Racine county in the world war, Part 25

Author: Haight, Walter L
Publication date: c1920]
Publisher: [Racine, Western Prtg. & Lithographing Co.
Number of Pages: 612

USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine county in the world war > Part 25

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).

"The dauntless determination which the United States has displayed in creating a huge trained body of seamen out of landsmen is one of the most striking accomplishments of the

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MAJ. GEN. WM. G. HAAN WITH MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF

The commander of the Thirty-second Division (Les Terribles) who took command of Wisconsin and Michigan troops at Camp MacArthur, Texas in 1917 and Icd them until after the victory of the Allies over the German Hordes. He was promoted to command of a corps in the Army of Occupation but later, at his own request, was assigned to command of the 32d Division on its return home.

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war. Had it not been effectively done, one would have thought it impossible."

Secretary Daniels announced in 1917 that the entire war-building program of the Navy embraced nearly a thousand ships. Most of the vessels authorized by the three-year pro- gram of 1916 were contracted for early in 1917; but the necessity of concentrating every energy on smaller craft to combat the sub- marines and the absorption of shipbuilding facilities, labor and material in our huge un- dertaking of building vitally necessary mer- chant vessels prevented the pushing of work on capital ships which could not be completed in time to be used during the war. Within a short time after hostilities began, contracts had been made for every destroyer that Ameri- can yards could build. But the call came for more, and yet more of these swift fighting craft which had proved the most effective weapons against the submarine. To produce them, new facilities had to be created. The naval authorities set to work to solve the problem. Congress adopted the recommenda- tions of the Navy Department and on October 6, 1917, appropriated $350,000,000 additional for the construction of destroyers, the creation of new facilities and the speeding up of those already contracted for. That very week the contracts were signed, and work was begun on the enlargement of existing shipyards, the building of new yards and new factories to produce engines and forgings. The way in which this huge undertaking was carried out was inspiring.

Perhaps the most striking instance was the building of the Victory Plant, at Squantum, Massachusetts, where on land that had been almost a swamp, rose in a few months the largest and most complete plant in existence devoted entirely to the building of destroyers: and in April, 1918, six months after ground had been broken for the yard, the keels of five destroyers were laid in a single day. New records were made in construction, vessels be- ing completed in eight months from the lay- ing of the keels when previously from twenty months to two years had been the usual time required. In a special instance, to see how quickly it was possible to construct a destroy- er, the Mare Island Navy Yard, by "field riv- eting" and other "hurry up" methods, succeed- ed in launching the destroyer Ward in 1712 working days after its keel was laid and the vessel was put into commission in 70 days. On July 4, 1918, no fewer than 14 destroyers were launched, eight of them at a single yard, the Union Plant of the Bethlehem Shipbuild-

ing Company at San Francisco. The U. S. Navy has built or has under construction or contract more destroyers than any two navies possessed at the beginning of the European war-and our new destroyers are of the most modern type-315 feet long, 28,000 horsepow- er, with a speed of 35 knots.

The staunchness of our destroyers was proved on many occasions. When the Manley collided with a British steamship, depth- bombs on her rear deck exploded and her stern was almost blown off, yet she was suc- cessfully taken to port, repaired and put back into service. The Shaw was cut in two by a collision; the vessel was so badly smashed that it looked like scrap-iron; yet the two parts remained afloat and were towed to port.

The largest naval training station in the country was located at Great Lakes, Ill., about 40 miles south of Racine. Most of the naval recruits and the draft men assigned to the navy were sent to this station for intensive training. Prior to the war the station con- sisted of a dozen roomy brick buildings to house officers and men, and dockage facilities for boats on the lake shore. After the begin- ning of hostilities, plans were put into execu- tion immediately to expand the camp, and about two square miles of additional property were acquired. On this in a few months were erected hundreds of barracks, and all the neces- sary adjuncts for the care and training cf 80,000 sailors at one time.

Racine people became very familiar with this station as it was near enough to permit of fre- quent visiting back and forth. Hundreds of the "gobs" came to Racine over each week end and parties innumerable were given for their en- tertainment. The women's clubs arranged dances, and it became quite the thing for peo- ple here to invite some of the young sailors to dinner each Sunday. Occasionally a big review would be held at Great Lakes, and it was a magnificent sight to see from 50,000 to 60,000 young men in their immaculate blue and white uniforms on parade, marching to the music of a massed band of nearly 900 pieces.

