ha

r ge . Th o

fo l l 6

w

in

g s t o r y

i s

t yp i c a l and occured

in

~ a y

of

t h i s

year

.

noad pnr

eman

was r d o d to p ie

l ef o l

cl

u

po

n n o t i f i c a ti

on th

a t a

p r io r i t y t

es

t tra

in was

du o f rom the adja c en t o i v . rho C. O.

of

t ho

0.

r a n d

Di

v . v

m.

s

a t

th

e

s t a t

i 'Jn

up

rm

h i s

a

rri

s.

nd

prr1rnpt

l y s t a t

r;

cl

II

Am I c 1a d t o s 0 G

you II.

fTl h i s t r o.

in

v:ras 1 b"' ami 20

min

s 13 t e on

schedule . tt I lc1nvi t ha t th o 7 29

th

has p l en t y of

~ : ; o

a nd when t h i s t r a in

a

r r i v

es boro ,

tt L Ot s zo tt

\Tp

'J

n th e tr

u. i n t s

o.

rr:i.v::1

l a t n i o l cf o l

d ,

o. h i

gh

r

anldng

U.S • .Army

of f i ce r

vns s o on

~ h t l n o ;

f ro n

tho

c oa ch

and

wa l king J . l roc t ly

to

th e

eng

in o.

HG uskod poc.1d p n ro '1a n

VJhethor

he

was r··

lin

g

t o r id o tho

engine .

rh o p0o..d r, n rc::tlt>.n r e p l l

od

" I o m gfl in g t o b an d l c t he tr: :dn

pors0na l ly as I h

avu

a l ways dono

in th

o pas t on t o s t t r a

in

s . he

of f i ce r

th en s to. t ed t b L " I 8. '1 1 h r and 20 mir.1s l e t e nn s ch c clu l o

which c a

l l s

f o r nrriv

 ::.

J. a t

nrunswick

at. 1 43 0

hrs .

I W'>uld very much

pleo.secl to a r r ive ah ead

of

t h l s

schednle a s T h qve an i npor t an t

r.J.ceting

a t

9 t

h

)\rny

}T

qs

a t

1500

hrs

mho

H_oa

c'

_ pnr or1an

rop l iod

tt

I h a

ve

been w a

i t i n

22

months f

'J

r s n n o ~ n e

of

yflur o.uth 8rity t0

ask

r.1e i

the

729th

was

f u l l

of

go.

~ h

rm1

wa s nade

with

the n nad p nreman a t

th

o c n t r o l s and gave

ldm·. b c.

ck

25 m

i nu t

es of

h i s

sch ed

ule

FLr rivi:or; a t prunswich 1 ( 05 hr s .

rnhe Rnad pnrer,

1o.n

fu r th e r s t a t

ed

aftorvvarcls to tho r:hiof n i spa tchor

t ha t

due

to

the f ine conporo. t i0n and cUspa t cher s o f h i s Train

Mnve

ment s e c t i

rm t h i s

typ e flf run

was

ve ,:y

ea

sily

accor.J.plished.

At th e

e

nd

of

th

o

run , the h i

gh r Rnkln g n.

f f i c

e r c ane t o th e e n g in eer

and

axten0ed h i s

appre c i a t

i nn t o th o 729th

t he i r

sp lend id

co

npera ti nn

a

nd ~ n n d se r v ic

e wh

i l u his tr

a

in mo

v

ed

nv e r th o t

e r

r i t o r y .

•

•

• • • • • •

•

• • • • •

• •

• • •

•

• •

•

• • •

8/9/2019 William Poch

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The Chap la in s

Act i v i t i e s

One of the unique terns of

t h i s

Bat ta l ion fo r which t can always

boast i s i t s Chapel Ca.r . Otrwrs hnve

claimed

:i.t and use e'\. t because

of t h e i r admira t ion for

it

L u t the wor·k of your hands i s in it. So

f a r

as

we ·know it i s the on J.y Clmpo 1 Cur on whe e 1 in Ge rmany.

During

our

t rav

o l s of the p9.s t

fov.J

months tp n ro l l i n g

Church

has s orvod as

a

reminder

of

the

s o i r i u a l phas o of

our

l i f e in

t h i s

Ba t t a l i on •

11

01J

church

on wheel8

11

' is

s ign i f l can t in i t s e l f , l1

u t

the rea l

necrot

of

keeping

the

church moving i s by tho suppor t of each and every man.

