William Poch
Transcript of William Poch
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v
GHQ MILITARY RAILWAY SERVICE A. E. F .
1
1945 1946
_ Pass.T Q .. W ; i . . ~ t - ~ ~
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U
Nationality)
A ~ c o u n t
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i
unit Co
B
.
..
7.2.9.tb
..
RI -cy:
..
.
Opn
.
Bn
.....
.
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
Maas t r i ch t ,
HJllEnd
1 Ye2r On Tho n t i n s n t
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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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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 .
.
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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
•
• • • • •
•
•
•
• • • • • • • •• • • • •
•
• •
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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 .
·' -
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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 • • • • • •
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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.
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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
-
..
·
·
-
'}913
COMPANY C REPORTS
(Cnntinuect)
19 4n
Ili
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
~ t ·
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 .
• • • •
• •
•
• •
•
•
• •
• • •
•
• •
•
V T
AL
ST
A
rrsrtCS
The follrwrin '" fj_C'"UrEJs renres en t 011r 'Nnrk under th e 42nc1 Her. .Grrmn
< ts
ind ica ted :
·· "
.. · ·
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
and Ha
nnov
e r
DP
Trains
M n v a ~ Krefe ld a m ~ Hnnnover
·
o t a l Cnrs nPs
¥0vect, K r
f e l ~ and
~
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
Hannover
-rrain ~ , . i J . e s : · '
Easthmm( L
A
lr11
1 1 . 9 8 ~ 6
Ha:i
~ t e s tb 01L'1 d
Apri l 2'7,661.5
Mav
1'rains
Or:er
a te d
Jl.:rril 4 to
June
9
Eact
9'79
i.
Je s t 1009
•
•
• •
•
• •
• • •
• • • • • • • • • •
1 t1· 1334.1
33,867.5
2180
99,002.8
42 .·66.
1 300
482
13.9'72
26,540.45
128
3716
29
92,900
1'76
'7'71'7
4:4
2'70,095
6'7'
2756
41
12 t,
,020
8/9/2019 William Poch
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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
Beach, t ak ing
c or a
f pa
ti e
nt
s f r Jrn
pup
t en
t s , end
during th e f i r s t
n igh t
ev
acue
ted pa t i en t s t J th A n
ea
r es t
b
eech
Ev a
cu
o
ti
Jn.
HJs
p i t e l
.
.6
r r i
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
Office
were
se
t up-
th
: r
c ,
and m
d i c
were
pleced
with
the
r
c e s t
a c h ~ e n c l J ng th 2 l i n e end
in
th e i s J l a t c d
p loces .
Th 2cc me n h ~ th e ir n i ~ s t a ti
Jns
se t up in ve r i :
us
p la c
es
, EOm = in
, ,
t
, II • II •
bu1l d1ngs
wh
e n
r J :m l d
b e f J und , end
J nc
r s 1 11 c r u
~ m c s
, 1n
11
f )r ty :'no e i gh t s
11
, <nd -
b2ggog
c cc.r s . ' r lhil c h T C, fu tu re
Di
s]:.Y n-
ca
ry n
cc
dn w: r c ~ n t i c i p a o ~ J t w mJst p r ec t i c a l Dispcnsery
end
Dcntll l D h p n s ~ I · y
cr
' r r W"'rc
planned c::nd
n t r u c t c d The Disp...:nsery
included
rn f f i c a w ~ i t
i n g
r 2:m , o p h r r ~ e c y , and e tre atment
r·
.;·y'J , B:;
th
h:::·
c1
c l : ~ c t r i c fj_:xturwc t h r g h u t c p h ~ J I K s n d
h ) t
Emi C.
:":'
l i
ru nning t . ~ r .
At
t h
B'
1
tt
e
11
-·m
'
s
nex
t s
t P t i
J
n,
A ~ l t v v
r p ,
Be
l?;iU
'
i ,
th
ere:
c.::)rs
wcr
0
u c cct
t i n
l y rnd ~
th
an r r
th
e
i r
WJ r t h . In
th
r m
r:J ,
l ny buzz b
Jr:J
b Etnd r ::,ck2 t b
)r:J
b c 9s u l t i
cs
w c r ~ : t r d .
