The Delta of the Triple Elevens - The History of Battery D, 311th Field Artillery US Army, - American Expeditionary Forces

William Elmer Bachman

Informations

• Publié par: usti
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 39
• Langue: English

Extrait

Project Gutenberg's The Delta of the Triple Elevens, by William Elmer Bachman This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Delta of the Triple Elevens The History of Battery D, 311th Field Artillery US Army, American Expeditionary Forces Author: William Elmer Bachman Release Date: January 28, 2007 [EBook #20468] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DELTA OF THE TRIPLE ELEVENS *** Produced by David Edwards, Christine P. Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.) [Transcriber's notes: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected (e.g. gunnner for gunner), recurrent mispelling of the author haven't (e.g. Montlucon for Montluçon, canvass for canvases, incidently for incidentally, paraphanelia for paraphernalia, calesthenics for calisthenic, etc...). Page 20: The word "by" has been changed to "from" (partially sheltered from the Southern sun). Page 84: The spelling of Sommbernont has been changed to Sombernon. Page 101: The word casual has been changed to casualty (sent him home as a casualty). Page 126: It is not clear if the printed word is trained or roamed (where he last trained/roamed). Definitions: Cootie: Noun US: a head-louse (Macquarie Online Dictionnary - Book of slang).] THE DELTA OF THE TRIPLE ELEVENS THE HISTORY OF BATTERY D, 311th FIELD ARTILLERY UNITED STATES ARMY, AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES By WILLIAM ELMER BACHMAN Standard-Sentinel Print Hazleton, Pa. 1920 COPYRIGHT 1920 BY WILLIAM ELMER BACHMAN GROUP PHOTO OF BATTERY D. 311th F. A Taken at Benoite Vaux, France, March 14, 1919. Reproduced from the Official Photo taken by the Photographic Section of the Signal Corps, U. S. A. To The memory of our pals whom we buried in France This Book Is Dedicated WILLIAM E. BACHMAN ARMY RECORD. Inducted into service at Hazleton, Penna., November 1st, 1917. Sent to Camp Meade, Md., November 2nd, 1917, and assigned as Private to Battery D, 311th Field Artillery. Received rank of Private First Class, February 4th, 1918. Placed on detached service, May 18th, 1918, and assigned as Battery Clerk, First Provisional Battery, Fourth Officers' Training School, Camp Meade. Rejoined Battery D June 27th, 1918, and accompanied outfit to France. Assigned to attend Camouflage School at Camp La Courtine, September 30th, 1918, and qualified as artillery camouflager. On October 3rd, 1918, was registered, through Major A. L. James. Jr., Chief G-2-D, G. H. Q., A. E. F., with the American Press Section, 10 Rue St. Anne, Paris, which registration carried grant to write for publication in the United States. Remained with battery until March 7th, 1919, when selected to attend the A. E. F. University, at Beaune, Cote D'Or. Rejoined battery at St. Nazaire May 1st, 1919. Discharged at Camp Dix, N. J., June 4th, 1919. FOREWORD. "You're in the Army now." "So this is France!" Oft I heard these phrases repeated as more and more the realization dawned, first at Oft I heard these phrases repeated as more and more the realization dawned, first at Camp Meade, Md., and later overseas, that war seemed mostly drudgery with only the personal satisfaction of doing one's duty and that Sunny France was rainy most of the time. The memory of Battery D, 311th U. S. F. A., will never fade in utter oblivion in the minds of its members. 'Tis a strange fancy of nature, however, gradually to forget many of the associations and circumstances of sombre hue as the silver linings appear in our respective clouds of life in greater radiance as each day finds us drifting farther from ties of camp life. Soldiers, who once enjoyed the comradeship of camp life, where they made many acquaintances and mayhap friends, are now scattered in all walks of civilian life. While their minds are yet alive with facts and figures, time always effaces concrete absorptions. The time will come when a printed record of Battery D will be a joyous reminder. With these facts in mind I have endeavored to set forth a history of the events of the battery and the names and addresses of those who belonged. The records are true to fact and figure, being compilations of my diaries, note-books and address album, all verified with utmost care before publication. In future years when the ex-service men and their friends glance over this volume, if a moment of pleasant reminiscence is added, this book will have fully served its purpose. WILLIAM ELMER BACHMAN, Hazleton, Penna. 