USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California. Volume I > Part 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
1
PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON Guest of University of California, September 18, 1919
PRESIDENT WILSON VISITS OAKLAND IN 1919
438
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
The president had been speaking for perhaps three minutes, devel- oping a point, when a man in the gallery interrupted him with a shout, "Are we with him?" There was an instantaneous response from thou- sands of throats, "We are!" Again, when he spoke of the League of Nations as "a charter of liberty for the workingmen and women of the world," his remarks were received with roars of acclaim.
Fully 5,000 persons were unable to gain entrance to the Auditorium. When at the close of the great gathering the president and Mrs. Wilson left the East Bay for San Diego, it was estimated that fully 20,000 persons were congregated to look their last on the Father of the League of Nations.
THE AMERICAN LEGION
In 1919 and subsequently, with the return of veterans to the county, local posts of the American Legion, the great national veteran's organ- ization, were formed at Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Hayward, San Leandro, Livermore, Niles, Pleasanton, and Albany. The American Legion, like the Grand Army of the Republic, was organized on a nation-wide scale following the European war as a means for preserv- ing the memories of the valiant deeds performed by comrades in arms in the American Expeditionary Forces and in assisting the veteran to become reestablished in civilian life. The Legion had as its avowed objects "service to the community, state and nation," "the promotion of Peace and Good Will on Earth," and "the teaching of the religion of patriotism and loyalty to country."
Oakland Post No. 5, Berkeley Post No. 7, and other posts through-
- out the county cooperated in the nation wide and state campaigns of the American Legion to obtain beneficial legislation for the ex-service man. Among the achievements of the Legion might be mentioned the National Adjusted Compensation Act passed by Congress, which pro- vided for an insurance form of the much condemned bonus. More than 288 laws benefiting veterans, all of them sponsored by the Legion, were passed by Congress. The Legion also supported the Reed-John- son Bill, under which thousands of disabled veterans were paid com- pensation at the rate of from $8 to $100 monthly, depending upon the degree of their disability. Within the State of California, the American Legion fostered the California Home and Farm Purchase Act passed by the State Legislature, which provided for the expenditure of
439
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
$30,000,000 for farms and homes for veterans, on easy terms, at 5 per cent interest. Money was thus lent the veteran to purchase a farm or urban home at less than bank interest rates. Independently of Gov- ernmental aid, the Legion also established a $5,000,000 National En- dowment Fund for the relief of disabled former service men and the children of needy veterans. The Legion also made possible tax ex- emption legislation such as the exemption of a veteran's property under $1,000 from Alameda County or municipal taxation. The national organization also established a $200,000 fund to provide for the per- petual care of graves of the "Buddies" who sleep in Flanders Field.
The organization and work of the Oakland and Berkeley posts are typical of those of other posts throughout the county. Oakland Post No. 5 was organized in June, 1919. Walter J. Petersen served as first commander. His successors in office, elected annually, were as follows : 1920, Fred B. Mellman; 1921, E. G. Winsby; 1922, Al W. Chase ; 1923, Dr. John F. Slavich; 1924, William R. Foss; 1925, Walter N. Frickstad; 1926, P. O. Solon; 1927, Walter H. Eliassen; 1928, Rufus M. Whaley.
Oakland Post, from its inception, took the leading part in the fitting observance of all patriotic and memorial services. It also cooperated with all other veterans' organizations in every movement for com- munity betterment. Members of the post were especially active in advo- cating the California Veteran's Farm and Home Act, the National Ad- justed Compensation Act, the Emergency Officers' Retirement Act, and the World War Veterans' Act of 1924. The post has maintained an all-day office service for all veterans, whether members of the American Legion or not, at 2091 Broadway, near Twenty-second Street, and has received many commendations for the efficient service rendered to vet- erans and their relatives in matters such as aiding them to obtain com- pensation for disabilities, hospitalization and other medical services, payment of insurance claims, or conversion of War Risk Insurance from "term" insurance to permanent policies. This post organized the first Legion Luncheon Club in the United States for noon meetings every Monday to give the veteran unable to attend evening post meet- ings an opportunity to meet former comrades. The post also sponsored the formation of a Boy Scout troop which early ranked fourth in pro- ficiency in Alameda County. The post has a definite plan of Ameri- canization which it promotes through the public schools of the county. In line with an American Legion national program, Post No. 5 also
440
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
started a local boys' junior baseball league of fifty teams, one of the most elaborate activities in behalf of young boys ever undertaken by any county organization. Elmer P. Zollner was adjutant treasurer of Post No. 5 in 1928.
