USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine county in the world war > Part 28
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Marius G. Jensen
Arthur Peterson
Wm. Englund
Arthur C. Johnson
Carl A. Peterson
A. L. Wilson
Oscar Evans
Melvin Johnson
Richard R. Peterson
Felix Wysocarski
1 Gilbert O. Evans
Edgar Johnson Ray W. Jones
('. J. Rasmussen
J. L. Farley
.James Kahn
W. MI. Roberts
Larry J. Zachar
J. C. Fladseth
C. A. Keeshan
C. R. Rowland
Edward Zika
Edward Frayer
L. O. Klandrud
Raymond Russell
Max J. Zirbes
A. J. Fritch
P. N. Knudson
Harold Rush
Frank Zielinski
C. Filla
Edward Roberts
Alex Zilla
.T. L. Farley
(] Harold Kister Stephen Kikosiecki
A. R. Roskilly
Edward Zlevor
In addition to the men noted above as hav- ing been wounded seriously enough to require treatment at a field hospital or base hospital, many others suffered slight injuries which were treated at the first aid stations without
requiring absence from duty. About seventy- five men also were sent to base hospitals be- cause of illness. The majority of the cases of illness were reported after the armistice. This is partly due to the fact that during action,
H. W. Christensen
R. L. Hertfeldt
Genrge A. Nelson
H. B. Taylor
E. L. Corrie
- Sexton Hultberg
J. R. Norgard
Joseph Tobako Joel Tomter
David Cilley C. W. Colbert
John Hyduke John Hoyt
Clarence Olson
.John Usik George VanDer Wal
Stanley Dorka
Anton Jensen
Charles Pederson
A. M. Ellinger Elmer Erb
Frank V. Jones
Einer Peterson
P. J. Ebben
Arthur Jensen
Edgar Perkins
Alf N. Pederson
Vincent Wasiak Milton W. Youngs
John Fachko
larry Johnson
Thorwald Peterson
Andrew Soreason
N. M. C. Due
Roy E. Harter
Herman Mattice
7 Joseph Chadek
G. J. Hehert
J. H. Heusdens
E. J. C. Moritz
* Ottn Musiel
- E. R. Septon Frank D. Smith Stanley J. Smith J. C. Sonenson W. . 1. Sorenson 4. W. Springer
H. M. Dale H. W. Dawson
Hans P. Hansen
Frank Lomasky - F. H. Layton Geo. Levinson
R. J. Baumstark
Julius Gutawski
Oliver C. Lange
H. O. Silverness Harry L. Smith
W. J. Brunker
John Gulbrandson
Fred Bauman
W. M. Grady
E. F. Schowalter Joseph Schweitzer
Emil Bidstrup
Otto Anderson
W. F. Kuehnemano
E. J. Mischke
C. O. Steffenson Jos. Striekfaden
Louis Demant
John V. Hood
Elmer E. Thery
Daniel Chuhb
+ Leo F. Harter
RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
245
BATTERY F IN FRANCE
FRANCE
3.6
No. 20
Photos by Wright and Maj. Rickeman
BATTERY F IN CAMP DOUGLAS AND FRANCE
At the top, getting mail at Camp Douglas, next to top is shown the battery lined up in its company street; next below, the famous "pajama parade;" washing up (ante-cootie days) ; line of "mushroomed" tents-furled for inspection; waiting for "chow" supplies. At top, right (in France) one of the 155 mm. guns of the Racine unit; Captain Hofman and a re- conneitering party ; ready for the "feed bag;" on the road to the front. At end, chow time at Camp Grant-home again.
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RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
soldiers seldom would ask to be relieved from duty as long as they felt able to stand up. Living in the open air during a comparatively warm season of the year may also have con- tributed to the low sick record in the war. It is a fact, however, that there were numerous cases of dysentery in all combat organizations from July 1 to November. The army head- quarters physicians ascribed this to the un- sanitary conditions of the battlefields, the mil- lions of flies and other insects, the poor water supply, eating of canned or preserved food al- most exclusively and the fact that hardly a day passed when the tired, hungry men did not
get wet through from the autumn rains. Colds were infrequent. Presence of poison gas caused a considerable proportion of men to have husky voices for weeks at a time. Very frequently a man would get quite badly burned by sitting or lying where a mustard gas shell had exploded and left some of the poisonous contents on the ground. There was no typhoid fever reported. Pneumonia was the most serious illness with which the American army in France had to contend, and many of the cases of pneumonia developed while crossing the ocean in crowded, dark and unheated trans- ports.
