6 WEST JERSEY RAILS QUARTERLY ‘Two of the 45-ton GE locomotives are in the center of Note the track workers this view at Dreaux, France. doing switch repairs. A Captured German military train being inspected by US Army personne This article is based on personal recollections of Bob Cooper, information obtained from the 706" history book and on-line MRS sites. Unless otherwise noted all photos are from Bob's collection Turner Classic Railroads ? by Alan Marian One benefit of having a wife addicted to old motion pictures is that the cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is constantly on in my house. It was only recently that I began noticing the constant sounds of steam whistles and diesel horns coming from the television set. This was right around the time that Trains magazine ran an article about the ten best and worst railroad movies (January 2003). It was literally the day I finished that story when I walked in on a film not even mentioned in the article called “The Grand Central Murders”. The opening sequence was an atmospheric hide-and-search in the steam-filled darkness of tracks below the terminal. Soon it dawned on Mister Railfan here that films from the 1930s through the 1950s might be a treasure trove of rail scenes, almost like some commercial video but with greater variety. After all, society and travel in those decades revolved around trains, stations and pocket watches like today’s films need car chases and explosions. Sure enough, one need only keep one’s ears tuned for the sound of a rail-related scene unfolding, even if you don't care to watch complete films. Tm not about to play film critic because you may have your own favorites or bombs. Besides, I'm usually just running into the room when she yells “train!” to look for railroad identification or recognizable backgrounds, then running out again. But look what you might find! “Act of Violence” climaxes at night amidst the danger of a small rail yard by a nice looking Southern Pacific depot. “Clash By Night” has close up views of a small SP steam engine with lots of background whistles on the soundtrack. “Love is a Racket” features a character hurrying to catch a train to Atlantic City although the arrival shot is so tight it could be anywhere. “Without Reservations” is a travel-comedy featuring the 20% Century Limited from New York, cross-town cab ride in Chicago to Dearborn Station, the markers of the departing Chief followed by a raucous coach scene. All these were noted within just one week! So the next time you can't decide what video to pop in or to buy, consider some random viewing of ‘Ted Turner's old movie channel. Look for those black and whites from fifty years ago or more. You may or may not care for the stories, but you can't do better than seeing old Pennsylvania Station, steamers, E and F diesel units, Pullman porters, sleeping cars, dining cars, and grandfatherly conductors. TCM might be more “classic” than even Ted realizes.WINTER 2004 5 plans were abruptly altered on across the street from the | On the evening of May 7, December 16, 1944, as the headquarters knocking out 1945, Col. Jamison read a Germans launched the Battle of windows and blackout curtains. message to the organization that the Bulge. ‘All on duty wasted little time the Germans had signed a “On January 23, 1945, we moved to Longwy, France. The first 706% train to operate into Germany ran on Feb. 10%, pulled by a G5-ton Whitcomb GI diesel, No. 7970, with 24 cars of ammunition for the Third Army. Shortly thereafter, on Feburary 14, the unit relocated to Luxembourg and moved into the Luxembourg National Railways office building. One evening while Bob was on night duty, the German Army began shelling the city with long range railway guns. One shell exploded Rhine River Crossing All bridges across the Rhine River the had been destroyed by getting to the bomb shelter. “In the morning, we went outside to look at the damage. There was a huge hole in the street with little other damage near the HQ. Looking around I found a piece of the exploded shell and picked it up as a souvenier. I still have it, and it brings back memories of what could have been a bad situation.” The unit moved to Frankfort, Germany on April 24, 1945 and set up base of operations at the former offices of the German Railway Services. surrender agreement and the war was over in the ETO (European Theater of Operations). He invited everyone to join him in the mess hall where he would open some Rhine Wine he had been saving for this special occasion. “I was transferred to the 722nd_ Railway Operating Battalion in Bremerhaven, Germany in October and