Dickey County NDGenWeb- World War I

From A HISTORY OF DICKEY COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA
Published 1930 by the Dickey County Historical Society
A special "Thank You" to Alison Ligman who transcribed this chapter with permission from the DCHS.
Pages 321-333

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(page 321) CHAPTER XLIV
DICKEY COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
(The authorities for this chapter are the files of the newspapers of the time, records of the
county offices, and the memory of those who were active participants in the events
related.)

                                              The World War was brought home to the people of Dickey County very definitely,
                                        even before the formal Declaration of War on April 6th, 1917. The newspaper account of
                                        what was happening in the Old World had kept the people well informed, and sentiment
                                        had pretty well crystalized into a quiet determination that America must help.
                                              Many American boys had gone over to Canada and enlisted, so that it had become a
                                        personal matter to many. When war was declared the young men were ready, but were
                                        advised that the country would adopt a plan whereby all could serve to the best
                                        advantage. That plan was announced the 18th of May, in the form of the Selective Service
                                        Act, which was aimed to mobilize and classify the entire force of the nation so as to make
                                        its power most effective.
                                              Registration Day was fixed for June 5th, on which day every man in the United States
                                        between the ages of 21 and 30 was to go to the regular polling place in his precinct to be
                                        enrolled. A registration board of one man in each precinct was appointed, and the hours
                                        of registration were from 7 in the morning to 9 at night. A county committee consisting
                                        of the Sheriff, W. D. Huffman, the County Auditor, C. C. Misfeldt, and the Doctors
                                        Maercklein and Lynde of Ellendale, J. P. Brastad of Oakes, and H. R. Gunderman of
                                        Monango were to have general charge of the registration. As this was a matter requiring
                                        haste the registration was to be made in one day. The results were to be telegraphed by
                                        the sheriff to the governor on the following day, and the governor was to telegraph the
                                        summary to the Provost Marshall General at Washington. This was to get a complete
                                        census and the method of inducting men into service was to be given later. Posters with
                                        instructions for registering were put up at the polling places and the main personal facts
                                        about each man were to be obtained.
                                              On Tuesday, June 5th, 1917, the registration was held and it was found that the county
                                        had 1107 men within the ages of registration. It was thought that not every one had
                                        registered, and a few more were found later. The total was a little under the government
                                        estimate, which showed that Dickey County should have 1180. The official list of
                                        registrants was published in the official newspaper of June 21st. Later it was found that the
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(page 322)                                         complete number of registrants was 1109, according to the tabulated return in the hands
                                        of Harry C. Wallis, Chief Clerk of the Local Board, and these were given a draft number
                                        on July 8th so that they would know from the calls as made who should report to the
                                        Exemption Board.
                                              Without waiting for the call through the draft several young men enlisted in the
                                        service. Leigh Porter of Ellendale joined the flying corps through Canada and got into
                                        active service in France as a member of the Royal Flying Corps. He was wounded
                                        severely in the hand in a later engagement. Howard Barnes, with Leonard McMarlin
                                        and William Eiden, went to Jamestown and enlisted in Company H. of First North
                                        Dakota National Guard. Before the registration, Mr. C. C. Hale of the Faculty enlisted in
                                        the Marines. Charles Carry of Ellendale also enlisted in the Marines with Mr. Hale and
                                        these two were early into France. At the battle of Chateau Thierry, Mr. Hale was killed
                                        by an exploding shell, the first casualty from Dickey County.
                                              When Governor Frazier decided to organize a second regiment of the National
                                        Guard of North Dakota, a telegram was sent to Dr. Harry E. Thomas who had been the
                                        Captain of the old Company M at Ellendale, asking him if a home company could be
                                        formed in forty-eight hours. Before the time limit was up a telegram was sent the
                                        Adjutant General that the company would qualify. The number required was 65 and
                                        ninety had been enrolled. This number sifted down to 84. Other counties were enrolling
                                        their companies and the Second Regiment was assured, the �Smashing Second� as it was
                                        nick-named. In its organization the Ellendale company became Company K. the new
                                        company went to a picnic at Fullerton on July 4th, and about twenty-five enlistments were
                                        obtained there. As a number who had signed up were rejected by the examining officers
                                        enlistments continued until the total reached about 160, but when the examinations were
                                        complete the company mustered 110 to take with them to the mobilization camp.
                                              Company K spent the months of July and August in drilling, taking examinations and
                                        getting ready for service. They were given the use of the Armory and the guns of the
                                        State School., but the guns were of the old type and useless and the Company found a
                                        better place for barracks down town. A purse of $500.00 was raised by the citizens for its
                                        mess treasury, and the company were given several banquets, and in other ways
                                        entertained during their training period. In the election of officers Dr. H. E. Thomas was
                                        chosen Captain, George W. Sears the First Lieutenant and James A. E. Huffman the
                                        Second Lieutenant. The Company was mustered into the United States Service on August
                                        9th, served as escort to the two contingents of drafted men who were called to Camp
                                        Dodge in September and entrained for their concentration camp on October 1st.
                                              The Local Exemption Board consisted of Sheriff W. D. Huffman,
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(page 323) (picture of Company K, Second North Dakota Infantry at Ellendale, North Dakota, September 20th, 1917.) (page 323)