CHAPTER XXIV THE RACINE AMBULANCE COMPANY
A MBULANCE Company 127, 107th Sani- tary Train, Thirty-second division, was completely organized by the end of May, 1917, at Racine. It entrained for Camp Doug- las, Wis., July 29, and remained there with the rest of the Wisconsin National Guard, as a part of which it was called Ambulance Co. No. 2, W. N. G. It entrained for Waco, Tex., Sept. 28, and spent four months in intensive drill. During this period it became a motor- ized organization, and was given its perma- nent designation as a member of the division.
Jan. 17, 1918, the company entrained for Camp Merritt, N. J., preparatory to going overseas. On Feb. 7 it embarked on the Trans- port Martha Washington and on Feb. 26 dis- embarked at Brest, France. After travelling half way across France by rail, the unit reached its first station at Champlitte and the men were billeted in barns and houses and began the customary procedure of getting ac- quainted with French words and inhabitants, and cleaning up the village streets and door- yards in accordance with the sanitary regula- tions.
On March 27, thirteen men and one officer were detached and assigned to the Second division. On April 4, headquarters were moved to Prangey. On May 14 the company started for Alsace for its first experience in a quiet sector of the front, near Belfort. The new station was at Anjoutey. The ambulances were put into service immediately carrying sick and wounded men from the front to the Belfort hospitals, and the remainder of the company were divided into sections which took turns serving at dressing stations in and near the trenches. On July 21, the Ambulance com- pany again received orders to move and trav- elled overland to Pont St. Maxence. After a few days' rest the company was notified that it was to accompany the rest of the division to the scene of active operations around Cha- teau-Thierry, and on July 27 the command reached the Marne river.
The story of the company's experiences from here on has been compiled from "The Silver Bugle," the official publication of the Ambulance unit. The publishers of "The Silver Bugle" very generously granted permis- sion for the use of their material, and while it could not be reproduced in full the extracts presented herewith will disclose a fairly com- plete record of the subsequent experiences of this veteran organization:
"We arrived at Azy about midnight, July 27; tired, wet, and hungry. It was too late to find billets, so each man had to shift for himself. Any space, that was large enough for a man to stretch out in, was a bed that night. We were too tired to be particular. The following morn- ing we were up at 5 A. M. We established our- selves in a barn and set up the kitchen. After breakfast, we spent our time exploring the town.
"The people had fled at the approach of the Germans and the big bridge, spanning the Marne, was blown up. We had the whole town to ourselves and, after our inspection of the place, we enjoyed a good swim in the Marne. All day long there was an endless column of traffic, going to and from the front. Wounded were being transported back in ambulances, trucks, wagons, or anything that could be drafted into service. All this hustle and bustle, this tremendous business end of war, and the sight of the many wounded, had a be- wildering effect on our imagination, for, it must be remembered, we were on the eve of going into battle for the first time ourselves.
"We were not given a long time to think things over, for our machines were called out that evening to evacuate from Chateau-Thier- ry. At the same time our combat units went into the line. The next day, the 29th, three of our officers and thirty men went up to establish a dressing station. The rest of the men were still working on the machines. This trip was one never to be forgotten. We went up in trucks over roads filled with traffic, passed
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through Chateau-Thierry, and reached La Char- mel about 11 P. M. We were astounded at the sights on the way up ;- every town was in ruins, roads were filled with shell holes, trees were cut or blown down, dead horses were everywhere, along the roads and in the fields. Salvage of all description was strewn about, including guns, blood-stained clothes, gre- nades, shells, broken wagons, Boche and Ameri- can helmets, and every conceivable article tha is used in modern warfare. In the valleys the stench from dead men and horses was unbear- able. In the haste of the great drive no one had time to bury these unfortunates.
"We were in La Charmel about fifteen min- utes when our artillery opened a terrific bar- rage. The big and little guns were all around the town and the roar was simply deafening. Naturally every one was excited, as the Boche returned the fire. We had a number of gas alarms to make our first night more uncom- fortable. We felt sorry for the men in the woods and valleys, who were operating our guns, for that was where most of the shells were falling. But just then we received or- ders that we would have to spend the night in those woods, and establish a dressing sta- tion in the morning. Well, what a feeling! This was to be our first time under intensive shell fire. We said nothing. There was no time to talk. The Boche shelled all night and we had one gas alarm after another.