Another active organization is Berkeley Post No. 7, which main- tains headquarters and clubrooms at 2179 Allston Way in the college town. This post applied for its charter on June 17, 1919, the following veterans signing the petition : Chester K. Goodwin, G. A. Beukers, Wil- liam J. Brown, Carl J. Joeckel, R. L. Smith, E. P. Pemberton, J. G. MacDonald, H. C. Pascoe, J. P. Brennan, Frank A. Smith, H. L. Leupp, J. L. Gordon, S. E. Hyde, T. J. Kearns, E. H. Lauterbach, C. A. Turner, H. C. Allen, S. O. Johnson, A. W. Sperry, and A. R. Ahlgren. But much to the regret of the petitioners, the charter was not granted until more than a year later, on account of the enormous con- gestion at national headquarters incidental to the formation of more than 10,000 posts throughout the nation in the years 1919 and 1920. The charter, dated August 1, 1920, was received shortly thereafter and the local post got under way.
The first commander was S. O. Johnson, who served from the date of organization until January 1, 1920. Subsequent commanders were as follows : 1920, J. R. Moulthrop; 1921, J. P. Brennan; 1922, James K. Fisk; 1923, Charles E. Lutz, L. D. Sanderson; 1924, Blake R. Van- leer ; 1925, Chris B. Fox; 1926, John E. Anthony; 1927, E. J. Hardy; 1928, Thomas M. Robinson, Jr. Ames Peterson and L. A. Cleary served as secretaries during the organization of the post. A. R. Ahl- gren was elected as first adjutant of the post and was still serving in that capacity in 1928.
From the date of its formation Berkeley Post No. 7 has endeavored to justify its existence by being of service to the disabled ex-service men and assisting both the National and State Departments of the Le- gion in any legislation affecting disabled veterans. Among its achieve- ments up to the summer of 1928 were the oversubscription of its mem- bers to their share of the National Five Million Endowment Fund; the purchase of a Legion Home through the efforts of members of the post; and the erection of a Memorial Building in the City of Berkeley. The post has played an important part in all patriotic celebrations held in Berkeley since its organization, as well as in memorial services and in any civic affairs in which its participation was appropriate.
E
ALAMEDA
VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDINGS OAKLAND
BERKELEY
442
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
WORLD WAR MEMORIALS
One of the first memorials to soldiers who gave their lives in the World war was the colossal concrete stadium erected at the University of California in Strawberry Canyon, southeast of the University campus. This structure, built at a cost of more than $1,000,000 ac- commodates 80,000 persons. The funds were raised by subscriptions from students, alumni, and the general public. The huge theatre was completed in 1921 in time for the annual foot-ball game between the California team and that of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Appropriately enough, the California team won.
The erection of the Alameda County Memorial, situated on Harri- son Boulevard at Grand Avenue, was not begun until 1927. Designed by Henry H. Meyers, County Architect, it is being erected on land bought by the county at a cost of approximately $275,000. The struc- ture will be completed, according to present expectations, in Septem- ber of 1928. Dr. John F. Slavich, elected departmental commander of the American Legion in 1927, performed valuable service as general chairman of the County Memorial Committee and was identified with the movement for a County Memorial from its inception.
Meyers is also architect for similar memorial buildings projected by the cities of Alameda and Berkeley. All three memorial buildings will be of monumental proportions and will serve as headquarters for all veterans' organizations.