Lc.t c:
r in
Krcf c
ld ,
G
--
r '"'l;my the Dc ntc<l Dicpcnsc>ry
;JElG
h i t
t
- Phr::;:pn , . l f r :,T':
.Gc r r:1r·n A
rt
l l r y h r ~ l l
I n He1nn::wc::r w:1rk we B GJr:Jc
ti
1 1 ·: s prr t icu lEJr i ly try in g b r c a u sc
th r B a t t o l i ~ n wr s
?p
r
, rd
2v c r m : J r t c
rri
t J r y thon
b r
and
S :J
mc d
t P c l v
n
W c l ~
l · cE-t cd r:1eny
r:1 il
ce f r :·r.1
c-
'h J
sp it
E'
l.
-
JJ;c
r c
a
n ~ w
Dcntr l D i c p c n s ~ r y
was
n c t r u c t
d
Ju
t J f
a
f ) r rn c r
G c r ~
e n
1
Arzt1·12gcn
11
E. n
rJ c:v c n
r 2ky lic;ht f ::: r b c, t t c r li
gh
ti ng J f
th
e
J
PETet
ing
L ) - - : ~ 1
The: Bo t te1li:>n Sure;
c·
:n ll :--- u
lrl U
.l;:: c: t J t:ol;:: ,a t h i s p p - : : - r t u n i t y t :
cxp r ecs h i o o in cc r nt R p p r o c i c t t n f J r th e f r i t h fu l
an
d un fc i l i ng
iv:---rk
:J
f
th ,--:
,
.
,
011
-,
f
th
,- '
ME:;d
i<Jel
n
, _ _ , .
r1i·
r r > h
~ - r
l1
V
" ,_ .
..
l,k
r'·d l ' '
ncr
.• • ,
__ .
•
IC \...
•._ _ •
.J
• L t j , VV • • .• -
t-='
h ~ u r day in
on0
dey J u t . Th e
ocn
with th e :u tly ing d c t o ch c cnt s
hDv c J
f t cn
hsd ~ h r cop J n s i b i l i t y but
hed
co r ry n
by t h e ~ s c
e s
and h av e d ~ n c a v e ry GJ J d j 2b in deed .
....................
,
-----
·:
I Club soxo l
1
~ ' . J . D .
V. a l d r ::::n
Sn . Sur g .:o: n
On th o
9th
J u l y a c lub
w ~
J
pcn
f 2r
th
e
~ e n t h
729 t h R03 .
M ~
b
r
s h
i p c r rds w pr in t
0
d and qui te A few i n o ~ up ~ ~ k n t h e
p l ocs a g r J ·winc
c:nc
e r n .. I t h .::n b een g ) ine; c t r J r e;
t ha t
d[ly an J
::;
n l y
; n e e hP . J it been
c L .s c d ( so'\oc; w r cx t r s
; ·J
)
. A
f i
ns
b end
ha
::; b r l G 1 f r : - - - f c l .L' \'V S
in
e: ::: u. t f i t
end
th , J ca.n p lay eny
th i n5 ,
swc2t
.2r h - t. E a ~ h ~ e ~ b c i s e l l ~ w e 1 b r i ne e quc o t s :
the re
E.l r e plen ty J f p e r t J l
r H e f r c s
G J . l t
0 r
e t'VE'il E' b l c t ::: t h tu n c ::-.f
1 3
,000 glc:
c;s cr' :• f b cc r /OC
b
t t l ::)f 'l'line 120
b
t l
::
,f
c ; grEl c s
--
· 1 :1
c ich vlcc1r. Th
.i:< ::;nxo c l ub i ::: c c d
in f / I S
t r i c h H
1 l a
n d
end th
-2
r c DY e ..
,
r"·
' club
s
th
s s a1 c n 2
r:
c
c e t c d
e t -itt ET j
rn i He e rlE·n •
• • • .
Only J . y qucl ::i.ficc' a r c a l l Jwed t
en
t e r •
. . . .
. . .
. . .
.
.
. .
.