(page 324)                                         County Auditor C. C. Misfeldt, Dr. A. G. Maercklein and Harry C. Wallis, Chief
                                        Clerk. According to instructions sent from Washington on July 2nd, it was the duty of this
                                        Board to examine the registrants as called and to furnish the quota required as called for
                                        from the Provost Marshall General. Each man was to be examined physically for fitness,
                                        appraised industrially for adaptability for service, and in his relation to those connected to
                                        him in his every-day life. The first draft included three hundred names, but further
                                        information from Washington showed that Dickey County was to furnish eighty men for
                                        the first draft. The exemption Board called in 160 and planned to take fifty-three for each
                                        day, August 8th, 9th, and 10th. From these seventy-three were certified to the State Board,
                                        but with credit for enlisted men the final quota for Dickey County was reduced to four
                                        men. This first call was made on September 5th, and Ernest J. King of Ellendale, Ira P.
                                        Denning of Oakes, Earl A. Bellinger of Oakes, and Benjamin F. Clarke of Forbes left
                                        Ellendale on September 7th for Camp Dodge, Iowa. This was the first five per cent of the
                                        quota. The second contingent of forty per cent of the quota were called to leave on
                                        September 22nd; and in this group there were the following men:

David C. Wolff, Forbes
George Anderson, Ellendale
Geo. A. Reko, Oakes
Raymond O. Humphrey, Monango
Anton S. Rissky, Merricourt
Robert Fey, Monango
Eddie Tormanen, Ellendale
Henry J. Nelson, Monango
Edwin C. Hollan, Kulm
Tormad M. Mallerop, Fullerton
Johnnie B. Gallagher, Oakes
William Meyer, Merricourt
Charles C. Shortall, Oakes
Carl. H. Larson, Fullerton

Gust Ensminger, Monango
Bill Thomas, Oakes
Fred Templein, Kulm
Franklin H. Carley, Glover
Simon E. Carlson, Oakes
Guy A. Montgomery, Fullerton
Chancy H. Snow, Oakes
Robert Fleming, Ellendale
Jorgen Bong, Oakes
Lawrence H. A. Hurd, Oakes
August Kylmala, Guelph
Anton Freberg, Oakes
George Davis, Oakes

