U. S. Army & Viet Nam

I was in the ROTC at the University of Houston and commissioned as a 2nd LT in the U. S. Army when I graduated. In March, 1966 I went on active duty stationed at the home of the Transportation Corps, Ft. Eustis, Virginia. How I got there and then my assignments going forward is an interesting story. I was originally assigned to be in the Corps of Engineers. After writing several letters explaining my interest and employment in the field of transportation, specifically railroading, the Army reassigned me to the Transportation Corps. Once at Ft. Eustis I was able to be assigned as a railroad detachment commander. My unit was the 525th Rail Detachment and we were attached to the last active railroad battalion in the Army - the 714th TBROS&DE (Transportation Battalion Operating Steam and Diesel Electric). I took the 525h to Viet Nam where our job was to coordinate rail transportation movements from the Port of Saigon to Long Binh, Bien Hoa Airbase, Dian (base camp of the 1st Infantry Division) and Xuan Loc (base camp of the 11th Armored Cavalry). All the consignees received construction materials and a variety of other commodities.

When my Viet Nam tour was completed I returned to Ft. Eustis as the Executive Officer of B Company (Maintenance) of the 714th until I was discharged from active duty.