later returned to the U.S. and being discharged at Fort Monmouth, N.J. on January 20, 1946. “ retreating German Army. A new railroad bridge was built at Mainz Ms over the Rhine and was dedicated ee ~ for use by General Patton. The : ie te ee train consisted of a captured iI German 2-10-0 and a special flat car with handrails and seats for the dignitaries to sit on. The train was pushed to the west end of the bridge where General Patton | snipped a white ribbon and the train proceeded across the bridge. During wartime, public attention generally focuses upon the people who do the shooting, shelling, and bombing. Combat troops, however, constitute a relatively small percentage of people in uniform | and engaged in war-related |activities. Often, under extreme |hardship, Medical, Transportation, and Quartermaster personnel, provide supplies, equipment, and life |TBllitary-Continwed from page D was, exciting. “As the train bore down the track towards me, my concern was I would be picked up along with the order hoop!” Later he spent time in the Little Rock, Ark. Union Station where the MoPac division headquarters was located. Here, a hypothetical Military Railway headquarters was established and he practiced handling traffic as if he were overseas. Bob's unit departed Camp Robinson, Louisiana June 23, 1944 via troop train for Camp Myles Standish, Taunton, Mass. ‘The route included the Rock Island, Southern, Norfolk & Western, Richmond, Fredricksburg & Potomac, Pennsylvania and New Haven Railroads. Bob recalls passing through Philadelphia and looking across the Delaware River at his hometown of, Palmyra, N.J. After packing their TAT equipment (To Accompany ‘Troops) his unit left for Boston and boarded the US Army transport ship Brazil at the Boston & Albany pier on July 3*, arriving in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland nine days later. ate eM ‘A= WINTER 2004 ‘They were put ashore and boarded a special train for Camp Little Heath on the outskirts of London. The 706th’s operations in the United Kinguom (U.K) began at 0001 hours July 14, 1944. Much of the time in the U.K. was spent on readying equipment for transport and use in France and other areas after D-day. “We were deployed to France aboard the — Belgium ship Leopoldville and arrived at Utah ‘T-4 Robert Cooper somewhere in France in 1944 on a S. C. train. Beach August 16% and went to LeMans to assess damage and start work on restoration of track and equipment in order to operate trains. Unit headquarters was set up in the LeMans station. This was a major junction point on the Western Region of the French National Railways (S.N.C-F.). ‘Much of the railroad facilities in LeMans had been destroyed by the retreating German Army which included blowing up Views at Le Mans showing the damaged classification yard and equipment. The yard was heavily bombed by the left picture, a large portion of this ffort involves rebuilding switches. the Air Corps and further destroyed when the Germans retreated from the area. Repair work Is in progress inWEST JERSEY RAILS QUARTERLY OFFICIAL PUBLICATION of the WEST JERSEY CHAPTER, N.R.HS. INC WINTER 2004 ‘VOLUME 10 NUMBER 2 $3.00 MILITARY (GI) RAILROADING with the 706% RAILWAY GRAND OPERATING DIVISION By Bob Cooper as told to Fritz Plenefisch During World War II the Military Railway Service (MRS) under the command of the United States Army ‘Transportation Corps supervised the operation of rail service suppling necessary material and other essentials for the war effort. Although set up along customary military lines, the Military Railway Service was structured using standard railroad organization. ‘These operating groups known as, Railway Grand Divisions, (RGD) performed the functions of the General Superintendent's Office on a civilian railroad. Many of the Railway Grand Operating Divisions were sponsored by railroads; the 706% Railway Grand Division was sponsored by the Pennsylvania RR (PRR) and personnel were recruited from that railroad’s employees. Chapter member and PRR employee Bob Cooper was among the 59 enlisted men in the 706th’s Headquarters & Headquarters Company when it was activated on October 25, 1943, with Lt. Col. Louis G. Jamison (A PRR Yardmaster) as commanding officer. Bob worked for the PRR on the Philadelphia Terminal Division at Berwyn, Pa. and 30% Street station in Philadelphia from September 1942 until May RE. Farell photo ‘The GE 45 ton, 380 hp diesel electric locomotive with a low profile cab was typical of the units used in Europe by the MRS. The: engines were equipped with European style couplings and butters. Generally they were used for switching, occ ionally being used to haul freight and ambulance trains. After the war most were returned to the U.S. (No. 7926 was built i 1943 as a ticket clerk. He entered active military service on May 18, 1943 at Fort Dix, NJ. and was sent by troop train to Camp Harahan, (New Orleans) Louisiana for 6 weeks of basic training. The unit then moved to Camp Clairborne, La. for its railroad training. On December 11" the unit began technical training on the Missouri Pacific RR (MoPac) at Little Rock, Arkansas. Officers and enlisted men worked with 1944 and Is at Fort Dix, N. MoPae personnel in 1975) gaining on- the-job experience. Bob and another recruit were assigned for six weeks to a block station in Glenmora, La. on the MoPac line between Little Rock, Ark., and Lake Charles, La. to learn railroad operations and issuing of train orders. It was a busy line with many freight trains and one passenger train in each direction every day. Occasionally he hooped up train orders. The first time (Military Continued on page 3) Pena Chris Baer on 03/22/2002 10:07:54 AM Please respond to PRR@yahoogroups.com To: PRR@yahoogroups.com ce Subject: Re: [PRR-FAX] PRR-Sponsored Army Reserve Railway Units Hagley Museum and Library near Wilmington, Del. has records pertaining to the railway battalions on the western front during WWII in the files of the Chief of Freight Transportation. For on-line catalog see www.hagley.lib.de.us Christopher T. Baer Assistant Curatorsf> ob —@> “David Sweetland” on 03/21/2002 10:00:41 PM Please respond to PRR@yahoogroups.com To: PRR@yahoogroups.com ce: Subject: [PRR-FAX] PRR-Sponsored Army Reserve Railway Units, Bob, When I was in Altoona, | started in the 715th Railway Battalion, later transferred to the 706 Railway Group. The time period was 1960-1966 with active duty time in 1961. The 706 Trans. Group (Railway) headquarters was Room 203 PRR 30th Street Station, Phila 4, Penn. Dave SweetlandJanet Adams Stewart Watson on 08/21/2002 Be oa'25-11 Pl Please respond to PRR@yahoogroups.com To: PRR@yahoogroups.com ce: Subject: Re: [PRR-FAX] PRR-Sponsored Army Reserve Railway Units There was some dialogue on this subject in early February to which | responded with a couple of inputs. Perhaps you can resurrect those and other messages of that thread. | was in the 702nd T. Group Ry. at Ft Eustis from Jan. to Sept. 1954 and then went to Korea in the 765th Shop Bn. until it closed out and | was transferred to the 724th Operating Bn. Both were in Pusan and the 712th Operating Bn. was in Seoul. All were under the command of the 706th T. Group Ry. (I think I've got the numbers right.) When I returned | began to attend PRR reserve meetings in Altoona and went to summer camp at Indiantown Gap in 1956(?) There were several reserve organizations; | began with the 756th Shop Bn. in Altoona, but all came together at the Gap. | moved around too much to establish any sort of real connection with the reserve units and became inactive until discharged in 1960). Bob Watson.—@> ‘Al Buchan on 03/21/2002 07:42:32 PM To: PRR-FAX cc: Tim Moriarty/TA Statt/Internal/Tax Analysts/US@Tax Analysts Subject: FW: [PRR-FAX] PRR: Sponsored Army Reserve Railway Units Tim, We were a HQ unit capable of controlling two to three operating battalions and a shop battalion. Sort of analogous to a railroad region. | was equivalent of a General Superintendent, the CO would have been the GM. In actuality we only had one Rwy Bn under us, another PRR sponsored outfit, | forget the number w/o digging into my archives (it was in the 700s). We went to Eustis every year for two weeks. One year we went alone and were given the task of administering an Army Training Test (ATT) to a Transportation Port Bn. that was stationed at Curtis Bay in Baltimore. They did a LOTS (Logistics Over The Shore) exercise with Mike boats, cross-country fork lifts, the whole nine yards. They did such a poor job we flunked them. Needless to say the Port Bn. Cmdr. wasn't too happy. But the RA guys overseeing the entire affair (us and them) agreed with us. Another year we took our Rwy. Bn. with us. They did a lot of track maintenance, car repair, got the steam engines back in operating order, etc. We had an FTX (Field Training Exercise) at the end in which we at the 706th took part of the Eustis’ timber trestle apart and then ordered the battalion to go off post by train to take over part of the C&O operation between Richmond and Newport News because the US had been attacked and eastern VA was now in the combat zone. We had several aggressor units ( guys from the 706th) all pumped up about harassing the battalion as it was going around the post railroad. When