Ju

Church :i.s as s

t r tmg

a::; are i t s mer;1box•s and i t s

vi[i 'i

to ,s •

.Liuring tho month

of

i

.io:y, .L

C()nductod.

o i t;htoen .t}ro tos t an t

\vorship

se rv i ces ,

f ivo rrnly

00r.1

 '

TLmir)

ns ,

f D 8 V-E nay

pr

a y e r

and modita t i rm.

'l 'hroo hu<'1dro d m e l tw en ty two men partj_cipatod. .

nass

wa s givon fo r th e

ca t ho l i c men

in c iv i l i an

churche s .

Theso

men

hav

o

had

unusua1

oppnrtu.ni t ies

in

v i s i t i n g var ious c iv i laL1 Eur0pcan churches a t

such

times when

a

c a

th

ol i c Chaplain wns not nva i lab le .

I have hold Devino Services in an es t ab

l i shed

church bui ld inG

rme

t ime

while

oveJ,so:ts.

The

exDcrionces

of'

the

l a s t

tb..reo

months

nr e

ra the r t yp ica l

of tho s t range pluces t ha t

so o f t e r b e c ome

the

scenes

of

devot ion and

wc.,rship. otbor

than the

services

he ld

in uur

Chapel

ca r

we

have us

od former

Ge

[

tapo

Hop.dquc;,pto r s , 1Jer

1

' ha l l s , ness ha l l s ,

rs. i lrn.ad s

ta ticm

s n.nd

me

chan

ic e. l

drawin t:; ro

r.ms •

OJ.Je

r e ca l l s the

sc r i p t u re ""

11

God

th

c. t r:mde the world and thingf:l t her in , s oe ing t ha t

he i s r; ord of h oav on and ea r t h , dwel lcs t n:.Jt in

tenples

made

with

-

hands.

SUBJECT: c nn

;nC:l

a ti,·m

Charles A. Franc is

C h ~ p l t i n

. .

. .

.

ASCZ

IillGULATION OFFICER

NHT rH

US ARli lY

A.PO

33 J

15

JU..Y)(l

1945

TO

: CO, .

729th

Railway

OperatinG

Battal inn,APO

350

The

Ninlth

U S Army

has accomplished

i t s

uis3 ion

in

t h i s t hea t e r

with c l i s t inc t i .?n; tho Regulat in J Off ic e r f u les

out

Df

th

e pic ture

a l ·

Jng

with the Army.

On the evo 0f

my

depar ture f ro m trh<:; IJinth U S i\.

rny

th e 42nd

Regula t ing

S t

n

t i nn

I w n t

to take th i s

o p p

r t u n t i y

t :J

l e t

yc)1l know

th a t tho p o r u t i and w0rk of th o of f i c e r s and on l i s t 6d nen nf the

729th Railway Oper a

t in

g But t a l i nn is c r ea t l y

appr

Jc ia ted .

Whenever tho

.i,r :

ly

1

s

cupplieG

W::

ro

turned over

t ~ J the

729th

Railway Opera i n Br 

t tD.linn

n mover:1en

t ,

tho

se rv ice was oxce:llen

t.

•

• •

•

•

•

• • • • • • • • • • • •

s/

Laur

e

nce

R.

Sexton

LAUI\illJCE H. SEXTON,

C0l ana l ~ u s

Rcsul a

t i nc

Off ice r .

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 22/27

. . . . . . - - . - , . . . . - . - - . - - . - . - . - T - . - - . - - . - . - . . . . . . . . . . . - r T - m - . - - . . - T , - ~

7 9 U l  

R v l y o p n B n P l i o w · L

. o ·

- -  ~ _ _ _ _ . . . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ . . . _ . . . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . . _ . . . . . _ _ . . . . . . . . . . _ _ .

0-0-0 0-0-0

- - - - - - - - - - - -   ·- - - - - ·

729th

R o l l i n ~

Photo

Lnb

This

photo be l ieved to be

the only one of i t s

kind, i s

en t i r e ly c o n t

i n e d

in

one

p ~ s s e n ~ e r co nch,

yet

it i s

conplote

~ n o u ~ h

to

be

::::,

b le

to tu rn out

300

f in ich ed

p ic tu r

es

d 2y, i f the

occ ::::,c ion

c a

l l s fo r it Conci ::

tine;

of

th ree

roo no,

t1-ro

d.

c.1

.rl;;:

C1.nd

one

li c

bt , it

.), loo

inc lu

de c

l i v i ng

qu<1rtern nnd

L:

i

tc bon

f .l.

c i l i t i e

o

for two ~ o The co

nch

it

oo lf wn8

found in a Krofold rn i l rond ynrd

v.rhoro it h

:"'.

d boon b , n d o n o d by tho Gor n;.,ns

no·

unf i t

for

p :woo ngor

::::o rv ic

o

boc

cm

so

of

ohr:::1.pnol

holoo in tho roof ,

o

icl

oo :::1.nd

ooat :J .