1920. PREFATORY NOTE. An effort has been made in this volume to state as concisely and clearly as possible the main events connected with the History of Battery D. To recount in print every specific incident connected with the life of the organization, or to attempt a military biographical sketch of every battery member, would require many volumes. My soldier-comrade readers will, no doubt, recall many instances which could have been included in this volume with marked appropriateness. The selection of the material, however, has been with utmost consideration and for the expressed purpose of having the complete narrative give the non-military reader a general view of the conditions and experiences that fell to the lot of the average unit in the United States Army in service in this country and overseas. Grateful acknowledgment is due to those who aided in the verification of all material used. Many of the battery members made suggestions that have been embodied in the text. To A. Ernest Shafer, D. C., and Conrad A. Balliet, of Hazleton, Penna., belongs credit for information supplied covering periods when the author was on detached service from the battery. To Dr. Shafer acknowledgment is also due for the use of photographs from which a number of the illustrations have been reproduced. From Prof. Fred H. Bachman, C. A. C., of Hazleton, Penna., who read over the manuscript, many valuable suggestions were received. W. E. B. Hazleton, Penna., 1920. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. SOURCES OF THE DELTA. World Events -- The Nucleus -- Declaration of War. U. S. Joins -- Selective Service Plans. CHAPTER II. A CAMP BELCHED FORTH. Selection of Camp Meade Site -- Cantonment Construction Building Progresses -- Home Leaving Preparations. CHAPTER III. "YOU'RE IN THE ARMY NOW". Officers at Fort Niagara -- Assignment of Officers Barrack org. -- New Soldiers Arrive. CHAPTER IV. FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Description of Barracks -- A Day's Routine -- Getting Catalogued -- Inoculations and Drills -- Soldiers Arrive and Leave. CHAPTER V. LEARNING TO BE A SOLDIER. First Non-Commissioned Personnel -- Effects of Transfers -- Schools -- Hikes -Athletics -- Idle Hours. CHAPTER VI. FLEETING HOURS OF LEAVE. Holiday Season Approaches -- Thanksgiving Feast Practice Marches -- Barrack 0103 -- Christmas 1917. CHAPTER VII. WELL GROOMED BY DETAIL. Stable Police -- Inspections -- Staff Changes. CHAPTER VIII. BATTERY PROGRESS. Formal Retreat -- Quarantine -- Celebration -- Rumors. Baltimore Parade -- West Elkridge Hike. CHAPTER IX. FAREWELL TO CAMP MEADE. Getting Ready -- Advance Detail -- Departure. CHAPTER X. ABOARD THE S. S. MORVADA. Set-Sailing -- Coastland Appears -- Halifax Harbor -- Convoy Assembles. CHAPTER XI. DODGING SUBMARINES. Ocean Journey Starts -- Transport Life -- Sub Scares. Destroyers Delayed -Battle With Subs. CHAPTER XII. A ROYAL WELSH RECEPTION. Barry, South Wales -- Parade -- His Majesty's Letter. English Rail Journey. CHAPTER XIII. A BRITISH REST CAMP. Crowded Tenting -- English Mess -- A Rainy Hike. Off for Southampton -- Flight Across the Channel. CHAPTER XIV. "SO THIS IS FRANCE!". Cherbourg -- A Battery Bath -- Side-Door Pullmans. Montmorillon. CHAPTER XV. WHITE TROOPS INVADE MONTMORILLON. Racial Difficulties -- French Billets -- Impressions. The Gartempe. CHAPTER XVI. ACTIVE TRAINING AT LA COURTINE. To La Courtine -- French Artillery Camp -- Russian Revolt -- Life on the Range -Sickness -- Casualties. CHAPTER XVII. NOVEMBER 11th AT LA COURTINE. November 7th -- November 11th -- Celebration -- Farewell Banquet -- Ville Sous La Ferte -- Fuel Details -- Delayed Departure. CHAPTER XVIII. MUD AND BLANCHEVILLE. Mud and Rats -- Historic Monteclair -- Thanksgiving 1918 -- Candle Mystery -Sick Horses Arrive. CHAPTER XIX. AN ADVENTUROUS CONVOY. Belgian Trip Proposed -- 100 Volunteers -- Remount 13 -- Convoying Mules -Christmas 1918. CHAPTER XX. ON THE ROAD TO BENOITE VAUX. Anxious to Join Division -- First Service Stripe -- A. E. F. Leave Centers -Mounted Hikes -- Overland to Benoite Vaux. CHAPTER XXI. WAR ORPHANS AND HORSE SHOWS. Two Battery Mascots -- Battalion and Regimental Shows -- Division and Corps Shows -- More Personnel Changes -- Maneuvres -- More Sickness and Casualties. CHAPTER XXII. HOMEWARD BOUND. Boncourt -- Cirey les Mareilles -- Divisional Review. Camp Montoir -- St. Nazaire -- Edward Luckenbach -- New York -- Camp Dix -- Home. CHAPTER XXIII. THE LORRAINE CROSS. Story of the Seventy-Ninth Divisional Insignia. CHAPTER XXIV. BATTERY D HONOR ROLL. Names of Those Who Died and Graves Where Buried. CHAPTER XXV. "ONE OF US". Tribute to Private First Class Joseph A. Loughran. CHAPTER XXVI. IN MEMORIAM. In Memory of Departed Comrades. CHAPTER XXVII. FIRST BATTERY D STAFF. First Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Personnel. CHAPTER XXVIII. BATTERY D OFFICERS. Complete List of Officers Associated With the Battery. CHAPTER XIX. ROSTER OF BATTERY D. List of Names That Comprised the Sailing List of the U. S. S. Edward Luckenbach. CHAPTER XXX. RECORD OF BATTERY TRANSFERS. Those Who Gained Commissions--List of Men Organizations. CHAPTER XXXI. PERSONALITIES. A Few Battery Reflections. Transferred to Other CHAPTER XXXII. A F