.
.
.
.
l
8/9/2019 William Poch
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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
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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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36280214
33019426
38264037
34665892
38086973
l60tJ 7381
42094845
33172463
6853502
16048277
35056555
3:3086973
160 <
7381
35134835
-
--
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8/9/2019 William Poch
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.......
·-.....
-::=- '
r J .;. ;.:;.•- -,
< . ( ~ > . : - · ___ ...
.
.
·-
.
'
--........._
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,
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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
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. . . . . . - - . - , . . . . - . - - . - - . - . - . - 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
hoo.
Drying
c i l i
ti c::: i nc lu
clo
3 dry in g · ~ c b
o o
t h will cpeocli ly
d
ry c i thc:r
g lo
ccy
or
t t f i n i ch
p
i c tu r
es . ..'. l c-, r
go
t l.nl: w·:
cshin
g
JJ.:-·chin o
h..-
·.c boon
i n
o d . in t ho t o i l e t roon
of
t 11o c c,r . "ill tho
oquiP lent in
both
of t11oco w i r c ::-•,p turod. G o r n n
r i
th
o..
t
boon t : '..lcon
fro
l
G o r .
T ~ i n
b o r t o r i o n vrho
n c 1 o con
c l . o r b l o
u
co of
photo
(5
r
::-cphy in
t h e i r
o o o ~ r c h
prop
C'
.
•
• • •
•
• •
• •
•
• •
•
SPEC . ~ L .'3
ERV
ICE
Speci 'tl .:Jervi co i :J one of t ho
no
ot r t n t r
build.orG in
tho 1 ~ r : : w J,ncl th i o b r
::.
nch of t
ho
;;e
rvic
e i s u r:pec i 2
ll
y no od.od C'.f t o r
covor::.
l
yoCl.rD
ovorce u. s cl.ut i
oo. D u r i n ~
i n
Bn
o
nt::w in E n g l ~ n d
(
12
lion
th
e
) ,
C:
.pt :-
cin
Gunion, then
.'3poc1
.:-.
l
Service Officer , d.
i d n
c r
ocl.
it :'..ble
Job
of r r
: : . n g i n c ;
: : , U30 r..'nowr;, '',n c
c in
on :
·
.c
fo r .::'..11
to e
njo
y . Et .
G r
~
y kept
everyone ~ t i
f i e J
with ~ f i r nt c l 2 cc PoGt
Exch ' l..
n
(jo. Durin c; tho inv
:
:,o
i on
of F r
: : :
n c o un t i l t11o cl
ofo c:. t
of
Go
r
D2llY,
eve ry
one
w too bucy wo
r
l;:ing
t
1 1 hours
t o
c: lo
n 0 r o
th
u.n
enjoy t ho non t h l y l l o t n t
of
bo o1:;:o ".ncl n e ; . ~ z i n
o o .
Now
th .·:.t t1
1c
w
··:.
r i ::: ovor t ho· ' lOn of t h i :J
Bc:.
tt a li on h C'.vo no
re
l io
o
u r
o
t i
~ o
t o e
nJo
y t
ho
~ o v i o o ,
t
~ g o r h o w n
~
r d g
~
n o o
~
n c l
in
Hannover
o f1n o rwi r
r1 in
c; pool . 5 Ping Pon g t Gb l
oo
~
r e
nlo oo t
c o ~ -
plotocl
n
rc
f t
lx ·
, l l
c;
·:-- on - r o beinG p l
~ y o c l c1c.
i l y
b e tw e en
th
o v ;:t
r
iou c c o o p n i
o o . L ~
o t
woek
our now Ro
l l i n
g
~ . X .
c c:. r puohecl.
~ l o n g
tho
t r c ~ t o
tho
v r i u
dot:.:
.ch
·wn
to by
c:.
t o
l ocor:w
tivo pro
oo
n t
ing 70
c
l i f fo ron t
i
w
o f
w
r c
h : , n c . l . i . - : o for ' ~ L l o n
in 7
dayo h ~ c 1
oold
n
two
w
oo
k
oupply of
P.X.
r ~ t i n o to
t he
~ n of
th i o
b ~ t t n l i o n
to th o tunc
of ~ 2 , 4 1 5 . 0 0
d o l l ~ r o c h o o . Th io i o b e li ovod to
bo
tho
on ly r o
l l i n
g P.X. ~
r
on rn i lo in t ho ETO g iv in G curb
oorvico to
f a r
f lung c h o e n t s .