From Great Lakes, recruits were sent to training ships on the sea coast and then as- signed to duty with one of the naval squad- rons. Many Racine men were sent to officers' training school and obtained their commis- sions.

While American warships did not partici- pate in many important engagements at sea owing to the bashfulness of the German high seas fleet, the war's finale found many Yankee bluejackets at the front on dry land in France.

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The last shot of the American naval railway batteries excavated enough of the yard of the Longuyor railway junction for the basement of a skyscraper should the French ever care to build one there. It was fired from the greatest mobile land instrument of destruc- tion yet devised, the fourteen-inch railway bat- tery, the success of which the Navy had proved.

Short as was the period of their activity in the struggle, the history of the five four- teen-inch railway batteries is one of brilliant achievement. The design, manufacture and shipment of guns, mounts, carriages, cars, locomotives and other necessary equipment represented a stupendous task which was ac- complished in record time.

Plans and drawings were completed by the Naval Gun Factory, January 25, 1918. In less than a month, February 23, arrangements had been made for material and manufacture, and the monster guns were in the making.

As soon as actual work on construction was started, America's sailors of the land were selected, 500 men and thirty officers. Their training was a period the intensity of which they will not forget. Ninety per cent of the men were training station recruits, land sail- ors, but of a different sort. Their knowledge of naval guns was limited to rifles with which they had drilled at Great Lakes or Norfolk or Bremerton. They knew practically nothing of weapons of large caliber.

The Navy's new dragon of war emitted its first roar on April 30. It was at the Sandy Hook proving grounds. The gun discharged from a safe distance, a wire of considerable length being connected to the firing circuit, but the precaution was unnecessary. The sixty-foot weapon threw forth its 1,400-pound projectile, propelled by 484 pounds of smoke- less powder, recoiled the prescribed forty-four inches like a crouching animal, and then re- turned to battery gracefully and safely.

The test was a success that gave navy of- ficials the thrill that is born of accomplish- ment.

The gun came apart in far less time than it was put together and soon was on its way, with four more, across the ocean in quest of more vital targets. The reassembling of the first locomotive and car, for the battery em- braced not only the gun but its equipment, for transportation to the front, began at St. Na- zaire, July 20. On August 11 the first train was ready for the front.

Over more than 350 miles of French rail- roads it went to Helles-Mouchy. Its six-miles- an-hour speed enabled it to pass many a troop

train, though doughboys gazed with interest from their huit-cheveaux, de luxe coaches at the long train of the railway battery, and their interest changed to envy when they saw the comfortable berthing cars with their uppers and lowers.

"How far do it shoot ?" one dusky infantry- man asked another of his outfit.

"Man, it shoots a thousand miles and then throws rocks at yuh," his sophisticated brother- in-arms replied.

The French knew of its coming. News had traveled faster than six miles an hour. Cheer- ing throngs greeted the bluejackets at every station as Battery 1 sped on to war. Flowers were showered upon them. Old salts wore blossoms in improvised button-holes in their greasy dungarees and so did young salts, or "boots," as the Navy calls its recruits.

The French found a new awe and a new joy sweeping them when it was discovered that the wreaths they had made to bedeck the guns were not big enough to encircle the gi- gantic muzzles.

But with the arrival of Battery 1 at Helles- Mouchy, August 23, and Battery 2 a day later, the Navy found on land just what it had found at sea. The Hun ran from the answer to his own challenge. The two batteries had come to fire upon the long-range gun which had startled the world with the shells it had dropped on Paris. Before they could get into position the Germans had moved their prize.

Parisians still wonder what caused the ces- sation of the shower of shells it received at such a tremendous range. The firing stopped as suddenly and as mysteriously as it started. They have the naval guns to thank, although those guns did not fire a shot at the cause of the disturbance. Big Bertha beat it before they had a chance.

When he ran he left Batteries 1 and 2 with nothing in particular at which to throw 1,400- pound projectiles. With no immediate mis- sion to perform Battery 1 was sent to the French proving ground to give demonstrations for French students of artillery.

Battery 2 went on another search for battle. At Rethondes, in the forest of Compeigne, it took another stand, to fire upon the ammuni- tion dump at Tergnier. Again the thrill of action evaded the Navy. Only one shot had been fired when Tergnier fell.

