Military Railways: Chart of Units

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In May 1965 - I had a short lived career as a 2nd Lt with the 714th Railway
Operating Battalion at Fort Eustis, VA. For approx 3 weeks - I was
"yardmaster" of the MG&B (Main Gate & back) railway on post. At the time -
we probably had 6 or so operating steam locomotives.

On Memorial Day weekend 1965, we ran numerous steam excursions around the
post - primarily for those stationed there and their dependents.

Unfortunately, President Johnson had bigger things for me to do as a 2nd Lt
in the US Army. On June 1, 1965, I was reassigned to the 597th Truck Company
which was in the process of immediate deployment to SE Asia (Vietnam). My
new job was that of a truck convoy commander in the Central Highlands of
Vietnam.

When I returned to the USA a year later - came back to Fort Eustis, VA but
in an administer role at Headquarters, Transportation School.

david g helmer

----- Original Message -----
From: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2005 10:01 PM
Subject: Military Railways: Chart of Units


 > This series of exchanges is going well beyond Jimmy Lisle's launch
inquiry.
 > I am amazed at the interest generated by the e-correspondence.
 >
 > When working up the ARROW articles (2003) on the N&W and the Military
 > Railway Service (MRS) in WW II, I kept extended notes on research of
 > materials from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and
 > elsewhere, and developed a table listing Railway Grand Divisions, Railway
 > Operating Battalions and Railway Shop Battalions, showing unit
designations,
 > sponsoring roads, and theaters to which deployed.
 >
 > Subsequently, Tim Moriarty, a valued contributor to the current exchange,
 > sent me a 1 April 1944 chart of MRS units he had uncovered at the Center
of
 > Military History in Washington, DC.  Last year, while doing further
research
 > at NARA for a sequel ARROW article on the N&W's MRS experience (when you
get
 > on a case like this, new material has a way of surfacing over time, as
many
 > of you will know), I ran across a 1 July 1945 chart, referenced in a 22
 > November 1946 MRS document, citing 1 July 1945 the "highest point of (MRS)
 > aggregate strength".
 >
 > So from diverse accountings on hand I have revised the chart of several
 > years ago (too extended for inclusion in the forthcoming sequel article,
and
 > in any case far beyond the N&W story alone) and will gladly send it to
 > anyone requesting same.  I'll also enclose the 1 July 1945 document, which
 > amplifies some information in my accounting.  Six pages in all.  Just send
a
 > SSAE (letter size is fine) to Frank Gibson, 826 Ashford Ln, Ft Collins, CO
 > 80526.  Two first class stamps will do the job.
 >
 > Here's a salute to the MRS!
 >
 > fgg
 >
 >
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