                                              When the fist party left there was a noticeable feeling of sadness in the crowd, as it
                                        was the first occasion of its kind and only four men left. The departure of the second
                                        party had more the spirit of wishing the boys good luck and was quite enthusiastic. The
                                        train departed amid thunderous cheers.
                                              It was some time after this call before the next party left for Camp Dodge. The
                                        exemption board had examined and certified something like fifty more registrants and
                                        then a complete classification into five classes was made so that the examining and
                                        certifying could be more quickly done.
                                              The third party of drafted men did not leave until March 29th, going on the belated
                                        train after a derailment at Duane. The men who went in this party were:
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Olof Peterson
August Schnell
Arthur G. Strutz
Henry A. Nelson
Eber V. Welcher
Lloyd E. Alexanderson
Peter M. Schweich
Jacob Hildebrand
Frank C. Hammond
Oscar Hilden
John Schneck
Olaf J. Larson
John Fertig
Reese Walker

George S. Cook
Walter J. Nolan
Albert W. Sceibal
Rexford B. Pierce
Anton H. Rosenquist
Charlie J. Miller
Thomas Gronbeck
William A. Gamble
Jacob Kosel
Ole Kristian Johnson
William F. Brown
George Lund
Knute L. Easterby

George Olson
Frederick Low
John R. Ulmer
Arthur Weist
George T. Lancaster
Walter L. Groat
Bernard O. Bergstrom
William R. Rogers
Hans Kristiansen
Edward Weist
Stephen A. Babcock
Addison H. Denning
Ray Gallion

                                              Three men, Gust Scheuffele, Chris Borreson and Melvin Galchutt, who were unable
                                        to join the party on that day went on April 2nd and with these three the Reverend A. R. Evans
                                        of Ellendale went as Y. M. C. A. secretary. These men went to Camp Dodge.
                                              Another party of drafted men was sent to Fort Logan, Colorado, on May 10th,
                                        consisting of ten men:

John Duffek
Ferdinand Berlenfein
Wm. H. Hemminger
Christian Quellman

Theodore Ulmer
Fred Schook
John Schook

Edwin Schultz
Ole Varness
Alois Polipnick

                                              On June 5th, 1918 the young men who had become twenty-one years old within the
                                        year were required to register and on that day 102 more men were added to the roll of
                                        registrants for Dickey County.
                                              On the next call a party of twenty-eight men was sent to Camp Dodge on June 24th.

John E. Feichtner
Gottlieb Speidel
Conrad K. Ackerman
Fred M. Zinter
Lewis Frederick
William J. Saari
Henry Rutschke
Fred H. Senf
Herman Haussler

George K. Yuhl
Matthias Pfeiffer
Henry Schwartz
William Schwartz
Walter L. Saunders
Herman M. Sanders
Jacob Reiman
Adam P. Roth
Frank G. Nelson

Andrew Kolstad
August Fetzer
Roger W. Gorman
George J. Daeschle
Arndt E. Mintz
Theodore C. Alexanderson
Herman H. Cook
Christian Ensminger
William A. Stein

                                        and George E. Renslow who went as a replacement for John Schook who was rejected
                                        for physical disability. With this party three men who did not belong in the county but
                                        were transferred here went to Camp Dodge; Alton A. Johnson, Charles A.
                                        Loutzenhiser and Henry C. Kahle.
                                              The call for July 22nd was for fifty men and the following were sent to Camp Custer,
                                        Michigan:
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John I. Barsten
Paul H. Feathers
John J. Blumer
Bernard B. Youngquist
William Rolund
Everett G. Hyatt
Bennie Ross
Roy H. Erickson
Thomas F. Roney
William M. Donovan
Clifford M. Coleman
Ivar Stende
William T. Wigg
Sjir L. Gavle
George Johnson
Jul N. Mattson
Frank G. Johnson

Joseph H. Gallagher
Melvin M. Williams
Orlando Beaver
Edwin H. Anderson
Axel Olson
August Hilscher
Charles E. Madsen
Leroy H. Engh
George I. Carpenter
Leonard R. Hohlwegler
Elmer G. Schlink
William A. J. Randall
Guy Granger
John A. Erickson
Florian Stern
August E. Bjork
Edmund F. Reinhardt

