Master Sergeant Charles L Harrell
Charles Leonidas Harrell was born in Bainbridge, Georgia on June 26th, 1899 to Olive Womack and Charles Harrell and would soon be joined by six sisters. While Charles attended school to learn how to read and write, he couldn’t help but overhear the news of the World War raging just across the Atlantic Ocean. When the United States finally declared their entry into the war in April 1917, Charles left his studies behind to enlist in the US Army on September 21st, 1917 and was sent to Camp Gordon, Georgia to join the newly formed 325th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division. To prepare for a possible overseas deployment, Private Harrell and the men of the 325th were trained by veteran army soldiers for several months until finally receiving orders to sail to Europe on April 25th, 1918. Along the way, the 82nd Infantry Division stopped in Liverpool, England, and Private Harrell’s regiment was given the honor to parade before King George before completing their journey to France. Arriving at Le Havre, Private Harrell traded in his American rifle for a British one and received a steel helmet and gas mask before being shuttled to a nearby training area. For the next few weeks, the regiment underwent further training in bayonet fighting, attacking, marksmanship, and physical fitness all led by the British Army. By the end of May, the entire division was inspected by both British Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig and American General John J Pershing, and shortly after, shipped off to Toul to relieve the 26th Infantry Division in the Lagny Sector on June 25th, 1918.
During their time in Lagny, Private Harrell and his regiment would not see much combat, but would grow accustomed to life in the trenches and gain valuable skills needed in their upcoming battles. After being relieved from the sector on August 9th, the 82nd Infantry Division were ordered to the Marbache Sector on the 15th, which was considered by the French as a rest area, but by the end of the month, more and more enemy artillery and aggression from the air was evident. This was likely due to the large number of American military units being brought to the area for the meticulously planned St. Mihiel offensive starting in mid September. For the attack, Private Harrell’s 82nd Infantry Division was assigned to keep strong pressure on, and maintain contact with the enemy in support of the other attacking units. When the offensive began on September 12th, strong daylight patrols were sent over the top, scouting and gaining important information regarding enemy troop movements and strengths, in which the 325th Infantry Regiment was able to reach the commune of Eply. Thanks to careful planning and the resolve of the American forces, St Mihiel lay in allied hands by September 16th. Although this offensive had been a massive success, one last offensive lied ahead, and Private Harrell, along with the rest of the 82nd Division, was moved near the Clermont-Bar-le-Duc Road to act as a reserve force for the massive Meuse Argonne Offensive, aimed at cracking the German line and ending the war. On September 26th, 1918, Private Harrell awoke to the thunderous roar of the massive artillery barrage that marked the beginning of the offensive. The following days kept the division on continuous alert, and finally, they were moved to the woods west of Varennes for biovac on October 4th. On October 6th, the 82nd Division was committed to the attack, and was able to capture Hill 180, Hill 223, and later, the town of Cornay. However, a heavy German counterattack recaptured the town on the 9th, inflicting such heavy casualties that Private Harrell’s 325th Infantry Regiment was moved to the front to relieve both the 327th and 328th Infantry Regiments, and fiercely attacked north of Chatel-Chehery on the 10th, clearing the enemy entirely from the eastern half of the Argonne Forest and capturing all territory south of St Juvin and the Aire River, expelling the Germans from the forest for good. However, St Juvin itself still needed to be cleared. Beginning on the 11th, the 325th Infantry Regiment launched their attack towards the St Juvin-Sommerance Road and up Ridge 85.5 under heavy fire, with Private Harrell’s Company C arriving at 11:30 AM to strengthen the line in time to repulse four enemy counter attacks throughout the rest of the day. On October 14th, the Americans continued the attack towards St Juvin, with the 325th Infantry pushing past the St Juvin-St Georges Road with heavy casualties, and for the next few days, fought to capture the strategic Ravin Aux Pierres which whittled down Pvt Harrell’s battalion to 180 men. From October 21st, 1918 to October 31st, they continued to hold their portion of the line as they slowly regained morale and energy lost during their weeks of combat, until finally being relieved and sent to the rear. The Armistice was declared whilst they were experiencing some well needed rest, marking the end of the war for Private Harrell and the 82nd Infantry Division. Unfortunately, he could not return home immediately, and remained in France for a few more months for occupational duties. In April of 1919, Harrell finally boarded a ship bound for America, making landfall in May and being honorably discharged on the 19th. After returning home, Harrell reenlisted in the army again from June of 1920 to July of 1921, the National Guard in January of 1924, and relocated to Florida where he would be employed with the Georgia, Florida, & Alabama Railway Company. Due to his move out of state, he was honorably discharged from the Georgia National Guard in December of 1925, yet continued to stay in the Reserve in case his country needed him again. Charles’s involvement in the Florida community included appointment as Assistant Chief Engineer, Interbay Drainage