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
• •
•
• •
8/9/2019 William Poch
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 23/27
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tb (.
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G COS
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nt
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to
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wr; e i s
h i
m •
uur G-
cn i o. l
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c o
nn
o
c t
e cl
vd
th
b- 4 ,
f ,J r which wo
vrlll r n t h n lcl t
ha
t aca in s t hir-1
9
want s t o f ' h omo . w
ny
s
ti t:
le
i f
: wa
s t i n g
J ld
t o ,J
h e W'ln t
s t •J
cee
::.bnu t l l l
s
baby , vrh rJ will
b u 8
y th i s j u ly ,
1av in s a
p l o.
J Tiln
t o .
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n
c e :r.'t
c:.
in of f i c e r fr r1u Lomu n r ll
,Ill.
v
vh
on f o e l in
c;
n o l l r;w
:·,o r;Jnan s t ho fn. c t t ha t h o n o v c r b e c ane
:.
m
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ng l c .S c ' u t . R J a m ~ Fe n e v e r ·
.m s ab l e t n f:tn d t in o t r) p u p t on t
in
th
e
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n.rr oc)
un.d
Q:1 p t [ . i n , I'1.ayb8
we c a n c GrtifiGJ p apo r s th u t ynu d i d wh il o in th o Ar My .
p n
th ,
p en n :rru.n t be a wnn dc r f u l p l a c o . At l oo.s t
\
IO n r o t " l cl . rm t on
t;he map it i s s h nwn s b i n r':..n l y c i twa t ocl l Jr , b . 'l
1
l1G r o i s n g t 0 b e
t
l o t nf 8Y'J
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ow
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c;
wh on on o nf i t s p ro ·
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·
lin
o
nt; c i
tz
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ns
r e
turn
s
an
(
11
Dn Y 'l U A
ll
11
•
-r a r boc1 w:ir e i s
m il
d t il c :m .o u p a
ga
i n s t in p r ofu r on cc.:
t c
t tle v i t r i .
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Ll c r oma r'
ks
t ha t orrume r tt t o f r nr:1 th o nn e wb.r1 , vvh e n cc. ll oLl
in
t he
. r . r . ,
>"Jrw s u p fl
gh
t in g . Ert i l s n •
Tho t ow n of Hanv o
n -
0r ,0 k J a as
it
i n s p e ll ·• d b y a c e rt a in 2 d ~ t nf
;h o n
ut f j_ t , w'
nntt, if h o c nn t ln u o s t n grovr , 'li' ' •Uncl t h e g i r t h , b o ab l e
.:;.• h o l d h i 1:1 , i f >/hon h e r e
turns
in th o unc urt
D.
in f u t u r e .
Th
o o l e c t 1•:t c r ul ;b it
:.:
.s h e: i s kn r;w t n h i s om in on t
fp i
e n d:J , still
hem:Jans th e f u
c t h e
r t 'i.:1 t n ].J ·,y
:H l
~ u c h as 3n y
· l
n e e l se t n hn v o h i s
lm ir cu t . P .S . th u ':.t )
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ir
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t } , ; ; , ~ f n p W
h ic
h tb
f1 s t
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t e
ll
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o.
b nu t
11
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h i
t o c.lm•m f 00
l,
gnr)cl f op 2 0 y o a rs yu
t .
Th
o En rr,
l i s h
n a c o vms t i Mid in c nmpa r i s nn t n
1 l f e
in I r)\:v:l. ,
an c
t h e
1
ade it. Bu t , it
t •> 'k R8 l g
ium
t o Lr enk
th
e
b
:tek
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w ab
nn t
it
Lt . ???'?
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u t l a s t he c a n f in n l l y ma k o
it to
Rn
cky
P()
i n t ,
n.c.
he
s
wea
rs
.
