754th RSB Collier

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Copper Basin Area Army Reserve, 754th Railway Shop

Battalion Company “A”, Part I

By Dale Collier | Posted January 27th, 2015 |

Swearing in ceremonies at Hayden High School mared the !eginning o" a detached #rmy

$eser%e training unit in Hayden& Commanding '""icer (t& Dale Collier )er"ormed the rites thatincluded 1* new enlistees in the organi+ation& rom le"t to right a!o%e are- Collier, .at Dorsey,

/orman iller, #l"onso Santos, ran Bra%o, ran artine+, dmund $omero, Joe $odrigue+,

ran $odrigue+, Donald Holcom!, ran Cru+ and Charlie .oarch& /ot )ictured taing the oathis regorio & #r!i+o& 'ther mem!ers o" the new grou) are Collier3s !rother, (t& $o!ert '&

Collier, Sgt& 4alter C& $omero and $onald ri""ith, also C)l& John (& Sharrah and Sgt& Bacilo J&

Ca!a+os o" ammoth& .resent "or the ceremonies was Sgt& $ennea% o" the 6S#$ #d%isorrou) o" the ucson ilitary District&

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Com)any Commander, 1st (t& Dale & Collier swears in 1* recruits& he )hoto was taen in the'ld Hayden High School classroom&


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Sgt& $omero demonstrates )ro)er military stances assisted !y C)l& Sharrah& .hoto was taen in

the 'ld Hayden High School Classroom&

S)ecial to the /ugget

8 write this story o" the #rmy $eser%e 6nit assigned to Hayden Junction, #ri+&, "or its historic

%alue to the citi+ens o" the Co))er Basin #rea& he history o" the co))er mining area "rom Sananuel to Su)erior is stee)ed in e%ents that are recorded only in the memory o" those who li%ed

them& 8 "eel it a shame that more o" the 9old timers: ha%e "ailed to record those e;)eriences to

)ass down to "uture generations&

# little nown !it o" the Co))er Basin area history, is that there was once a #rmy $eser%e 6nit

!ased at Hayden Junction, #ri+&

o )ro%ide a little !acground, the unit was "ormed !y two o" the local railroad em)loyees,

$o!ert and Dale Collier, !rothers who !oth were em)loyed !y the Southern .aci"ic $ailroad, atHayden Junction&

$o!ert Collier graduated "rom ila Bend High School in the s)ring o" 1


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machinist& 4hen 4orld 4ar 88 !roe out in Decem!er o" 1


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Col& illes)ie inter%iewed and selected men within his own maintenance organi+ation to head u)

the Battalion& He "illed all the '""icer slots and sent his recommendations "orward to the

de)artment o" the #rmy "or commissions& $o!ert Collier recei%ed his commission as a secondlieutenant and started training at the #rmy $eser%e .ost in ucson&

8n 1uired all who ser%ed to !e assigned to a reser%e


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unit u)on their discharge "rom acti%e duty& he orean war was winding down, and many

enlisted, as well as o""icers were !eing assigned to reser%e units near their home towns& his was

a great source o" )ersonnel "or acti%e re%erse units& 'urs was no e;ce)tion& 4e were a!le to "illour Cadre re>uirements without too much trou!le& Howe%er, !eing a s)eciali+ed $ailway Sho)

unit, it was necessary "or us to )lace those unrated nonEconFs and train them "or those slots&

8t was during our woring hours at the Hayden Junction round house, that we !ecame ac>uainted

with a young man still in high school& His name was John Sharrah, and he was dating a younglady who li%ed in Hayden Junction with her )arents& 4hen John was not courting, he would

come !y the round house and tal with us, and he !ecame interested in the #rmy $eser%e& #"ter

John graduated "rom high school, he ?oined our #rmy $eser%e unit, and tra%eled !ac and "orthto ucson with us "or training& his was the "irst ste) in organi+ing the Hayden detachment o" the

75=th $ailway Sho) Battalion&

Bo! and 8 had taled a!out the )ossi!ility o" a Com)any in Hayden Junction, and discussed it

with the Battalion commander& He was %ery rece)ti%e to the idea, and ga%e us the green light to

go "orward& Com)any 9#: o" the Battalion was o""icially mo%ed to the Hayden Junction, whenwe o!tained enough recruits to satis"y the #$s& A#rmy $egulations

4e needed the coo)eration o" the local community, so we started with the Hayden High School

Su)erintendent aurice emmell& He was %ery rece)ti%e and e%en )ro%ided classrooms and ameeting )lace in the old high school !uilding located in the center o" Hayden& His o)en door

)olicy ga%e us a great deal o" assistance in recruiting "rom the senior class, a great deal o" whom

would turn eighteen, ?ust !e"ore, or shortly a"ter their graduation "rom high school& #"ter theinitial enlistment, we still needed a )lace to meet& 'nce again, the high school su)erintendent

came through "or us& He ga%e us )ermission to use the !asement o" the high school to meet in&

his was not to !e our )ermanent home, !ut sure ser%ed the )ur)ose at the time&

he #rmy had initiated a )rogram, that made se%eral o)tions a%aila!le to the new recruits& 'newas a si; year enlistment, with two years o" acti%e duty )lus one year o" acti%e reser%e, and three

years o" inacti%e duty& #nother was a si; year enlistment, with si; months o" acti%e duty, three

years o" acti%e reser%e, and the !alance on inacti%e duty& here were a cou)le othercom!inations, !ut they were not the most )o)ular& During this time, as the dra"t was still in

e""ect, most wanted to a%oid that )rogram& 4e were a!le to sell the si; months o" acti%e duty

)rogram& 'ne o" our !iggest selling )oints was that we were a su))ort grou) and the sills thatwe taught were a))lica!le to ci%ilian li"e a"ter ser%ice&

Sta"" Sergeant 4alter C& $omero, who had recently returned "rom orea was the "irst inacti%e

/C' to ?oin our unit& He was the raning /C' "or >uite some time& He was a great hel) in

esta!lishing the training "or the new recruits& .C John Sharrah, had !een )romoted to cor)oral,and !etween them, they too care o" the initial instructions to the recruits&

#s we were una!le to secure a meeting )lace, we continued to meet under the old high school&

#"ter some discussion !rother Bo! and mysel" came u) with an idea to sol%e our )ro!lem& 4e

)ut a re>uest in to Battalion Head>uarters "or a cou)le o" retired )assenger cars that we could )uton the siding at Hayden Junction& he Battalion Commander, ha%ing an 9in: with the Southern


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.aci"ic $ailroad, Athe Southern .aci"ic $ailroad was the ci%ilian s)onsor o" the unit secured an

old )assenger and one old !aggage car&

4e too the seats out in the )assenger car and con%erted it to classrooms& 4e then startedholding our meetings at Hayden Junction& his, o" course, was with the assistance o" the entire

unit& 4e set u) an o""ice "or the "irst& Sgt&, and an o""ice in the old !aggage car "or the o""icers towor out o"& 8 do remem!er one incident that stands out in my memory& 4e were installing the

steel cage within the !aggage car, and we had to anchor it to the "loor& hose old !aggage cars,were %ery well !uilt, and had solid oa "looring& he steel "rame "or the cage, was !ored to

accommodate anchor !olts& 8n my haste to )osition the "rame on the "loor, 8 tried to dri%e a nail

into the oa& Bad idea& 8 was success"ul in hitting my thum! with the hammer, and later losingmy le"t thum! nail&

4e also con%erted the old !aggage car to a su))ly and warehouse "or the com)any e>ui)ment&

#s anyone nows, e%erything that we did, was go%erned !y #$s A#rmy $egulations& %ery well

e>ui))ed com)any head>uarters were re>uired to ha%e the many %olumes a%aila!le on the shel"&

4e were re>uired to constantly study them and u)date them and re%iew them with the troo)s&

Security o" 6ncle Sam3s )ro)erty was o" the utmost concern o" the regular #rmy ad%isors& #s we

had many wea)ons, as well as all our other e>ui)ment, it was incum!ent u)on us to )lace

wea)on under tri)le loc and ey& 1 arands, 1 car!ines, and &=5 Cal& automatics were the )rinci)le wea)ons assigned to our unit& he ri"les all had to !e not only stored in a loced