CHAPTER XIV ALAMEDA COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR WITH THE COLORS
MILITARY PARTICIPATION-MOBILIZATION OF THE NATIONAL GUARD- THE 159TH : FROM CAMP KEARNEY TO FRANCE-AFTER THE ARMI- STICE-OAKLAND WELCOMES THE 159TH-"CALIFORNIA 363RD"- ALAMEDA COUNTY BOYS IN THE 91ST DIVISION-THE 143RD FIELD ARTILLERY, U. S. A .- WELCOME OF THE 143RD FIELD ARTILLERY- THE "CALIFORNIA GRIZZLIES" OR THE 144TH U. S. FIELD ARTILLERY -THE FORTIETH DIVISION-12TH UNITED STATES INFANTRY-THE EIGHTH DIVISION - AMERICAN DECORATIONS FOR VALOR - THE COUNTY'S BRAVE DECORATED-THE COUNTY'S HONOR ROLL-"OUR DEAD"
MILITARY PARTICIPATION
While civilians were working for the success of the American and Allied cause at home, Alameda County was represented in the military and naval forces of the United States by thousands who volunteered or waited for the operation of the selective service act. Long before the United States entered the war Alameda County was represented in the American Field Ambulance Service by several youths who had volun- teered as "Friends of France." During the early days of the war many youths volunteered for service in the Regular Army, in the Navy, and in the National Guard. By the time the United States was well into the war men from the county were to be found throughout the service, from the Ninety-first Division and other National Army organizations, in- cluding the famous "Rainbow Division," to regular army divisions such as the Eighth. Because of the wide dispersion of the county's manhood, in this chapter the author does not profess to account for every organ- ization in the activities of which local men participated. Only those will be treated in which Alameda County men were in an appreciable num- ber, as for example in the 91st Division. The narration of the history
443
444
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
of any of the military organizations of the World war period should serve equally well as an account of the activities of similar organiza- tions. For all of them, from the boys of the 8th Division, which did not go overseas as a unit, to those of the 91st, which saw some of the hardest fighting of the American participation, the cantonment train- ing period and the trip across the continent were substantially the same; while for those who went overseas, the narrative of the experiences of one organization during the circuitous route across the Atlantic, the reception in England or Scotland, the landing in France, the first meet- ing with the French people, the intensive training in preparation for "the line," the hardships and perils of actual warfare, is virtually the story of all. Accordingly it is hoped that no veteran will feel slighted because his organization was not discussed specifically.
Many boys from the county enlisted in the United States Navy when the call for volunteers came ; others served as commissioned officers with the fleet or on shore duty. These men were so widely scattered that no attempt has been made in this account of the military participation of the county to chronicle their activities. For an account of the military services of faculty, alumni, and students of the University of California the reader should turn to the chapter on "Alameda County in the World War-At Home." For the sake of unity all war activities of the State University have been treated under the heading of "The University of California in the World War."
The entry of the United States into the war found ten out of nine- teen units of the 5th Infantry, California National Guard, stationed in Alameda County. When mustered into the Federal service, this Regi- ment became the 159th Infantry of the National Army. The other National Guard organization in the county was the 1st Field Artillery, of which seven out of a dozen units were in the county. This organiza- tion, when raised to war strength, was mustered into the Federal serv- ice as the 143rd Regiment of Field Artillery of the National Army. These two organizations, along with the 144th Field Artillery, the "California Grizzlies," which was not an Alameda County regiment, but numbered in its ranks some men from the East Bay, became part of the 40th Division of the National Army which trained at Camp Kearney. When the draft became operative, the majority of the men from the county were assigned to the 91st Division, National Army, organized at Camp Lewis, Washington. Later some of these men, to- gether with other drafted men from the county, were assigned to the 12th Infantry and other units of the 8th Division of the Regular Army
445
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
at Camp Fremont, California. A number of men who volunteered from the county were also in the 8th Division. The organizations mentioned in the foregoing are the only ones the history of which will be recounted at length.
MOBILIZATION OF THE NATIONAL GUARD
More than a week before the United States actually entered the war, National Guard troops in Alameda County were preparing to enter the Federal service when the call to the Colors should come. On March 25, 1917, in response to orders from the War Department, Gov- ernor William D. Stephens directed Adjutant-General J. J. Borree to notify the commanders of the Second, Fifth, and Seventh Regiments to prepare immediately for Federal service. Accordingly the next day, Fifth Infantry units in the East Bay were assembled at their armories simultaneously with the mobilization of the rest of the organization throughout California. This Regiment, under command of Colonel Edwin G. Hunt of Oakland, included the following units: Berkeley- Headquarters Company, Howitzer Company, Headquarters Company, First Battalion; Companies B and D, and Medical Detachment or San- itary Corps. Hayward-Company F. Oakland-Supply Company ; Companies A and C.
