A hundred sermons -- xxix

This single entry into his diaries maps out clearly not only where he is but what he does, every Sabbath he can in the long wasted spaces of a country devastated by the war it started. Take a seat in the car he's been given to bring the gospel once more to GIs working hard to rebuild a country their bombers had pummeled. Basically, the 746th ROB's job is to rebuild what's been destroyed--and to do it quickly because the war isn't over, not quite. 

My Labor in Germany 

When the 746th ROB arrived at Marburg, its mission was to repair all damaged rail equipment, locomotives, rolling stock, catenaries, rails and bridges. General Patton was on the move and thousands of tons of supplies were needed to support his army. Everything had to be done in a hurry. At the outset, Col. Pruett went to the military governor and asked him for spe­cific orders. The military governor said "I want you to take a locomo­tive tomorrow morning north and see how far the rails are in good order." Col. Pruett said, "All the locomotives in the yards are dam­aged." The governor said, "It is your business to repair them." The colonel replied, "All the bridges north of Marburg have been de­stroyed." The governor said, "It is your business to repair them and I want the locomotive ready by to­morrow morning ." The colonel said, "There is no coal here in Marburg to steam up the engines." The governor answered, "It is your business to get coal from wherever you can." A crew of experienced railroad men worked all night, and the first locomotive was ready for action the following morning. in the course of about five months this ROB shipped ov0r a million tons of supplies for 0ur army. Since the personnel of the 746th ROB were spread over several hundred miles, I started my Sunday services at Giessen and held services at Marburg, Treysa, and Kassel--a trip of about 150 miles A command car was assigned to me and my assistant did the driving. I placed my field organ and hymnals on the back seat of my car and stopped at every place where our men were stationed and held a service there and spent the rest of the day with the soldiers. The next day, I was on my way again to the next unit. So it was week after week. At Kassel, I discovered that 

Chaplain Van Houten was stationed there. After Sunday evening service we usually spent the evening to­gether. This picture depicts my command car with which I traveled hundreds of miles through Germany (see above). 

Just a word before we hear more from Chaplain Van.  During World War II, the 746th Railway Operating Battalion (ROB) was responsible for operating and maintaining railroads in Germany to support Allied logistics and troop movements. Their work was vital in sustaining supply lines across the European Theater following the liberation of France and the advance into Germany.

Quite a few times, I traveled up and down Western Germany, and when the 746th ROB was trans­ferred to Munich, I traveled from Augsburg to Salzburg, Austria, holding services for units along the way. I was involved in one battle - the Rhine campaign - and I received the Battle Star. 

A Battle Star was awarded to individuals who served in a unit or aboard a ship that actively participated in a recognized battle or campaign. It marked exposure to combat conditions. As Chaplain Van indicates, his battle experience, the experience he had in a "campaign" was the battle for the Rhine.

The Rhineland Campaign in World War II was a series of Allied military operations from September 15, 1944, to March 21, 1945, aimed at clearing German forces from the west bank of the Rhine River and preparing for the final invasion of Germany.

This passage shows him hustling through bombed out places and lives to minister, to preach the gospel to members of the 746th, who are doing their best to get new track laid and broken down engines up and running. The 746th isn't fighting per se, but their work is vital to the Allied mission.