!uilding, !ut inside a loced steel mesh cage& hen, )laced in a loced 9$i"le $ac:& he hand

guns, were also stored in a lie manner, howe%er, we had an #rmy issue sa"e that we e)t themin, inside the cage& 4e were also )ro%ided with, &22 cal& con%ersion its, to "acilitate )ractice that

was less e;)ensi%e than using the &=5 cal& ammunition& 4e were issued a cou)le o" hea%y

!arrel, &22 cal& ri"les "or the )ur)ose o" training&

4e were re>uired !y #$s, to "amiliari+e all the troo)s with the cal& *0 machine gun, and theB#$& ABrowning #utomatic $i"le& hese were the main su))ort wea)ons "or the !attalion&

#s we were re>uired to meet on a weely !asis, we were a!le to accom)lish >uite a !it in a %ery

short )eriod o" time& 4e s)ent hal" o" our time teaching re>uired military su!?ects, and the other

hal" on s)ecial training& 4e too the men into the Hayden Junction Sho) and made them "amiliar with the woring tools& he lathes, drill )resses, welding e>ui)ment, !oth elect and acetylene&

he wor around a railroad sho), re>uires the s)ecial trades such as machinist, electricians,

!oilermaers, )i)e "itters, welders, car)enters, and )ainters, to name a "ew& #ny and e%ery ty)eo" wor that you can imagine has to ha%e a )erson trained to )er"orm their res)ecti%e duties&

4e were re>uired to )ro%ide the training "or e>ui)ment o)erators, such as cranes, "or li"ts,

trucs, and )ile dri%ers once again to name a "ew&

About the Author: Dale Collier came to Hayden Junction with the Southern Pacific Railroad.When the Railroad Co. left the area, he chose not to go to California, but opted to go to wor for

!ennecott Company, and also began his law enforcement "enture, first as Constable for the

area, then, when !earny was built, he became their first #aw enforcement $fficer. He continued


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woring for !ennecott too. #ater he was appointed !earny %own &agistrate where he ser"ed for

more than '( years. He and his wife ha"e retired to )pache Junction.

Copper Basin Area Army Reserve, 754th Railway ShopBattalion, Company “A”, Part II

By Dale Collier | Posted e!ruary 25th, 2015 |

ield training at Hayden Junction& (t& $o!ert Collier and recruits& Dale Collier | Su!mitted

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# %eteran instructs a recruit on the )ro)er way to erect a twoEman tent& Dale Collier | Su!mitted


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4ho said they couldn3t get the tents u)G

Dale Collier | Su!mitted

S)ecial to the /ugget

#t the Hayden Junction sho), we were charged with the maintenance o" diesel electric

locomoti%es& 'nce in a great while, we would see an old steam engine come u) on a wor train&

Howe%er, at this time, the railroad was almost all con%erted to diesel )ower&

he #rmy, Arans)ortation Cor)s which o)erated 6ncle Sam3s railroad e>ui)ment, had already

con%erted to all diesel )ower& hese were the ty)es o" locomoti%es that the unit would !eworing on&

4ith this e>ui)ment made a%aila!le to us, we were a!le to e;)lain to the troo)s the )hysical

)arts, and the "unction o" each& 8t also ga%e us the a!ility to gi%e them some hands on e;)erience&

8t would sur)rise you how little some o" the young men new a!out !asic tools& hen there werethose who were right at home with good mechanical nowledge& '" course lie all grou)s o"


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)eo)le, some were !etter and learned "aster than others& he challenge was to ee) those who

were well %ersed interested, while we !rought the others u) to s)eed&

etting !ac to the military as)ects o" our training, we were under constant o!ser%ation !y theregular #rmy ad%iser& 8n our case, it was aster Sgt& $eaneau& 8t was his ?o!, to meet with us

e%ery wee& He carried communications "rom Battalion and the regular #rmy a))lica!le to ourcom)any& He also was res)onsi!le to re)ort on the training and conduct o" the #rmy reser%e unit&