But action did not evade for long. Battery 1 moved to Soissons and took a position near St. Christophe Cemetery on September 11. Battery 2 moved to Fontenoy-Ambley. And they were joined by the other three batteries,

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which arrived at the artillery base at Haussi- mont, Marne, on September 26.

When the Germans started their retreat from Laon, September 28, the speed at which Hun legs scurried over the terrain was in- creased by the frequency with which the four- teen-inch guns dropped enormous and amaz- ingly destructive shells on objectives near the town. About 200 shots were fired by the big guns before the German retreat left the tar- gets in the hands of the French Tenth Army.

It was real action, too. The Germans found the range of Battery 1 on October 5 and opened a spunky retaliatory fire. A shell burst directly over the big gun with no casual- ties. Shells fell on both sides of the train, but only one direct hit was scored. It sent a bucketful of "scrub and wash" clothes scat- tering over the landscape. The casualty list contained nothing closer to humanity than navy underwear.

Another move sent Battery 2 to Flavy-le- Martel, near St. Quenten, and it gave Mortiers a shelling from October 11 through October 13. Batteries 3, 4 and 5 chugged away to Thierville, on the outskirts of Verdun, to fire upon Longuyon and other points of strategic importance. But soon Battery 4 was moved to Charny, where it was joined by Battery 2.

From the forest of Velaine Battery 1 began firing on Bensdorf, November 6. Three days later Battery 2 moved up to a point twenty miles east and was given Saarburg, as an ob- jective. The two points were minor objec- tives on the path to Metz, and it is evident that the huge guns would have taken an im- portant part in the big drive of November 14, but again the Hun ran-this time holding aloft

a white flag of surrender. The guns were blazing away at the finish. J. A. Koffla, ship- fitter, second class, fired the last shot at 10:57.30 in the morning of November 11.

The operations in which the five batteries engaged were not many. They fired only 782 shells, Battery 3 leading with 236 and Battery 5 trailing with 112. They were fired on only twenty-five different days. But their fire was effective. Examination of the targets proved it, and German prisoners admitted it. Their ranges of fire at the front were from 30,000 to 40,000 yards.

The batteries suffered only five casualties- one dead, four wounded, all of Battery 4.

They fired only from prepared positions, al- though fire from the trucks on which they were transported was possible.

Each battery train consisted of a locomotive, gun car, construction car, construction car with cranes, sand and log car, fuel car, battery kitchen car, two ammunition cars, three berth- ing cars, one battery headquarters car, battery headquarters kitchen car, and workshop car.

The complement of each battery train em- hraced a commanding officer, construction offi- cer, orientation officer, medical officer, chief turret captain, two gunner's niates, first class; gunner's mate, second class; two machinist's mates, second class; boatswain's mate, first class; two coxswains; electrician, first class; electrician, second class; chief machinist's mate; eight ship fitters, first class; eight ship fitters, second class; eight carpenter's mates, first class; twenty-three seamen; ship's cook, first class; baker, first class; ship's cook, sec- ond class, and four ship's cooks, fourth class.

CHAPTER XXII BATTERY C, 121st, F. A.

BY FRANK J. HILT

B ATTERY C, Racine's first unit in the new Wisconsin national guard, was or- ganized during the early summer of 1916, and was formally mustered into the state service on June 8, 1916, by Col. John G. Salz- man, assistant to the adjutant general of the state.

Its organization was part of the program of preparedness, which was then beginning to sweep the country. War with Mexico was looming on the horizon, and some of the more far-sighted were urging the enlargement of the army in event the United States should be drawn into the European imbroglio.

Originally it was intended as a three-inch battery. It was part of a battalion of artillery formed in this state, with Battery A of Mil- waukee, which had been organized for some time, as the nucleus. Battery B of Green Bay was the other unit in this battalion. There was a race between Racine and Green Bay for the honor of having the second battery formed in the state. Green Bay filled its mus- ter roll first, applied for admittance and com- pleted the other technicalities, however, and its organization was formally called Battery B. Racine was only one day behind.

The Commercial Club rooms were the scene of the mustering-in of Battery C. Colonel Salzman had charge, and was accompanied by Chief H. C. Baker of Racine, Capt. Philip Westfahl (later colonel of the 121st F. A.) and Lieut. Reed, the last two of whom were then officers in Battery A. There were 125 Racine young men on the roster, and as their names were called, they stepped forward. All took the solemn pledge to uphold the constitu- tion of the United States and to fight for it if necessary.