Edwin B. Knutson
Charley Lucke
Ewald A. Schultz
Alexander J. Knox
John W. Cowley
Alfred E. Anderson
Frank Gagliardi
Emanual Gehring
William Kilchenman
Clarence A. Erickson
Dwight C. Botts
William Gregory
Steen A. Staudinger
L. S. Propeer
Carl Heilmeland
Arthur S. Peterson

                                              With such heavy calls in July it was thought the calls for August would be light. There
                                        were five calls, none of them taking many men. On August 1st, George Green, then at
                                        Mason City, Iowa, went to Camp Dodge on call No. 1005 for one colored man to be
                                        entrained. William Hedlund was sent to Camp Forest, Georgia, on July 29th, in response
                                        to a call for a cabinet maker. Four men volunteered for service in the Detailment Camp at
                                        Fargo; Harold N. Bjornstad, Orve O. Sorenson, Glenn Hyatt and Robin R. Colwell
                                        and went August 14th. There was also a call for one man to go to Syracuse, New York for
                                        police duty. Arthur F. Welch filled the call. There was also a call for three men for
                                        general duty at Jefferson Barracks. Fourteen hundred thirty-nine men of Dickey County
                                        were registered on that day. The total registration of the county was now classified by
                                        questionnaires and the local draft board was busy in keeping up with the calls, as many of
                                        the registrants were exempted, and it was still the policy of the Government to place each
                                        man where he could serve best. Some that were rejected in one branch of the service
                                        found opportunities in other lines.
                                              A call for the registration of those young men who had reached the age of twenty-one
                                        after June 5th, 1918 was made for August 24th and fifteen more were registered at that
                                        date. Some of these got to see service before the Armistice.
                                              Meanwhile the calls were coming strong, and on August 27th, nineteen men left for
                                        Camp Lewis, Washington:

William Norton
Edward D. Buck
Wesley N. Hoar
Wilford Waite
Louis Jeske

Otto L. Savold
Ernest M. Fleming
John R. Oxtoby
Verl Moore
Frank Kesler

George R. Rawhouser
William S. Cornell
Judd Campbell
Albert H. Sauter
Rufus W. Stores

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William W. McIntyre
Reece A. Bartlett

Emory V. Johnson

Charles P. Shimmin

On this same date nine men were sent to Camp Custer, Michigan as replacements:

Frank Tarka
Axel Olson
John J. Esterby

Adam J. Rath
Herman Lenz
Arthur B. Guyott

Albert Turner
Gotthilf Widmer
Wilhelm Ulmer

                                        and William Gregory and Edd McKeague also went.

                                              On September 4th, fourteen men were entrained for Camp Grant, Illinois, under Call
                                        No. 1234:

Chester Danielson
Albert Robinson
Otto Gerter
Ralph C. Radspinner
Richard T. Stolle

