Forwarded from BLE press release:

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Military Railway Service reunion to honor vets

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4818

CLEVELAND, May 20 - Registration will begin in early June for the Army's special Transportation Corps (TC) Conference that will honor Military Railway Service (MRS) veterans of World War II and Korea.

The Army's Chief of Transportation, Brigadier General Brian R. Layer, will host the annual TC Conference at Fort Eustis, Va., from July 29 to August 1, 2009. During WWII, more than 43,500 soldier-railroaders served in over 50 commercial railroad sponsored MRS units stationed in theaters around the world.

Specific events scheduled to honor MRS veterans include "Staff Ride"
visits to nearby rail facilities, tours of the Army Transportation Museum, showing of 1950s-era Army rail training films, history presentations on the Military Railway Service and the Claiborne and Polk Military Railway, and access to the locomotive simulator trainer.

The Museum Foundation General Membership Meeting luncheon and Conference Ball will not only enable the veterans to meet with their contemporaries but to meet and share their knowledge and learn from today''s generation of TC soldiers. Guest speaker at the Museum Foundation luncheon will be LTG (Ret.) Richard F. Timmons, President of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

Throughout the event, an Army History Detachment will be on hand to record the personal MRS experiences and impressions of these veterans for future generations.

A detailed schedule listing times and locations for specific events will be published in the near future.

Additional events remain being worked and will be announced as they are confirmed. Most TC Conference events will be open to the public. A special invitation, though, is extended to post Korean-era soldiers who served, or are currently serving, in Active or Reserve MRS units.

MRS veterans of WWII and/or Korea, desiring to participate in TC Conference activities, please contact Mark Metz, LTC-USAR (Ret.), at
e-mail: m-m-e@comcast.net or (717) 597-2636.

Other individuals desiring to attend TC Conference activities should go to the Fort Eustis website : http://www.eustis.army.mil and complete the registration form, which will be available at end of this month or early June.

I wish I was closer to the area, as I’m really into military RR stuff:

I have a WW2 Jeep and on occasion have considered painting the bumper markings for a RR operating unit.