The first drills were held at the Commercial Club rooms, which were turned over gratis for that purpose. When the troops were called to the Mexican border a short time later, Bat-

tery C confidently expected to be among them. Owing to lack of uniforms, equipment and the short training, the Racine unit, together with Green Bay, was left behind. An appeal was made, however, for recruits to fill Battery A, which was called, to war strength. Several members of the battery responded and took part in the maneuvers in Texas.

The battery received its first war training during the latter part of August, 1916, when it was ordered to Camp Douglas for a ten day training period. A hundred and ten men made the trip, leaving Racine on August 20, 1916, on a special train. The time was spent in foot drills, hikes, lectures on war subjects, and in other details of this kind. The officers endeav- ored to make the drill as varied and interest- ing as possible, so as to relieve the monotony.

Captain George W. Rickeman (who later be- came a major) was the commanding officer, with Richard Drake and Richard Bryant as lieutenants. George Wallace was the first sergeant. Later George Wallace and Harry C. Sanders were appointed second lieutenants, the former being assigned to Battery F.

At Camp Douglas, the battery members re- ceived their first uniforms, consisting of a wool O. D. blouse, trousers, socks, campaign hat, and shoes. Their civilian clothing, with which they had marched to the special train which took them to Camp Douglas, was shipped home by express, so that they would not be encum- bered with bundles when they arrived home. The metamorphosis undergone by the battery surprised the people of Racine on its arrival home after the ten days' encampment. The motley crowd, dressed in every style and color of civilian raiment, had been changed into a uniformly attired unit in O. D., marching with springy step and every foot in cadence.

Then followed nine months of steady and monotonous drill. Lakeside Auditorium had been leased, and drills were held once a week

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School for the aspirants for non-commissioned officers' positions were held at the Commercial Club rooms after drill. Owing to lack of equipment, most of the drill consisted of the various foot maneuvers, although some pre- tenee was made to instruet the men in the posi- tions and duties to be assumed in firing a gun by using chairs to denote the cannons and caissons.

The battery had been promised horses, three inch guns and other equipment as soon as an armory to house the material had been ar- ranged for. Besides their weekly drills at the Auditorium, the battery members, assisted by patriotic residents of the city, began the drive for such a building. The original proposition was to erect a building which could be used both as an armory and a municipal auditorium, and which would net revenue to the city year- ly. Special committees appeared before the common couneil in its behalf, designating $50,- 000 as the sum needed for its erection. A bond issue for that amount was submitted to the voters, and was aeted on favorably by a big margin. But the preliminaries leading up to this bond issue had taken considerable time, and owing to the war, the price of building material had soared. When everything was in readiness to build the armory, it was discov- ered that nearly twiee as much would be need- ed for the building planned.

It had been practically decided to abandon the plan of a combined building, and commit- tees were seeking a place which could be pur- chased cheaply for housing the horses and guns, when the news that America had deelared war on Germany was received. The armory propo- sition was dropped, and everyone turned their attention to recruiting the United States forees to war strength. The war department deeided to raise its national guard artillery in Wiseon- sin from a battalion to a regiment, which meant the recruiting of three new batteries. Racine was given a chance to be represented by one of these new outfits, and also to recruit an ambulance corps.

No difficulty was experienced in raising the full number of recruits for the formation of Battery F and the ambulance eorps.

On July 2, 1917, Batteries C and F left Ra- cine for Camp Douglas on a special St. Paul railroad train. The last assembling place was Lakeside Auditorium, and the time designated was 6 o'clock in the morning. There were brief ceremonies after roll had been ealled, the Red Cross presenting each man with a eomfort kit.

Battery C was offieered at that time by: Captain Richard Bryant; 1st Lieut. Ludwig Kuehl; 1st Lieut. Harry Herzog; 2nd Lieut. Harry Sanders; 2nd Lieut. Harry Clemons. Lieut. Kuehl had an operation shortly before the battery left for Camp Douglas, and did not arrive there until a few weeks later.

Every resident in Racine turned out to bid farewell to the first complete outfit to leave this city for war training. Led by the drum corps, the men marched down Main street, which was jammed with humanity on both sides. There was such a crowd on Second street, down which thoroughfare the men marched to reach the special train, that it was difficult for the two batteries to force their way through. State street bridge was so crowded that there was grave danger of its collapsing. Whistles shrieked from every factory all along the route as the train pro- ceeded out of the city, and handkerchiefs waved a last farewell from every residence window.