the train hauling the battalion came to the partially dismantled timber trestle they dismounted, came under fire and started to reconstruct the timber trestle. | had a guy hiding in the swamp over which the trestle ran He was a young Ranger Lieutenant (Mike Sunshine) who worked for me and had just gotten back from Nam. After they had the trestle reconstructed Mike let go of a big smoke pot right under the trestle and we declared it blown up. Mike was captured (he let himself get captured - that was the plan). He was brought the to Bn. Cmdr for interrogation. It was very realistic, he was soaking wet, all dirty, dressed in black VC style clothing. When the colonel started to question him, Mike said to him "American Pig - | spit on you" and he did. I've got to chuckle just thinking about it. The Bn. Cmdr. had never spent a day of active duty in his entire career, only summer camp. | think it was the most realistic railroad operation thing the post RA guys who were watching what we were doing had ever seen. | had spend 7 years in the RA (Armor) on active duty, half of it on border patrol in West Germany and did these kinds of exercises quite a few times, so knew how to set it up. It was just a great wind up for the two weeks, of course the bn. cmdr. wasn't too happy about having had ‘someone spit on his field jacket. But oh well - the price of realism. Al—@e> Al Buchan on 03/21/2002 06:44:53 PM Please respond to PRR@yahoogroups.com To: PRR@yahoogroups.com cc: Subject: RE: [PRR-FAX] PRR-Sponsored Army Reserve Railway Units Tim, pegrved as Operations Officer for the 706th T. Gp. (Ruy) from 1967-1969 while with the PRR in PHL. Alage) for the 70th ‘re heserve Distinctive Insignic Aliotted to the Uo. 4 connote gunstones and signity the Group's perticips— tion in four campaigns, Vorld var Il; the diske alco stock. The stylized historic lcco- fon'é ? one Stete’, in al sffilistion with the Pennsylv vi the present location of the distinctive insiis (badge) will be worn as prescribed in | 3. This authorization letter wdl1 becone a perzenent file of the or ganSustdon in accordance with File No. 226-08, Crcanivstional jiistory files, 42 30-16-2. | 4, This authorization is in sccordence with paragraph l-192, Mi 670-5. Colonel Commanding e ‘EUCE: jTHE INSTITUTE OF HERALDRY Bldg. 18, Cameron Stat: Alexandria, VA £2506-5 AGAMA SUBULCT: Distinctive Insignia (Bedge) for the 70(th Transportation Croup, AVotted to the U. S. army Feserve Commanding Officer 70th Transportation Croup Joes }. Veese USH Center 500 est 2kth Street Upland, Chester, Pennsylveniz 19013 1. 1 distinctive ineignia (badge) for the 70éth Transportation Croup is sutherived, It is described as follows: DESCRIPTION i gold color metal and enanel device 1 1/€ inches in height overcll consisting of @ brick red key- stone beorinc « cold stylised representation of « stear locomotive encine, frent view, end on the top rim of the keystone a scarlet fleur-de-lis betveen end extending above twe black dJeks cn each side, 21 in front of 2 curved spray of gold laurel leaves on each side of the keystone terminating at the disks and desuing from e tleck threefold scroll curved in base and reverse curved at the sides, inscribed ‘The’ on the left, ‘Iron Horse’ in base, and “Ken” on the right, ell letters gold. SYBOL ISK Brick red and golden yellow (gold) are the colors for the Transportation Corps. ‘The fleur-de-lis in scarlet, the color of the heritorious Unit Stremer, and the cold laurel leaves synbolic of honor, denote the unit's vorld har I decoretion, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Europesn Theater. The four bleck disksPage 2 NATIONAL RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER, INC. Post Otie Box 732, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7302 Founded 1936, ncorporated 1973 at a 301¢3 non profi corporation CHAPTER OFFICERS Prete ssece Senio Vice Presiden Vice President & Treasre. Frank G, Tatmall (610) 688-5623 ‘Wiliam Thomas Il 215) 5453198 Richard Copeland (215) 343-2765 RL. Eastwood, (215) 9475769 JRL Eastwood, (215) 9875769 Larry A. DeYoung (610) 293-9098 BRL Eastwood, (215) 947-5769 Nationa Historian, Bit. [David R. MeGuie (856) 24-8046 Sheila A. Dorr (610) 642.2830 ‘Wiliam Thomas It 215) 548.3198 ‘Wiliam C.Fahtermayer (215) 391-9018, ‘Dave Kopena (215) 671-0605, Pubic. Sales Trp. RL. Eastwood, (215) 947-5769 Webmasie. John P. Almeida (215) 361-3953, October, 2008 Fi Ems : ‘MBETINGS: 730 PM, tid Friday of each month (except second Friday in December) a Faculty Cub, Second Floor, Thomas Jefferson Univesity Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust Suet, Philadephia, PA. Dinner (optional) at 6-15 PM ($20.00 per person), Meting at 730 PM. No meting July or August. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES: $50.00 per person, which inca Chapter nd Nationa uch. Chept-only des $17.0 per peron pe year. Member ‘plications shuld be forwarded to: Membership chai, P.O. Bor 7302, Ffiladeiphi, PA” 19101-7302. Membership in the parent Nation! allway istrcal Societys required to old Chpteronly membership. ADDRESS CHANGES should be sent to the Editor a Post Office Box 353, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006-0383. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER and E-mail address 20 our Membership List complete. We will notify the NRHS National Headgears ofthe chan ‘Cinders is published 11 times a year by Philadelphia Chapter, NRHS, Ine. Comespondence repaing Cinders shouldbe directed othe Editor at P.O, Box 7302, Philadelphia, PA” 19101-7302. If your Cinder is recived damaged or Incomplete, contact the Editor t headdress shown below for replacement EXCHANGE COPIES should bes Box 383, Huntingdon Valley, PA 190064 RL, Eastwood, 2 Edhar, P.O. 2009 NRHS Dues Bills Set to Be Mailed October 3 According to information received from NRHS Senior Vice President Barry Smith, NRHS dues bills forthe year 2009 are expected to be mailed on Friday, October 3, directly to members. Accordingly, by the time you receive this issue of Cinders, you hopefully will have received your bill Because of the fact that more than 25 our members never received their 2008 dues bills, we asked that the 2009 bills be delivered to us and we would handle mailing, providing a ‘quality check on our part. However, the NRHS board voted 10 mail them direct, although at a higher mail class than last year DONALD B. WENTZEL September 26, 2008 Its with regret that we inform you of the passing of CChapter-only member Donald B. Wentzel of Millville, New Jersey on Friday, September 26, 2008 at the age of 82, following a lengthy illness, Don joined NRHS in 1989 and his primary ‘membership was through the West Jersey Chapter. He was a U.S. Amy veteran, serving in Austria during World War Il Wentzel was a former Railway Mail Service clerk, later transitioning to a rural carrier for the U. S. Post Office. Several years back, he had collaborated with Chapter Member Sam James on a piece on the Reading Railroad's RPO service for Cinders. He was a writer for South Jersey Magazine as well as for other ral-oriented publications. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara, as well as sons Richard and Alan and their families. Don was a member of the Second United Methodist Church of Millville Funeral services were conducted on Saturday, October 4. Philadelphia Chapter extends its condolences to ‘Don’s family, along with our thanks for the talents he shared “with the rail history community. If your Cinders Arrives in Bad Condition If your Cinders arrives damaged, contact Editor Larry Eastwood at 215-947-5769 or reastwood?@comcastnet and a replacement copy will be promp: DAVID R. SWEETLAND September 13, 2008 Its with sadness that we inform you of the passing of noted Rail Historian and Author David R. Sweetland, of Exton, PA on Saturday, September 13, 2008. Dave was 71 and had been undergoing treatment fora prolonged illness. ave wrote more than 70 railroad books, nearly 30 of them hard-cover works. While not a member of NRHS, he hhad provided excellent programs at Philadelphia Chapter ‘meetings, demonstrative of the consummate rail historian that hhe was. A mechanical engineer, we was recognized for his detailed knowledge of diesel locomotives. In concert with former NRHS President Nelson Bowers during the late Penn Central era, Dave was instrumental in the preservation of Pennsylvania Railroad MD ETA. diesel locomotive #5901. Now cosmetically restored to its original PRR colors, the unit is on display atthe Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg. It isthe only 7 that excaped the serapper's torch. A graduate of the University of Maine, Dave joined the Pennsylvania Railroad at Altoona in 1959. Among his achievements was oversight of the renumbering of the vast locomotive fleet from the six railroads which formed Conrail in 1976. He retired from Conrail in 1996, Additionally, he had served in the U. S. Army Reserve in a rail transportation group. Dave is survived by his wife, Susan, four children fand two grandchildren. Services were held at the Central Presbyterian Church in Downingtown, where he was an elder, ‘on September 17. Philadelphia Chapter extends its condolences to the ‘Sweetland family. His contributions to and documentation of rail transportation history will provide a lasting legacy to us allHistory of the 706th Railway Grand Division 25 October 1943 - 9 M. 1of http:/www antiqhook.com/boox/ver/026829.shtml Ficé Search Antiqbook Ask a question or HASTINGS, DAVID C. EDITOR History of the 706th Railway Order this book Grand Division 25 October 1943 - 9 May 1945 Frankfurt On Main, Germany, 1945, First Edition. Hard Cover, 4to Browse our books - over 9%" - 12" tall. VG+, no dj as issued. Few stains and Search our books abrasions to covers. Internally clean and tight. Sound binding. Book dealer info Illustrated with maps and photos. 