11
h o
w
ill
wn:n t
i s
a l n r e:;o s h acl o tr
ee
, on e pr e f or nb l o t ha t wl
1
r e volve
rj_
th the
sun, n n c1 l a y
l d s
ti oc1 r; l d
L nlly d own
nev e r mr; r e t n p u t on
hr.1es a n d r oam.
All of you k n ow the K::ms a n Wit, or which n o qua rt e t i s Cr:1 r.1plo t o
:
i t h
ou t th i s
h i
Gh t en o r . Tun bnd a l s o th a t wo h ea r K
un
8ns i s d r y .
Cb
o
orf 'u l
o r lu :h
in
.1; h a t e r s , b e t t o r kn
rJ
w D. Ho r a t i o i s .s till
):
t t i n
g t hum ou t , Re ce iv e d f r 01:1 the
Port
ComLtet
nd
e r
in
i:.ntw or ' r a f ino
.o tt o r of r• r.: c om:1ClJc'b ti on foP h i:3 oxc o l l e n t worl{ \Vhil 'o. s ta ti nn
ocL
in t h a t
·
: t ty.
• •
• • •
• •
•
• • • • •
•
• • •
• •
•
8/9/2019 William Poch
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/william-poch 24/27
l l 1 J < ~ h , h ~ ) ~
H
• k
II
u'l h l • 1 t
11
II
T h v i• l ] •
11
1 •
l s
n n
·'n
a s L
as _
1
rr ,
n r n r c . '
1 _ _
1
p, •
a s
J11
n r
o
n 1
s
C
.. rn
, •
than a r t o r and rnn. l lv
'"ives
thom rmt . -'-hat i s if vnn caro tn
irnhibe.
Sinco th8 J ~ . r t z w a ; , : o n o r
Yanlr.
Den was ru t i ' tr;
so:rvic0,
qu i t e
a
fow
nnw
pnnsess
v a n c a n l e ~
in
tho nr
e
nin;,:.
S o o ~ s
as
t ha t
new
L k ~ l i ~ h t
:roRlly
shn\"TS u:r tho }foJa:rs, ann
0ns
koTJt tho T C rr.:n1ly
T'n11in:":.
we
are
r n a l l ~ a n ~ t r u l y
h n p i n ~
t ha t
t h i s
i s thn l a s t tirne fn r
~ n s n i t R l i z a t i n n nn r . t . J l f : ' . A n : ~ n l n . T,ots hnre
rrrm:r
) ~ .
ren. l ly : :Gt a t
the·
uEAT
nf
>rnu:r
trn1::.ble
th:ts t i ne •
r .e t s
·· h
npo it
wns
nnt lift
5.n.:':
tnn
mnn :r to 1EJ:>honos thn t dj_s 1ncn.
tAd
the Si:":nal
n f f i c n r t s
shnulclor.
w1ncly C:hico.' ';n he i s . knnwn as , aDc1
the
o n l ~ r nne
J.n tho
n11tfit whn
can not
nccuGtnm
h i s s e l f tn rin;ht l:wml. rl l i lrnacl npora t inns . C0mes
frnm tho
nnl:r r .o
f t
h a n c l N ~ n n t f i t in
thP Sta t
o
s .
Si18n t
Jnhn
Fal lo: rnn,
nowly A.ptd. 2d Lt . i s
nnw s w o a t i n ~
nut
h i s
wnivnr fn r
~ r o n r .
UJants
n n t h i n ~ b e t t e r than t0
sno
Altnnna
rmce
·
mnre, a n ~ h i
s
12 pn in t s .
Our
s r n i l i n ~ nncl
~ a n l a l C : h ~ p l ~ i n iR r e a l l y h n v l n ~
a
t ime .
His
P.n wnrk i s f in o ond the: n n J . : ~ t : rnuhle he i s h -W:i..n;::, H.l t r y 1 . n ~ ~ t0
c iv i l i ze the Prass
in
Cn
c.
