The Old Trains And Our U.S. Troops

During World War II (1939 to 1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953), many of our U.S. troops were transported by trains.  The engines of the trains transporting our military would have special flags on each side.  Those trains never stopped at our train station.  In fact, they roared past the railroad station at top speed with the whistles screaming and these trains seemed to fly past faster than the “normal” passenger trains.

As the train barreled past the station house, the servicemen would smile and wave to us.  We didn’t know exactly where they were going but most of those young men were headed to a destination that would eventually take them to war.

Then there were the trains that stopped to bring some of our military men home.  As a young boy while we were stationed at West Point, GA, I remember those train stops most vividly.  An honor guard in full military dress would meet the train.  The honor guard would then unload a coffin draped with an American flag from the baggage car.  They ceremoniously placed the coffin onto one of the very large baggage wagons which was used to transport the coffin from the train to a hearse parked nearby.  It was the last part of a long journey for these brave men as the train brought them home.