"The next morning the shells began falling closer and we were very much relieved when we received orders to proceed to La Fosse Farm, about 212 kilometers up toward the front. We were ordered to march in sets of twos, about fifty yards apart, so that we wouldn't 'all be killed at once!' How consid- erate! When we emerged from the woods, we beheld a sight we shall never forget. Stretched out on the field, on both sides of the road all the way to La Fosse Farm, was one line of guns after another, all firing at once. Hun- dreds of them. The noise and vibration was terrific!
"We arrived at the Farm without mishap and found only one building that was not in ruins. So here, July 30, 1918, the anniversary of our going to Camp Douglas, we set up the first dressing station of the 32nd Division in action. This Farm was the center of a mass of artil- lery, and many German shells, meant for our artillery, fell uncomfortably close to our sta- tion.
"As soon as we were set up, our machines came to work with us, and for 48 hours we worked without let up or sleep. There was a
steady line of wounded and each one received first aid dressings, good hot drinks, and warm blankets and was then taken back to a hos- pital in the rear.
"From here we went to Longeville Farm. It was during our stay here that Major Bruins and Captain Mitten were captured by the Germans and did not return to us until Janu- ary, 1919, at Sayn. When we slept, we slept in a barn; but when it rained, we were out of luck; as none of the buildings had a roof. It rained a good deal here and the mud was often a foot deep. There were many graves about the place and we buried a few while we were there. From time to time we advanced our station, as the lines advanced. Captain John- ston was placed in command of the Ambulance section in place of Major Bruins, who was captured at Fismette.
"The division reached the Vesle and captured Fismes and was relieved on the 7th of August. We went back to Fresnes for the night, taking a different road back, but we soon found that all the roads were in a deplorable condition. Many graves dotted the roadside and salvage of every description was strewn over the fields. Fresnes was on our left flank and pretty well hack, so that we had a good sleep for one night.
"The afternoon of the 8th we moved from Fresnes to Reddy Farm, near Charmery, a place captured by our division and full of in- terest.
"At Reddy Farm, we received authority to wear a gold chevron, signifying six months in service overseas. Captain Johnston here took Major Bruin's place formally and Lieut. Schnetz became our commanding officer. Capt. Dew was transferred to the supply train and Lieut. Rhynerson went to Ambulance Co. 125. Lieut. Shaw and Lieut. McCulla joined our company.
"On Aug. 24 we moved out of the sector to the big forest outside of St. Etienne. We re- mained there resting until the 27th, when we moved to Vic-sur-Aisne to do evacuation work. On Sept. 2 we moved to a huge cave near Tar- tiers, and remained there four days adminis- tering to the wounded. The work of the am- bulance drivers was very difficult and danger- ous. No lights were allowed. The roads were badly torn up and subjected to severe shell fire during the fierce battle for possession of Juvigny and Terny-Sorny.
"The cave was a large one, but at the time of our arrival was somewhat congested with Moroccan and German wounded. Every pas- sage way was littered with wounded men, wait- ing for attention. We all set to work imme-
RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
249
Col. Phillip Westfahl, commanding officer of 121st F. A. from the time of its organization as a National Guard Unit until July 20, 1918. After being in charge of railway construction works in France nine months he resumed command of the regiment and was in command of it when it returned to the United States in May, 1919. The illustration shows his wife at his left and his mother at the right.
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diately, cleaned a space in which to place our dressing station, and were soon alleviating the congestion. The Boche wounded seemed to be very much pleased and anxious to get back to an American base hospital.
"During the night, six inch rifles were placed just outside the cave, and at 4:30 the following morning a rolling barrage was commenced. These big guns, combined with many guns of the 75 m. m. caliber, kept the cave trembling with continuous vibration. An ill-timed shell, fired from one of the big guns, exploded a few feet from the muzzle of the gun, tearing a big hole in the ground and wounding several Frenchmen. From this we concluded that the woods and territory occupied by the Huns, where these big shells were landing, was a mod- ern inferno.
"Not many shells were coming our way, until one afternoon, when a Boche aviator came over and located our batteries. Shortly afterward we underwent a barrage, but our artillery soon put the Huns out of action. Some of the Hun gas shells landed near the cave, and at one time the sneezing gas was so concentrated that it became almost necessary for us to don our gas masks. The usual round of profanity was at once meted out to Kaiser Bill, and needless to say, many select words of the vocabulary were used.