Thnt
i s roa lJ
.y a
2 ~
hnur j0h 72
~ a y s
n
i.} lA
ek
Cnuld bo l .Grrv y01.l w i l l tn soe your
12
Dn:i.nts t h i s Xmas. In
the menntimo
ko Pp"
th0se l ~ G c l s . . strni,'l;h
8 1 1 ~
c : r l i n d ~ r
cncks
n:;Jon.
~ 1 0 r e
water
in
th o ~ l a s s
As fn r
t h ~ .S-1.
'rJ:1c·v B9' :T
Hit1or
Nnw
f n r
the ~ r a n d f i n a
l ~ . Sa
oms
was
8. pi.
kor
cnm9n.rec1 tn '
him.
ns
thn th o ro
i s
nn 9 lace on
It
uar th hu t Missnul8 •
n u l ~ ho
nnd
a:-::ro
a ctij.r1nte
J'11US t
,e:ivo
the inhRbi tnntn
onnrl'l'lnns
ap9o t i tPs .
E n n ~ v
E n t i n ~ Cnlnn e l
· . '
Anc1
nm•r
8 S
vie
h n v c ~
stnnr-
f'rl
t h i s
vvritin"' nf
Lcir
rAtn: r t s . le t . s
a l l
·.
II ,
reMGT" b e r lt i s n11 in
fun
nnr
1
o.s
(
.)
, •r.r
B
del,
l. ..h lvhn. t • u t wo
are
lm n\"rn
1'1f.',ke fun nncl
l 1 1 n ~ h
n t nur sc lves .
seem
tn
th ink
wn aro
n
nd ton o.l l
th e B r i t i s h
sny nf
us , D e u c e ~ l y
fq r
nnd
w i ~ e
fn r
nur a h i l1 tv tn
Ther0f0ro w e ~ c a n n b t b e a s
b ~ d as
thffy
~ e r s n n e l i t i
n
ro in t h i s
nanner
ke9t
in
the
l i ~ h t a n ~
nn
nne
A
n
sn
tn n l l
nf
cocks f u l l nf wat e r nnc1
i s therefn:ro l l ~ c'lanr:ernus.
n
H. ' ~ ' > 1, K •
us ,
v :e sRy 1:=;h
D al l
11
o e11
ynur ct?1n r
, e r
11
c
:rnur s3.,.s
t8m
rop le to wl th Be8ucnu:' n;:::nac
f' . S
•....
Lt . R . J . IL ::1 u r 1 ::--nc;- l Ae;g, ed adjuta11t i u e
pers:Jn
many
•J::nds .
P:<:
i G, v e r , ac h i s be p,
t ../h
en
in
II Gruf f in , GruffJ.n
II ln:J
:)
d
and
11
1p1 ::)
e
11
t :
, th .:; irrlivic1ua1 ( f r ::m Pvt . up )
w d
ea li np.;s with him
:;n
such
a dB.y. Hi s f c.v .: rit e ex p r e::.\G L m
i
f3
11
Ben uc :.•u p
nco
11
v ith
the
'3:-:-uthcrn
r ; r ~ drE t' . ' l l . lJl · · r G c.·,b
·
ut th e L t s m . : Our c,
ri st. ::cra
t i c ,
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11
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11
i n th o in
ne r
sanc tuary can
c : t t c r ~ t .
c ~ n c r . ; th
:) u;
c;h t
th o t
he
i s
exp ·
scr1
t :: th e::
11
Fr ss
h
Air
11
::; f J -.. i Gc y tllCJ. h : > pc tho .t hG w i l l n.::g.stin E-l:.J
Y.JG
:, f h i s human
charac t e r i s t i c s
Signed ,
n y · : n : J u l
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
~ ~
~
~ - - - - - - - - -
· · _______ ___________________
·
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
S5t . ~ ~ ~ p a n C
T/4 n d ~ n H e a
q u
r t
r s
~ p 2 n y
Lt.
H
::: ll
e
nj
C
:::.mpan
y A
Lt. H ~ l l r a n
: ~ p r
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
~ ~ lnny
·
· . · · ·• C ·. .A . I._, ~ . . J •••
• ·
C • •
T /4
C ,n
cJ.:'
n
He
ad
quc:rt
G
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