Recruiting officers were established in East Bay cities to bring local companies up to war strength, or 144 men each. Many former members of the National Guard, which had not long before returned from service on the Mexican border, enrolled with their old outfits as soon as the call for volunteers went forth. The Armory of Company G in Alameda was a busy scene on March 26th. A regrettable loss to this company was the death of the captain, Charles P. Magagnos, who dropped dead as he was engaged in preparations to recruit his com- pany. He had served on the Mexican border when the Company had been called into service the previous year. First Lieutenant Alvin L. Gunn assumed command and soon had enrolled many of the men who had seen service on the border. First Lieutenant Edward Von Schmidt and Alexis Von Schmidt, his brother, were the other officers. There was like activity at the Berkeley Armory, where Captain Denis A. Daly was receiving recruits for Company C.
In Oakland Company's A and F had brought their strength up to fifty men each by March 27th, the day following the conversion of the Fifth Regiment from State to Federal status. Company F soon led in
446
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
recruits by a good margin. This company had the distinction of go- ing to the Mexican border with its ranks intact and had the smallest number rejected after having been pressed into service. On the morn- ing of the 26th, Mayor John L. Davie presented a resolution to the council asking that all city employes who should enlist should be re- stored to their positions upon the termination of their army or navy service. The resolution was adopted and the Civil Service Commission instructed to take the necessary steps to put it into effect. In order to stimulate recruiting, Company's A and F established camps on munici- pal property near the Auditorium, following a conference between the mayor and National Guard officers.
Meanwhile on the U. S. S. Albatross in Oakland harbor, recruiting for the United States Navy was in full swing. Active in the organiza- tion of the Naval militia of the Bay region was Lieutenant F. S. Harris, in private life the efficiency expert for the City of Oakland.
While Alameda County militia organizations were making hasty preparations for the hour when the call would come to entrain for the two mobilization camps planned for State troops, officers at Western Department headquarters of the United States Army had perfected plans for the disposition of the National Guard. It was the intention of the War Department to assign them to protecting railways, bridges, industrial plants, and other possible objects of attack by agents of the enemy in the event of a declaration of war.
On March 31st, Company F of Oakland and Company G of Ala- meda, moved to the Presidio of San Francisco, where with other units of the 159th they passed under command of Colonel Richmond P. Davis, commanding the Coast Defenses of San Francisco. The East Bay troops were given quarters in the east cantonment and were soon accustomed to "Regular" life. They were sworn into Federal service on the 2nd of April. On the same day they were joined by Headquarters Company, Oakland, under Captain William K. Carswell; Supply Com- pany, Oakland, commanded by Captain L. J. Nissen; and the Sanitary Detachment from Berkeley, under Major Wilfred E. Chambers. This completed the East Bay contingent of the Fifth Infantry with the excep- tion of Companies A, Oakland; C, Berkeley; H, Hayward; and I, Livermore. Company C of Berkeley arrived the next day, under com- mand of Captain Denis A. Daly, as did Company I of Livermore, headed by Captain Henry A. Mehrmann, and Company A of Oak- land, under Captain Eugene A. de Hermida. To these and the other new arrivals from other quarters of the state, the Federal oath was
447
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
administered by Captain Wilson B. Burtt of the Regular Army. Since all the men had taken the oath of Federal service when they enlisted in the National Guard, this meant merely the formality of checking their names on the rolls which were sent to the Adjutant General at Wash- ington.
Drills were begun at once, despite the shortage of equipment, and many men drilled in civillian clothes until the Quartermaster, Captain Frederick W. Benteen, could supply them with the olive drab, without which they felt as if they did not quite "belong." By April 5th the last Alameda County unit of the Fifth Infantry had arrived, Company H of Hayward, in command of Captain H. Bradford. Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel L. C. Francis, on this date the staff of the Fifth Infantry included Major L. S. O'Toole, Major J. B. Dickson, Major L. M. Farrell, Captain W. K. Carswell, who also served as regimental adjutant; Captain W. E. Chambers, surgeon; and First Lieutenant L. H. Britton. On April 3rd, Lieutenant-Colonel Francis was promoted by Governor Stephens to the grade of colonel, subject to formal con- firmation by the War Department which came about ten days later.
Simultaneously with the signing of the declaration of war at Wash- ington on April 6th, the Fifth Infantry, along with the rest of the Presidio, was placed upon a full war footing and every member of the command was forbidden to divulge any information of a military nature.