Ca r non of tho 729th cl.oc.l.::crod U:o ch:',;:wi o of th.o cnr

in

c;oocl. : J h C ~ . . p o

co

vJ"O rl r. i :r1od i c. to ly

. r t o d . ropc.irinc;

t

hu

holoo, t nnr ing

out

th a co 2 t o ,

r o p l ~ c i n c ;

g in

th

o

l ig l t

roon

:--

.ncl

f i bro

bo c.

r

cl

wind

.ovrr

in

tho

  . r l . : :

rounc,

c.

.

nd in

. l l l n g th

o photo

:::; r·

·,

phic oquipn

o

n t .

T

vvo

wooJr.c vroro

requi red

for

th i

o

n c l .

t he n

pic turoc wore being r o c o o ~ o d .

Tho

two

d::::,rk

roo no

con

oi c.t of

fil

r1 clo v e

lop ing

rooQ

:->.,nd

n

pr i n t i ng

r o o ~ 1 . Tho

fil

'-1

dovolopinc;

r o o

~ h

two

z o ,

deep ~ ~ r o fo r tho

nc.co

dev e

lo

p i

ng

of

t

ho

hund.rodn

of

ro l lo

b r o u c ~ h t

in b y t ho

no

n

of

tho b n

tk

i.l i o n

,

J.

c

wel l : c four

t::.nl:c u cocl

fo r tho dovolopnont of L ~ r c o

4 _X 5 inch

cut

filn . F ;.,

c i l i t i oo for

tho dovolopnont

of

~ o s p l ~

t o

i l c o h2o

b oon

i n c k ~ l l o : : ' l .

'"'..G   y Gorn:;.,n c r , ·1 o r .-·c · ~ r o n2clo for

th i

o

typo

of

f i l n .

Th

o p

r int inc;

r

oan

i f:

c:o

t u p fo r

two

n <:..n

opor.:..

t i on ,

th :.:

t

io

one

n

:"'.

n opor :'

,toc:

t:

.1o ccnt::c

c t

p r in t

or

while th

o o

th

e r

cl.o

v e

lopo

c

--.nd

f ix

oo t

ho p ic tu r e in

t

ho t r y 0 . ~ in h i ~

r oon i o

n

onlnrgor

:.

n c h i

no

which

w

ill b1ow

u p "

. 1 1

:-

izo

f i l r :

f ron

35:·m to

3x4

inc

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8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 24/27

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8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 25/27

>J.

.The

Athlet ic

Proc;ram.

At

tho

time tha t th is r e ~ n r t was wri t ten

we

wer e s t ~ t i n n e d

a t

Hannover,

Germany

but we

thought tha t i t w0uld be

placed

in th is

bo ok to show whRt wa s avai lable for us.MRny

of the

things

have

gone

with our

movin

g but hero,things are about to

s t a r t

up again for us •

. A

Bo.

t ta l i rm Athlet ic Council w a ~ ~ recent ly appointed to arrange

and maintain

a

1,ocrea t:l .rm

prosr[:tm for the

0rgan iza t lon . I t is

cnmpos ec

of Ufficors ahd

Enlis ted

mon.ln

case you

wa

n t the namG

of

your

c o m p a n ~

~ e p r e s e n t ~ t i v o they a re as f o l l o w s : c h a ~ l a i n Charles A• ~ r n c i s , l s t . L t ,

r e c l e ~ i c l : A. Kroll , WuJG VVilliam G. L.u.hn,

u/Sgt . Harold

F. Skillman

(Cn.CJ,T/sgt.

r.oo J MU Ol l e r (Hq co.) ,T/1 John MC

Nr.lly

C O ~ B ) a

nd

pfc.

Lo

uis

M·

r r

a

t t

c o . ~ ) .

The bal l is already

ro l l ing .

The h i - l ight

nf r ·

,l i l y e vents

is the

sof tbal l games that taka

place

down on SOXO piold in

th

e

afternoons.

Therots no stadium

jus t

yet , but

tho cheerinG

section and sport fans

usual ly

crouch

around

tho ba t te r

so as to givo the i r jeerin g and

cheorinc;

support .

Even

tho

l i t t l e Hitlers

and

Himmlers

punh

the i r way

in to

got

a

glimpse

of

such four-b

a sEJ

hi t te rs o.s

l\fen do

za who,

apparent ly,

maintains tha t Chicago

swing.

