Iran?
Received some reminders of how fast time flies and how changes develop.
Bob (Bobby) Atherton, BHS-65, recently dug through some of the informative memories of what his dad, Bob Sr., BHS-36, and many others endured during their World War II service.
The elder Bob entered the military with 100 other guys from Boone County and many ended up in a military Railway unit in Iran for what resulted in a four-year tour there.
As a Railway Operating Battalion, they hauled lend lease arms, trucks and planes across the desert and supplied the Soviet Union's effort to stop the Nazi's east front.
Think of that now.
Iran hosting U.S. forces, including Boone railroaders, for a long period of time to help the Soviets battle the Nazi's. Remarkable.
Several pictures and more detailed information about this U.S. service, including maps, was part of the information Bobby provided.
To say the least, conditions for the soldiers were barely short of intolerable. Soldier Bob described some of it.......crammed in tents with eleven other guys, working in heat that hit 170 degrees and better in the sun, battling winter rains and mud and being rewarded with goat stew. Bob Sr. said, "after 21 consecutive mess kitfulls of goat stew, GI rations arrived and we got some honest to gosh Spam. Life was picking up."
The supply route from Iran to Russia was no picnic either. Some 300 trucks plodding along at 12 to 18 miles an hour through soft dust. It was defined as a "camel trail through the desert, unsurfaced, unfinished road partially hacked out of the mountains."
Despite all this adversity, these soldiers of the Persian Gulf Command, including more than its share of railroad men, provided almost 4.5 million tons of vital lend lease supplies to Russia.
K-----K
Worldwide Korner headquarters are still located in Boone, Iowa, 50036-4932. Telephone number is still 1-515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments/death notices......https:/kelleyskorner1@blogspot.com.
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