In the course of several weeks, the members of the Fifth were as- signed to duty throughout the state, as National Guard detachments of the Regular Army. In July the men were recalled and stationed at Fort Mason, San Francisco, where organization was completed prepar- atory to the removal of the Regiment to Camp Kearney, where it was to receive its preliminary training. On September 24, 1917, pursuant to orders from Washington, the Fifth Infantry prepared to leave Fort Mason as part of the general concentration of all units of the Cali- fornia National Guard at Camp Kearney, Linda Vista, where they be- came part of. the Fortieth Division, the organization with which they were to go overseas.
THE 159TH FROM CAMP KEARNEY TO FRANCE
At Camp Kearney there was some shifting of men from one organ- ization to another and holes in the ranks of the Fifth, now the 159th, were filled by drafted men. For months the men played at war impa-
448
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
tiently in the great southern camp, eagerly awaiting the day when they could meet the "Hun" on a real battle line. Rumor after rumor that the day of departure had come was born and then died in true Army rumor fashion, but finally the movement of the 159th began the morn- ing of July 28, 1918. The eight trains which carried the 2,000 men then in the outfit took a circuitous route through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, and up to Detroit; then over into Canada and back to the United States at Buffalo, and finally, as the men expressed it, "they snook into the back door of New York at Jersey City," on the morn- ing of August 4th.
The Regiment made ready for overseas at Camp Mills on Long Island, in those days continually a scene of feverish preparation for embarkation. The Supply Officer and his staff worked day and night issuing overseas equipment ; many officers and men were without sleep from August 4th until August 7th, when the regiment embarked at Hoboken. The Regiment finally embarked at noon August 7th in three different transports. Colonel Leonard M. Farrell, who commanded the regiment overseas, was quartered in an old freighter which did not leave until noon the next day. It then pulled out and joined the rest of the convoy, twelve troop ships, one cruiser, and a little de- stroyer. The convoy set sail at 4 o'clock the afternoon of August 8th.
The trip across the Atlantic was uneventful. As Colonel Farrell expressed it, "We zigzagged all over the Atlantic Ocean to avoid sub- marines and never met anything the whole way over except an iceberg." On August 20th the San Francisco Bay boys dropped anchor at Liver- pool, England, preparatory to leaving for Winchester the next day after a few hours' sojourn in a rest camp known as Knotty Ash. After a day's stop at Winchester, the Regiment entrained for Southampton where they went aboard the St. George, upon which they were to cross the Channel. The 159th crossed the Channel the night of August 24th and debarked at Le Havre, France, the next morning.
The long wait was over, the seas safely crossed, and "Oakland's Own" was in the land of Lafayette. From Le Havre, a hive of de- barkation activity and one of the great ports into which Uncle Sam was pouring men, munitions, and food, the 159th entrained for Néron- des, a little town midway between Nevers and Bourges, in the Départe- ment of Cher, south of Paris. Like all the other soldiers who had spent months in preparation for meeting something more formidable than the imaginary enemy of the drill field, the boys of the 159th and of the entire Fortieth Division were itching for action on the "Hinden-
449
HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
burg line." But they were destined to disappointment; although the 159th sent many men to the front as replacements, it never went into battle as a unit. Colonel Farrell expressed the feelings of his whole command, when he wrote to Adjutant General Borree as follows :
"The first man I met when I stepped off the train (at Nérondes) was Major Stewart Edward White (of the 144th Field Artillery) who had been sent ahead as billeting officer. He informed me that the old Fortieth was a Depot Division. Right then and there the bottom fell out of things for us. It was a hard blow for all of us, but we all tightened up our belts about two holes and went on soldiering. Within a month four-fifths of my men and nearly a third of my officers were sent to the front as replacements. I never heard much of the men, but I know they delivered the goods as they were a fine lot. There is no question but that the officers all made good. I understand that several of them were recommended for the D. S. C. Many of them were wounded and some were killed."
The Regiment remained at Nérondes until October 30, 1918. As soon as the boys were sufficiently trained, they were thrown in with the Allied units. Commissioned and non-commissioned instructors were assigned to the American Second Army Corps in northern France. Other detachments, including Company C, an Oakland unit, were at- tached to the Fourth British Army. The last German advance was smashed by this combined organization, acting in conjunction with other bodies. At least four-fifths of the officers and men of the 159th were sent to the front lines as replacements; many of them were sub- sequently killed or wounded.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.