District, and Assistant Rural Rehabilitation Director of Tampa, Florida where he was commended as “a hard worker, an enthusiastic planner and...a conscientious, honest, reliable, efficient engineer”. By the late 1930’s, Charles decided to move to Yuma, Arizona to further his career in the railway business as a Yardmaster with the Southern Pacific Railway, but was interrupted by the US declaration of war on the Axis powers after the Japanese surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. WW2 Eager to serve his country for the second time, there were no complaints from Harrell when he was drafted into the army on May 13th, 1943. Due to his extensive experience with locomotives, Harrell was promoted to Technical Sergeant and assigned to Company C, 748th Railway Operating Battalion and sent to Camp Harrahan, Louisiana for further training. After months of preparation, T/Sgt Harrell and the 748th ROB embarked aboard the SS Mariposa bound for the China Burma India theater. Their month of transit was plagued by horrible food, cramped living quarters, and submarine evasion, so their arrival in Bombay, India was met with relief. After a few days of rail travel, Harrell’s unit finally reached their station at Tinsukia, and were immediately welcomed by an air raid alert. In addition, it was learned that the battalion was now under British command and that the 1st Gurkha Rifle Battalion would be guarding their camp and nearby bridges. T/Sgt Harrell and the Americans soon came to regard these men as some of the best soldiers they had seen, and not a single instance of Japanese sabotage happened under their eye. A month in Tinsukia passed until the 748th ROB were given clearance to begin their operation of the railways in the surrounding division. T/Sgt Harrell’s Company C were given classes on the rules of the Indian railways, including ways to overcome the language barrier, assigning train controllers to each block station, and obtaining missing train parts. Due to Harrell’s previous experience as a yardmaster, he was likely one of the men assigned to a block station to help coordinate train activities and change tracks. While the 748th ROB’s mission was crucial for keeping the allies supplied with men and equipment, they did not have set hours, and instead worked when they were needed. |
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During the 748th Railway Operating Battalions time in India, it was not engaged by the Japanese, however T/Sgt Harrell would still find a way to get involved. T/Sgt Harrell along with Private Peterson, took advantage of a 3 day furlough and hitchhiked to the nearest active front in Manipur, where the British were busy fighting the Japanese. Soon, they ran into a regiment of Scottish tanks with the 149th RAC, convinced the commander they had prior experience with armor, and were allowed to tag along in the tanks for the next operation. For the 13 hour battle, T/Sgt Harrell watched “the shells from their tanks as they crashed into enemy strongpoints barely 150 yards away.” “The battle was a dilly,” said T/Sgt Harrell, “these Scotch boys (were) tough.” For his actions on May 27th, 1944, Harrell was awarded the silver star “for action above and beyond the call of duty with the 149th RA Corps British Army at Bromas Assam and the Ledo Road while on furlough” and was also wounded. Once the operation ended a day later, Harrell and Peterson returned to their jobs in the 748th ROB. When later asked how they felt about their stint, both men replied: “Wouldn’t have missed it for anything.” By the war's end, the railway operating battalions in the CBI Theater had increased British daily tonnage from 2,600 tons to over 7,300 to supply the fighting units. Unfortunately for T/Sgt Harrell, his term of service expired before the Japanese announced their surrender, and he returned to the United States to be discharged from active duty on July 24th, 1945.
Korea
Adamant about remaining in the service, Harrell would join the Enlisted Reserve on June 18th, 1947 while also continuing his civilian job as a railroad Yardmaster. When the Korean War broke out in June of 1950, Sergeant First Class Harrell’s 412th Engineer Construction Battalion was ordered into active military service on September 11th, 1950 and reported to Camp Carson, Colorado for further instruction. He would arrive in Korea in late 1950 with Headquarters and Service Company, 412th Engineer Construction Battalion, and shortly after, transfer to the 93rd Engineer Construction Battalion in Pusan. In November of 1951, he was sent to the 3rd Transportation Military Railway Service which was based in Seoul. Here, M/Sgt Harrell would do work involving the Seoul RTO and other duties supporting operations in the field, until being reassigned to the 73rd Engineer Construction Battalion in 1952. By the end of his time in Korea, he had supported six campaigns and was commended by the CO of Company A, 73rd ECB for “loyalty, efficiency, and devotion to duty” and as “one of the few outstanding NCO’s I have had the privilege to work with.”
M/Sgt Harrell returned to the US in June of 1952 and on the 12th, was released from active duty to return to the reserves, joining the 2nd Battalion, 59th Infantry Regiment. When he was relieved of duty with the 59th Infantry, he reenlisted in the Arizona National Guard on May 3rd, 1956 and was one of the founding members of the 820th Pontoon Bridge Engineer Company. While continuing to serve in the Arizona National Guard, Charles also revisited his civilian job in the railroad business and after thirty eight years, retired as a General Yardmaster. He would also meet and marry his wife, Helen, in 1961 in New Mexico. Finally, on May 6th, 1980, Master Sergeant Charles Harrell was permanently discharged from the US Army at age 79, leaving behind a career that spanned three wars.