"Every now and then a Boche plane would introduce itself from up in the clouds; then our anti-aircraft and machine guns would at once open fire with a barrage, and Fritz would either take a hard bump on good old Mother Earth, or immediately get out of range. Men would pick up rifles and start pecking away and it sure was hot for any Hun who ever ventured in this neighborhood. The Allies had complete control of the air in this vicinity and it was a common sight to see 50 or 100 planes, in battle formation, going over to pay their compliments to Fritz.
On Sept. 10 we were on our way out of the Soissons sector and went to Sommancourt for an 11-day rest, interspersed with periods of drill and practice hikes. From here the out- fit drove to Bar-le-Duc and thence to the Meuse-Argonne sector, where the final great offensive of the war had begun on Sept. 26. On the morning of the 28th, the ambulance men started out in the darkness for the vi- cinity of Montfaucon, captured from the Ger- mans the day before. It was foggy and rainy, but by 6 o'clock in the morning it began to get light and we could see that the fields and roads over which we were going, were fll-d with shell holes. After some difficulty, we
finally came to a place where we had to leave the road and cross a shell-torn field which, after a short time, led us to another road. Here the traffic was so congested that we could hardly move. The M. P.'s along the way were unable to take care of the traffic and things were in an awful mess. Finally, after an all day struggle, we came to our destination after dark.
"We were in Very and it was dark and rain- ing. The noise of the guns was deafening and shells were breaking all around us. Along the road were dead horses and broken wagons. We were ordered out of the cars and were told to hunt shelter. Some of the men crawled into a tunnel, which later was found to be a water drain, while the others packed themselves into a small room and had to stand up the rest of the night. Our cars were immediately put into action with the 91st division, which, we later found out, we were to aid for the next week. And they surely needed help. Wounded men were lying all around in the rain and mud, get- ting no attention, and the next day one of our officers and two of our men helped them in their dressing station and cleaned up the con- gestion in short order. What a relief when daylight came. Everyone was tired and hungry and welcomed the meal of beans, hard bread, and coffee which the cooks had prepared for us. After this hearty meal, a place for our dressing station was found in some dug- outs the Germans had made.
"On the afternoon of October 3rd, we re- ceived orders to close our dressing station at Very and to proceed farther forward to estab- lish another in the town of Ivory. In about an hour we were packed and ready to move. On account of the congestion of the traffic and the shelling of the roads in that direction, only two machines were sent out at a time, two others following at fifteen-minute intervals. The distance was only about five kilos but the roads were bad. For some distance we were obliged to travel over a rough, one-way, plank road. After leaving this, we passed through the shattered village of Epionville which was under shell fire most of the time, and then on to our destination.
"When the first of the cars to be sent out reached Ivory, they were greeted by a 'young barrage' from a German battery, and, instead of being able to look about for a site for a sta- tion, all had to take shelter until the firing had ceased. The Hun was showing no partiality that night, so from here he shifted his fire over to the plank real where two more machines were being held up by two balky mules. These
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THE WELCOME HOME OF THE AMBULANCE BOYS
Ambulance Company 127 returned at the end of May, 1919, after (22) months in service. When they arrived frem Camp Grant they were met by the town.
GETTING STARTED TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE CITY
Automobiles, bands, marching men and thousands of spectators participated in the event that amounted to a climax of all wartime incidents when the last of Racine's Units came home.
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cars were evacuated in a hurry, and the men ran, looking for a place of safety. Some crawled into 'fox holes' in an adjoining field, while others felt perfectly safe under an ammu- nition cart by the road side. After banging away for about fifteen minutes, Fritz stopped; and these cars, along with the rest of the train, reached their destination without further disturbance.
"It was growing dark by the time we landed and the work of establishing our station was made more difficult. Already in the town- which, by the way, like all others in that area, was pretty well battered up-was the regimen- tal aid station of the 126th infantry. They were occupying about the best building in the place; it had at least a roof over it. We took the next best to it-a large, old stone structure which undoubtedly had been a French peasant home and barn combined, The roof was about gone and in many places the walls were shat- tered. But we found three fairly good rooms on the ground floor. One we used for the dressing room; one, for the office and soup kitchen; and the other, for a place in which to house the patients. In the old barn we set up our company kitchen. There was evidence of German occupation everywhere, as Fritz had moved out only two days before. Luckily he left us a few old stoves, so things were made fairly comfortable.