Arriving at Camp Douglas, the work of get- ting in shape was begun in earnest. The two batteries were among the first to arrive at the state eamping grounds, and began work immediately.

At midnight, July 15, the two batteries au- tomatieally went into federal service with the rest of the First Wisconsin Field Artillery regiment. On July 24, the federal examina- tions were conducted, and the soldiers received their first inoeulations as a guard against typhoid fever. They were also vaccinated to ward off smallpox.

The drill outlined for Camp Douglas seemed strenuous to the men fresh from civilian life, but compared to after events, it was a lark. Much of the time was spent in getting the battery in shape, pieking those men partieu- larly adapted for special jobs, appointing "non-coms," and in physical training. Owing to the fact that Batteries A and B were the only ones with equipment, mueh of the time had to be spent in the monotonous foot drill. The various batteries in the regiment took turns at using the equipment, and the few head of horses that were at Camp Douglas. There was no real progress, except at foot drill and in getting the men in shape, and under discipline.

There are three events at Camp Douglas which stand out prominently in the memory of the battery members. The first was the kid- napping of "Battering Ram Bill," the goat mas- eot. The goat arrived on August 8, and with much ceremony, was designated as battery

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FIRST SECTION OF C BATTERY WHEN IT REACHED CAMP DEVENS, MASS., ON THE WAY HOME

Top Row-Bryan Correll, Henry Hemm, John Hoffman, Kostek Sobierski, Mitchell Malouf, S. Hughes, Paul Meyers, Chas. Albright, Otto Genich, Clarence Koestner, Geo. Johnson, Edw. Evans, Walter Jensen.

Second-Geo. Johnson, John Luker, Walter Larson, Wm. Sawyer, Hans Anderson, Joe Hwalisc, Joseph Sadowski, Vitto Oddo, O. L. Sorenson, Viggo Peterson, Peter E. Peterson. Third-Clarence Jensen, John Hayes, N. C. Jones, Lloyd Abrahamson, Wm. Wilson, Louis Nelson, R. Stouss, E. Heffman, Leslie Nelson, Nels Johnson, Wm. Rogan, A. Rattle. Fourth-Otto Jandl, John Diffate, Glenn Clickner, Paul Schlosser, Geo. Barnes, Elmer Bartello, Zigmund Piotrowski, Emanuel Eberhardt. Bottom-David Semmes, Robt. Pyard, Frank Nelson, Godfrey Nelson, Clarence Smith.

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mascot. A few days later it disappeared. The mystery was not explained until August 18, when Battery F left for Waco, Tex., and "Bill" was peering from the baggage coach door as the train pulled out. The other two dates the men will remember are August 28, when "hot cakes" were served for the first time, and August 29, when the first long foot hike was held. Col. Westfahl led the regiment in the hike, and fourteen miles, over sandy roads, were covered.

On Sept. 2, the battery, with the remainder of the troops at Camp Douglas, turned out to bid farewell to those units of infantry which entrained for Camp Mills to join the Rainbow Division.

The start for Camp McArthur, near Waco, Tex., which had been designated as the train- ing grounds for the Wisconsin and Michigan national guard outfits, was made on Sept. 9. The regiment was divided into three different sections, each of which left at a different time during the day. The train containing Batteries C and D was composed of fifteen coaches and three freight cars, the latter containing the baggage of the men. Camp McArthur was reached on Sept. 12, but owing to the fact that it was late at night, the men slept aboard train until morning.

Equipment was expected when Camp Mc- Arthur was reached, but the men found that the same drill schedule which had been length- ened to more hours, however, awaited them. "Squads east and west," under a hot Texas sun and occasional sand storms, was relieved by lessons in equitation, trench building, wig- wag work, drill on the guns and lectures on various subjects. The day was divided into periods and the men into classes. Each period was of forty minutes' duration, and a different subject was taught during each. Wednesday and Saturday afternoons were devoted to ath- letics, and every Saturday morning there was a regimental hike. An inspection of personal equipment was held every Sunday morning.

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Racine county in the world war, Part 25

Author: Haight, Walter L Publication date: c1920] Publisher: [Racine, Western Prtg. & Lithographing Co. Number of Pages: 612

Author: Haight, Walter L
Publication date: c1920]
Publisher: [Racine, Western Prtg. & Lithographing Co.
Number of Pages: 612