However, Charles's eagerness to serve his country never left, so when the 82nd Airborne Division Association contacted him in 1987 to represent WW1 veterans at their unveiling of a monument at the division museum, Harrell donned his WW1 uniform, white gloves, and campaign hat and attended the ceremony. From then on, Harrell would be active with the 82nd Airborne Association and stole the show at each annual Division Review at Fort Bragg beginning in 1987, riding in the back of a Humvee in his WW1 uniform while saluting. He would also lead runs during All American Week while shouting obscenities at the Division Commander, much to the amusement of the troops. On the flip side, Harrell took his role seriously, and held counseling sessions for each division commander and their predecessors, always telling them that “the division’s most important resource is the soldier.” In 1989, Harrell was presented with the Combat Infantryman Badge by General Vuono with designations for all three wars he participated in, which he wore proudly.
When Operation Desert Shield led to multiple National Guard and reserve units being called into active duty in 1990, Harrell sent a letter to the 82nd Infantry Division Commander. “The World War I veteran enclosed a picture of himself in a tandem skydiving harness, which allows a novice parachutist to jump with an experienced parachutist. In the letter, Harrell, then 91 years old, informed the two-star general that he was airborne qualified, ready to report for duty and awaiting his orders. Johnson balked, and Harrell took the matter straight to Stiner, then a four-star general serving as commander in chief of the US Special Operations Command at Tampa, Fla.” Although Harrell was denied what would have been his fourth deployment overseas, he continued to attend Division Reviews at Fort Bragg, the last being in 1994. At the time of his death on June 28th, 1994, he was considered the last and oldest living 82nd Division veteran from WW1. At his memorial ceremony at Fort Bragg, Major General Mike Steele, 82nd Airborne division commander, honored Harrell’s loyalty: “He was always here for us. Today, we are here for him.”
Korea
Adamant about remaining in the service, Harrell would join the Enlisted Reserve on June 18th, 1947 while also continuing his civilian job as a railroad Yardmaster. When the Korean War broke out in June of 1950, Sergeant First Class Harrell’s 412th Engineer Construction Battalion was ordered into active military service on September 11th, 1950 and reported to Camp Carson, Colorado for further instruction. He would arrive in Korea in late 1950 with Headquarters and Service Company, 412th Engineer Construction Battalion, and shortly after, transfer to the 93rd Engineer Construction Battalion in Pusan. In November of 1951, he was sent to the 3rd Transportation Military Railway Service which was based in Seoul. Here, M/Sgt Harrell would do work involving the Seoul RTO and other duties supporting operations in the field, until being reassigned to the 73rd Engineer Construction Battalion in 1952. By the end of his time in Korea, he had supported six campaigns and was commended by the CO of Company A, 73rd ECB for “loyalty, efficiency, and devotion to duty” and as “one of the few outstanding NCO’s I have had the privilege to work with.”
M/Sgt Harrell returned to the US in June of 1952 and on the 12th, was released from active duty to return to the reserves, joining the 2nd Battalion, 59th Infantry Regiment. When he was relieved of duty with the 59th Infantry, he reenlisted in the Arizona National Guard on May 3rd, 1956 and was one of the founding members of the 820th Pontoon Bridge Engineer Company. While continuing to serve in the Arizona National Guard, Charles also revisited his civilian job in the railroad business and after thirty eight years, retired as a General Yardmaster. He would also meet and marry his wife, Helen, in 1961 in New Mexico. Finally, on May 6th, 1980, Master Sergeant Charles Harrell was permanently discharged from the US Army at age 79, leaving behind a career that spanned three wars.
However, Charles's eagerness to serve his country never left, so when the 82nd Airborne Division Association contacted him in 1987 to represent WW1 veterans at their unveiling of a monument at the division museum, Harrell donned his WW1 uniform, white gloves, and campaign hat and attended the ceremony. From then on, Harrell would be active with the 82nd Airborne Association and stole the show at each annual Division Review at Fort Bragg beginning in 1987, riding in the back of a Humvee in his WW1 uniform while saluting. He would also lead runs during All American Week while shouting obscenities at the Division Commander, much to the amusement of the troops. On the flip side, Harrell took his role seriously, and held counseling sessions for each division commander and their predecessors, always telling them that “the division’s most important resource is the soldier.” In 1989, Harrell was presented with the Combat Infantryman Badge by General Vuono with designations for all three wars he participated in, which he wore proudly.
When Operation Desert Shield led to multiple National Guard and reserve units being called into active duty in 1990, Harrell sent a letter to the 82nd Infantry Division Commander. “The World War I veteran enclosed a picture of himself in a tandem skydiving harness, which allows a novice parachutist to jump with an experienced parachutist. In the letter, Harrell, then 91 years old, informed the two-star general that he was airborne qualified, ready to report for duty and awaiting his orders. Johnson balked, and Harrell took the matter straight to Stiner, then a four-star general serving as commander in chief of the US Special Operations Command at Tampa, Fla.” Although Harrell was denied what would have been his fourth deployment overseas, he continued to attend Division Reviews at Fort Bragg, the last being in 1994. At the time of his death on June 28th, 1994, he was considered the last and oldest living 82nd Division veteran from WW1. At his memorial ceremony at Fort Bragg, Major General Mike Steele, 82nd Airborne division commander, honored Harrell’s loyalty: “He was always here for us. Today, we are here for him.”