He was a %ery good ad%isor, he got along well with the o""icers, as well as the enlisted men& Hega%e constructi%e criticism when re>uired, !ut he ne%er attem)ted to run the unit, nor )ut down

honest e""orts o" the men or the o""icers&

he house !ehind the troo)s, was ty)ical o" the housing )ro%ided "or the railroad em)loyees atthe time& his house was on the / side o" the ?unction& 8t was occu)ied !y Charlie .atiin, who

was em)loyed !y the Southern .aci"ic $ailroad&

# great deal o" our training was re>uired !y #rmy regulations and scheduled in accordance with

)reEset time ta!les& 'ne o" these )ro?ects stands out in my memory !ecause o" the out come o"the "ield )ro!lem&

4e had an ad%antage o%er units who did not ha%e many %eterans on the roster& 4e were gi%en

the military o!?ecti%e o" in"iltrating enemy )ositions& Since we were located so "ar "rom other

com)anies o" the Battalion, we s)lit our com)any into two grou)s "or the )ur)ose o" this )ro!lem& #t this )oint, it should !e )ointed out that we were at "ull strength o" * men, two

o""icers, and one o""icer attached& 'ne such trans"er was Sgt& .ete Caretto, "rom lo!e& #n

interesting note, he attended high school in lo!e with $osie .oarch, sister o" Charlie .oarch&4e also had a trans"er "rom 'hio, Sgt& #l"red $ichardson& He came to this area to install

o%erhead cranes "or #S#$C'&

4e recei%ed, 9Su)erior $atings: "rom the regular #rmy liaison )ersonal, who were assigned to

monitor our training sessions& 8 must gi%e credit where credit is due, those %ets, too the recruitsunder their wings and made things ha))en&

4e were re>uired to >uali"y with all our assigned wea)ons& 8 discussed this )ro!lem with the

Battalion commander and he agreed to allow us to do our >uali"ication locally&

'ur wea)on assignment, was &*0 cal& machine gun, &*0 cal& B#$, l rand, l Car!ine, and &=5

cal C#. AColt #utomatic .istol& 4e set u) a range South o" 4inelman, where the old dum)used to !e& here was )lenty o" hills already in )lace to )rotect against any stray rounds& 'ur

new recruits too to this )hase o" the training, 9lie a duc taes to water:& 8t3s an old saying, !utthese young men really a))lied themsel%es and too instructions seriously &

he &*0 cal& wea)ons, were all "ired on the ri"le range& his included the B#$, and the &*0 calmachine gun& he &=5 cal& automatic was issued to nonEcons, and o""icers as a general rule& ach

'S, Ailitary 'ccu)ational S)ecialty had a designated wea)on& here"ore, we >uali"ied all

out troo)s with this hand gun& 4e did not "ire the &=5 rounds, we were issued a con%ersion it, sothat we could "ire &22 rounds "or )ractice and >uali"ication&


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#t this )oint, 8 thin that it would !e well, to record a "ew words a!out the 6nited States

rans)ortation Cor)s& ost )eo)le are %ery aware o" the #rtillery, 8n"antry, echani+ed Cal%ary,

and etc&& But there are other su))ort grou)s, such as trans)ortation cor)s& he trans)ortationcor)s, was charged with the res)onsi!ility o" all the trucs, o!ser%ation )lanes, railroads and

shi)s that "ell under the #rmy3s ?urisdiction& or e;am)le, most all o" the helico)ter )ilots, were

trans)ortation cor)s& #nd at one time, during the second 4orld 4ar, the #rmy trans)ortationcor)s had more shi)s than the /a%y& 4e were also res)onsi!le "or trans)ort aircra"t&

8t should !e noted that our o""icers and enlisted men were hard at wor re!uilding locomoti%es

that were !rought !ac "rom orea& (ocomoti%es that were com)letely o%erhauled were )ut in

9cocoons:& hey were shrouded com)letely in a )lastic lie co%er, and tem)erature controlled air was !lown in on a continuous !asis&

he o""icer that was in charge o" the re!uilding locomoti%es at this !ase made a statement to the

a?or eneral& He said, 9his grou) has )roduced more wor in the short time they ha%e !een

here than 8 could get "rom my ci%ilian em)loyees in si; months&:

8t %ery sim)ly re"lects the >uality o" the men we had in the Battalion& '" course 8 thin that

Com)any 9#: was the !est o" the lot&

8n 1


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trial would tae )lace the ne;t day& he troo)s were in"ormed that since we were a $eser%e 6nit,

on acti%e duty, the entire Battalion was to set in on the trial&

he court was con%ened in the cam) theater !ecause o" the %olume o" enlisted )ersonal to !e )resent at the hearing& here were a lot o" long "aces when the men were marched into the

!uilding& ost did not !elie%e that this could ha))en while assigned to a reser%e unit&

Because the mem!ers o" my com)any were in%ol%ed, it was e;)lained to the troo)s that 8 would

!e re>uired to )rosecute the case& here !eing no time to !ring in an attorney "rom the regulararmy& 'ne o" the o""icers out o" Com)any 9B: was selected to re)resent the de"endant&

he Battalion Commander, e;ecuti%e o""icer, and one enlisted man were selected to set on the

trial&

he Battalion Commander o)ened the session and read the charges& he trial )roceeded as

scheduled, witnesses were called and cross e;amined& ilitary ?ustice was taing its course&

#!out two hours into the trail )roceeding, the Battalion Commander called "or a recess&

He then made an announcement, that this was a, 9'C: trial& # training e;ercise in ilitary

Justice& Iou could almost 9hear9 the sigh relie" on the "aces o" the assem!led troo)s& 4e recei%edan e;cellent rating "rom our regular army e%aluators "or this training session&

he rigors o" the training e)t our noses to the )ro%er!ial 9rind Stone: during the day& 4e did

not ha%e any night e;ercises as such& he troo)s were allowed to go their own way a"ter hours&

he '""icers usually got together and went out to dinner& Sometimes we would gather in one o"the B'3s, ABachelor '""icers uarters "or card games and a social drin or two& 4e also

re%iewed the days )rogress and discussed the ne;t days training&

8 always remem!er one o" the e%ening dinners out& 4e had all gathered in a?or arrett3s

>uarters to decide where we would eat that night& 4e all had a social drin, gathered u) ourco%er Ahats and or ca)s, and ?um)ed into three se)arate %ehicles& 4hen we arri%ed at the

restaurant, the a?or, the Ca)tains and a cou)le o" others stood at attention and rendered me a

salute when 8 got out o" the %ehicle&

hen they all had a !ig !elly laugh& Some how, all o" our ca)s were laying together in thea?or3s >uarters& 8 had mistaenly )iced u) and )ut on the a?or3s ca)& #t "irst, 8 was ?ust

em!arrassed, then 8 traded ca)s with the a?or, and laughed with them&

he 6nited States #rmy, in all their wisdom, had ?ust )ulled the rug out "rom under the Battalion&hey had decided, that "uture wars would !e "ought without the need "or railroads& he ordershad !een cut, and sent down to dis!and the organi+ation&

#ll those who had a )ending o!ligation were trans"erred to an 95


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8 o)ted to trans"er to the inacti%e reser%e& y !rother Bo! only needed a "ew more years so that

he could o!tain a military )ension& Bo! )romoted to "irst (t& and was assigned as com)any

commander, and stayed with the unit&

8 do not now who the author o" this statement o" "act was howe%er 8 !elie%e he hit the nail on

the head& any o" our unin"ormed citi+ens thin that the /ational uard and reser%es are only,94ee nd 4arriors:& 8" they would only sto) and thin a!out it, they would reali+e that without

these units, the country would !e ill )re)ared to de"end itsel"&

About the Author: Dale Collier came to Hayden Junction with the Southern Pacific Railroad.

When the Railroad Co. left the area, he chose not to go to California, but opted to go to wor for

!ennecott Company, and also began his law enforcement "enture, first as Constable for the

area, then, when !earny was built, he became their first #aw enforcement $fficer. He continuedworing for !ennecott too. #ater he was appointed !earny %own &agistrate where he ser"ed for

more than '( years. He and his wife ha"e retired to )pache Junction.

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754th RSB Collier

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