88 pages. Dornbusch 2569. VG+/No Dust Jacket as Issued. USD 355.00 Offered by: Vera Enterprises LLC - Book number: 026829, See more books from our catalog: World War I! Unit History Hundreds of the world's finest antiquarian and used booksellers offer their books on Antiqbook. They offer full satisfaction and normal prices - no markups, no hidden costs, no overcharged shipping costs. 5 million books at your fingertips! Search all books at Antiqbook 6/23/2006 3:37 PMHEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS COMPANY ‘706th TRANSPORTATION GROUP CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT World War 11 Worthern France Rhineland Ardennes-Alsace Central Europe DECORATIONS. Merttortous Unit Comendatton, Streamer enbroidered EUROPEAN THEATER BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY: Gut ee Najor“General, USA ‘The Adjutant GeneralDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Lineage and Honors vevoquaress no yeraqee3s canon oan TastoiON ale Constituted 21 February 1941 in the Organized Reserves as Headquarters, 26th Ratlvay Grand Division; concurrently redesignated as Headquarters, 706th Raflvay Grand Division (Engineer), and allotted to the Third Corps Area Converted and redesignated 16 Novenber 1942 as Headquarters and Headquarters, Company, 706th Railway Grand Division (Transportation Corps), and affiliated with the Pennsylvania RafTroad, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ordered into active military service 18 October 1943 Organtzed 25 October 1943 at Army Service Forces Unit Training Center, New Orleans, Loufs tana Inactivated 15 February 1946 in Germany ades{gmated 25 tare 1246 ox endqarters an Headquarters Company, 706th Transportation Ratlway Grand Diviston, and assigned to the Second Activated 31 March 1948 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Organtzed Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as Organized Reserve Corps: redesignated 9 July 1952 as Aray Reserve) Reorganized and redesignated 2 une 1953 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 706th Transportation Group (Second Army redesignated 1 January 1957 as Second Untted States Army) Relteved from assignnent to the Second United States Army 1 January 1966 and assigned to the First United States Amy Location changed 4 March 1968 to Upper Darby, Pennsylvanta; on 31 August 1969 to Chester, Pennsylvania HOME AREA: First United States Army Wee water 30 Juve 19JL LHESTER, FASTATEMENT OF SERVICE Headquarters and Headquarters Company 706th Transportation Group DECORATIONS Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER (Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 706th Railway Grand Division cited; Headquarters, Theater Service Forces, European Theater GO 226, 31 August 1945)STATEMENT OF SERVICE Headquarters and Headquarters Company 706th Transportation Group Constituted 21 February 1941 in the Organized Reserves as Headquarters, 26th Railway Grand Division; concurrently redesignated as Headquarters, 706th Railway Grand Division Converted and redesignated 16 November 1942 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 706th Railway Grand Division, Transportation Corps Ordered into active military service 18 October 1943 Organized 25 October 1943 at the Army Service Forces Unit Training Center, New Orleans, Louisiana Inactivated 15 February 1946 in Germany Redesignated 25 March 1948 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 706th Transportation Railway Grand Division Activated 31 March 1948 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Reserve Corps; redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve) Reorganized and redesignated 2 June 1953 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 706th Transportation Group Location changed 4 March 1968 to Upper Darby, Pennsylvania; on 31 August 1969 to Chester, Pennsylvania Inactivated 30 June 1976 at Chester, Pennsylvania CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT World War Il Norther France Rhineland Ardennes-Alsace Central Europe