DIVISION TRAINS "Oregon"
Headquarters, 3rd Arm6red Division Trains, was activated at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, on April 15, 1941.
Colonel James B. Taylor was in command during the early Normandy fighting. He was killed in action on August 2, 1944. Shortly thereafter, Colonel Carl j. Rohsenberger assumed command. Colonel Rohsenberger commanded throughout the five campaigns of the "Spearhead" division.
In combat, Trains Headquarters was responsible for the movement, defense, and bivouacking of elements entrusted to its control. Normally, these consisted of Maintenance Battalion, the 45th Armored Medical Battalion, Supply Battalion, Service Company, and the rear echelon of Division Headquarters, the 486th Armored Anti-Aircraft Battalion, 23rd Armored Engineer Battalion, and 143rd Armored Signal Company.
Trains Headquarters landed in France on July 2, 1944, and received its first taste of enemy action at St. Jean de Daye, when law flying nuisance raiders bombed its area.
In the great armored drives of 1944, the trucks of Division Trains hauled everything from infantry to gasoline and ammunition. Fuel supply was critical and any retreat would have been impossible because of lack of gasoline. Often the Trains were far ahead of mop-up infantry, and were taking prisoners with the aplomb of a combat unit.
During the final stages of the summer drive, the headquarters operated an auxiliary prisoner of war cage for the division provost marshal. Maximum use was made of transportation to move these prisoners to the rear.
At Raeren, just outside the German border, in Belgium, the Division Trains were located in "Buzz Bomb Alley."
The pilotless craft roared over day and night. Some fire from railway guns, and a few fighter-bomber attacks were also experienced here.
During the early months of 1945, Colonel Rohsenberger's command operated a Rehabilitation Center for GI's with battle fatigue, light wounds, or exhaustion.
Later, after the last great offensive had begun, there was no time for anything but movement.
Typical of the period was the order:
"Keep moving east as far and as fast as you can." The Division Trains, along with the rest of the "Spearhead", did just that.