The

Tourn

amEJnt wil l soon bo

under

way 8..t

which time

the

tWL 'I

teillil.S of

each

Cc:mpany

wil l bat i t out

far tho

f ina ls .

Just

now Company B

has th

e

o d ~

b

ut . of

c n

urse, th

e

Officers ' s team is p

ul l ing

in t o

shSJ

;e

????

Two

ba l l

f ie lds

aro avo.iln.1J

lo

r·.nd in uso. A

l so,

cc•nrts have boon

prepared for

vol ley

ba l l ,

ho

r

uo

shoos, t e

nnis and th

o

l ike . Special

Service

has

, ~ i v a n

us

b a

ckin

g

in pr

o

eurin

g

equipment.

Cumpany A

has

boon on hand when i t cor;ws t   Pw a surin c  ; r r e

nova t ine tho

ground.

I t

i s n ' t everyone

who

can soromble out of

th

o quc..rt .

 ; rs

ancl within

a moment s walk

bo

taking a dip in the e

xclusive po

ol in

back of

tho

mess

hall.We

do,

Mo

s t

of

tho fellows

3 0 for swinminc, th uugh i t i s n ' t

exactly a

remin

d

er

of

tho

c ozy

beaches back

home •

t

·l a

ns nre

tCJ incluC.c

re

crea t i rmal s:wirnmin;:;, a beginner

1

s clR.ss, spoed class and l i f e s avin [

ins t ruct ions . ~ ~ a r m

weather in

bound

to

ro l l a r o u n ~ . . . 1 some

t ine .

have

acesD to

a cymna::dum. The para l le l ·bare, mats and indoor

ba l l are only a par t

of the f ac i l i t i e s

available . There s ample room

to

spar a few rounds in caso one is i n t r ~ s t o d in

bnxing,

and

ther

o

aro timos when

tho

?29th must slug t nut.

~ n

a

ddit ion

to

thaso

f ac i l i t i e s

aro

twa

in-do0r

r e

creation

rooms

wore

ping ~ o n e and sm all camos

get

at tomtion.

Thanks to Lt. hyo

t t

fo r .

procurint;

of

t ables- a ncl they t e l l me ho

even

play s pinG p

:;

n : r_ t h.is

ag

e. ~ h o

wire

s e c t i

on

has

i n s t a l l e

lou

d

speakers

to g iv e the

area

s ome go od olc.1 wew y r,

rk music

• .L\nd

those fellows

wu 1 o s o nur-:h in t o

res

t c

th

a t a sof tbal l g me was

cal led

over a

public

ad.c1ress systo ra

th

e othei

day, play by

play.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

•

char les

Aft Francis

chaplain

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 26/27

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~

~ - - - - - - - - -

  · · _______ ___________________

    ·

C

  ntribu.t  

r

s ;

Publicnti:.:

;

n:

Circ

ul o

ti2n

:

SOXO ~ d i t r a l

S

t s f f

Capt

ein

Vr r

gR

s

B a t t a

l i n PfiO

Lt.

Kibl

0r Ad ju t an t

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T/4 n d ~ n H e a

q u

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Lt.

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e

nj

C

:::.mpan

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Lt. H ~ l l r a n

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B

Chrple in Fro

nci

o

Lt. Fun

nt Jn Spe

c ia l

Se rvice

T/

4 n ~ ~ n

H c ~ ~ q

u c r t

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· . · · ·• C ·. .A . I._, ~ . . J •••

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He

ad

quc:rt

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rs

C:'mpBny

Pe sc c n__

enl_ap_2 '_:'2Y

cd

J 2 y _ ~ p o

Here is e

littl

e thflt T i g

ht

f

F : : · in t

e r ;· t

-:'

the

f e l l

2WS

th i

s

u t f i t

M23t

-r

Y

:'

U

k n ~   s j

sg

t . Chil

dr ess

th

r t

r k s i n s upp l y , we

ll

he qui t e a g: l f c r

o n ~

r i 3h t hG i s

d

:

ing

quite

well

iY1

th

>

t

:;urne·

::

:m

t .

A

br

nquct

WP

:J

g

iv

en f

:J

r

Chi ld r e s s

a n ~

h i s t c au

~ d

gi f t s wer e g

iv

en t -

t h

e ~

N:'

W thot

Childre ss h as n th s CJn Z G 

l f

Cr :

wn

he wil l 3 t : r i t 2 run

f :' r

th

e ETO

Cr

2wn. Ou r bes t

wi

s h es g 2 n ~

with

h i rnd we h

Jpc

th

a t h e w: n

1

t

l ot us

i w n

8/9/2019 William Poch

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 27/27

 

· · ·