"All work had to be done by candle or lantern light, after all doors and windows were well blanketed to prevent observation by aeroplanes. In about one-half hour, we were all set and ready to receive patients. Things were very quiet that night on the line, so the regimental station was able to care for all casualties. O1 course our cars were put to work at once, evacuating those patients that did come in.
"After the night detail was appointed, the rest of us started to find a place to sloep. Scattered about in the old building were many bunks that the Germans had used; these were immediately taken. Others preferred the 20- called dug-outs, which were only galvanized iron tunnel affairs about 5 feet in circumfer- ence. These were very safe unless something struck them.
"Our work here, as in other stations, consist- ed of re-dressing the wounds; applying splints: administering the anti-tetanic serum; and mak- ing the patient comfortable with hot blankets, hot drinks, and morphine. From here they were transported back in our cars to the field hospital.
"These were dangerous days for ambulances and their drivers, as the roads were being con-
stantly shelled. Soon they were being driven forward beyond our dressing station to an aid station just behind the line. More than once the boys had narrow escapes from being blown off the map.
"Day after day we went through the same routine. One could not keep from feeling mere or less tired and blue, for ours was not the most cheerful work. But on the third or fourth day, things brightened up a lot. The reason was, that mail came, and we are safe in saying that never before nor since were letters from home more welcome than they were at this time. They certainly helped a great deal. When the work would run light, we had vari- ons means of passing the time away. One favorite was for a crowd to gather in the station and to discuss, pro and con, the various rumors of peace that were then in circulation. Another was to have a 'shirt reading contest,' the object being to see who could find the largest number of 'cooties,' for at this time we were all peppered with the pests. On quiet evenings our orchestra would liven things up with many of the old favorite tunes.
"It was while we were here that we had our first casualty. Private Keefe was injured by a fragment of a shell while acting as a litter bearer to the line.
"One thing caused us little worry now and that was enemy planes. We were too far for- ward for rear area bombing and, anyway, the majority of the nights were cloudy and rainy. Mud was ankle deep. But during the day we saw plenty of aerial activity and many inter- esting air battles.
"Not a day passed during our stay but what shells dropped all about us; but luckily, none came near enough to do any damage.
"On the 19th our division was relieved and was moved back into support and two days later we also went back to a location on the road between Very and Avocourt.
"October 21 dawned wet, foggy, grey, and dismal. Our division had been relieved and our company had received orders to move toward the rear. After a fifteen kilometer journey over the dirtiest, muddiest, roads imaginable, we suddenly broke upon the wilds of Boise de Chappy and down into the bottom of what we immediately termed 'Muddy Hol- low.' No name was ever more adequately chosen. It sure was a hollow and it sure was muddy. Gobs and oodles of it.
"Rumor had it that we were to go away back and enjoy a 60 or 90 day rest period. But, as oft before, we were doomed to disappoint- ment! We were told that our division was a
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MAJ. JOHNSTON MARCHED AT THE HEAD OF THE COMPANY HE WENT AWAY WITH
As to whether this event was idolized or not may be gathered from the expression on the face of the "kid" in the front row. The thousands on the walks cheered wildly.
THE LAST MARCH OF THE 127th AMBULANCE COMPANY
Along Washington avenue the men paraded into the city, the last march they were to make as a unit, after this long, glorious and hard working months they experienced in Europe.
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fighting unit, and that our rest would come only when the war was finished.
"So there was nothing to do but make the best of it. Immediately we started in to make ourselves at home. Pup tents were pitched and each man tried to make himself as com- fortable as possible. As usual, the first night found Fritz above us, kicking out his tail gate. The visit lasted only a few minutes, during which Roy Schnetz and 'Skeeter' Bowman were awakened out of a sound sleep, but when they jumped into a shell hole filled with water, they were soon wide awake.
"On Thursday morning, November 7th, we were up at 5:30, taking down our pup tents, rolling our packs, and preparing for another move. Breakfast was served at 6:30 and by 7:30 we were bidding Muddy Hollow our last fond farewell. The pages of our memory books are full of many happy events that befell us during our seventeen day sojourn here, and it was therefore with a pang of regret that we now left behind us the ease and comfort of our temporary 'homes' and moved forward to Romagne.
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