Edward Lohmeier
Henry Laeger
William Mintz
Peter T. Rowe
George Wolff

Gotthilf Debler
Herman Johnson
Robert Dedet
Rudolph Kast

                                              There were four other small calls; Myron Endersbe went to Camp Dodge for limited
                                        service on August 30th. John Beaucke went to Camp Dodge on August 29th, to replace
                                        Chris Ensminger who was rejected. On August 31st, Roy E. Massingill went to Grand
                                        Forks for mechanical training and on September 3rd, Chris Ensminger, Edward Moser,
                                        and Fern Beaver went to Camp Grant, Illinois on a call for limited service.
                                              Many of these boys had by this time reached the seat of action in France and the war
                                        was especially brought home to the people of Dickey County in the death of Fred
                                        Herman on the battle field. He was killed on July 19th, but it was some time before the
                                        news reached his friends at Ellendale. A fitting and impressive memorial service was held
                                        for him on September 1st, at the Methodist church in Ellendale. The Ellendale Red Cross
                                        Branch was out in uniform and the mothers of the boys of Company K were present in a
                                        body. Other boys fell in service or were lost from disease and appropriate recognition of
                                        their passing was observed in later days.
                                              The war was on in earnest and to mobilize the entire man power of the nation, if it
                                        should be needed, a registration of all men between the ages of 18 and 45, who were not
                                        already registered was held on September 12th.
                                              On September 26th four men were sent to Camp Grant to fill deficiencies in
                                        entrainment: Joseph Burkhart, Emil A. Kylloneb, George F. Spencer, and James J.
                                        Solverson. Four men; Lloyd E. Davis, Clyde M. Reynolds, Reinhold Sandau and
                                        Arnold F. Gustafson, were scheduled to go to Camp Custer, Michigan. Two men,
                                        Arthur I. Anderson and John Noess, were to fill vacancies at Camp Dodge and at
                                        Jefferson Barracks, and twenty-one men were to go to Camp Grant, Illinois and four to
                                        Camp Lewis, Washington. But on account of the prevalence of Spanish influenza the
                                        October call which was to take these men from Dickey County was postponed.
                                        Arrangements were perfected whereby the men who entered the Student Army Training
                                        Corps at the colleges where this work was offered were inducted (page 327)

(page 328)                                         into service by the local board.
                                              On October 10th, 1918, the local board received directions for inducting 81 men into
                                        service from October 21st to 26th. These men were to go to Ft. Winfield Scott, California
                                        and this draft would practically exhaust Dickey County's first class, as with all the calls
                                        that had been met there were only 91 men left in Class 1. This list was made up and the
                                        men ordered to report on Sunday, October 20th, but a telegram from the Adjutant General
                                        under date of October 16th suspended this call, with the understanding that they should go
                                        at a later date. The date for the departure of these men was set for November 11th, and the
                                        eighty-one were:

V. D. Coleman
H. J. Gaddard
Erick Nelson
Odin L. Olson
Carl Frojen
Carl Weist
Frank Pfeiffer
Harry Lohmeier
Lynn Hill
A.L. Breaw
Jake Harter
William M. Mitchell
Christian Wolff
John P. Gilbreath
Fred L. Bingham
Elmer A. Saari
Raymond G. Bale
Erick Nystrom
Gus Rittmiller
Joseph Alkofer
Albert Holling
Harry Haskell
Laken W. Chesebro
George F. Spencer
Rupert Browning
Henry Scheuffle
Ewald A. Schultz

Grant C. Bush
Anton Rall
Frank Weber
Harry S. Johnson
Otto F. Kroeger
Oscar E. Fernland
Ruggles H. Moran
Benjamin C. Holter
James Vandanacker
Francis J. Shanahan
Adolph Herrman
William W. Waite
Herbert Knock
Emanuel Kessel
Andrew P. Zimbleman
Peter M. Hanson
Trygve Friberg
Wendell Burnett
John Stahlecker
Charlie Lyons
Leo E. Tritt
John D. Avery
Jacob Elolla
Alex R. Arndt
Arthur M. Hokana
Earl H. Fleming
Eldred V. Morrow

Stephen Pfeiffer
George L. Linderman
Dan Martin
Alvin Palmer
Henry C. Schimke
Christ Wiederrich
Peter P. Burkhardt
James B. Cowley
Henry Otterstetter
Otto Scherbinski
Reinhold Hauff
Clinton E. Lockie
Edwin Weitala
Arthur M. Paulson
William J. B. Hoybak
William Kunrath
William Lay
Alexander Stenwandt
Frank E. Davis
George L. Kelsh
Awald H. Raatz
Andrew L. Dethlefson
Timothy Sullivan
Rex H. Bliss
Ferdinand Speidel
Martin Richter
Lawrence C. Remmele

On this same call nine men were to be sent to Camp Dodge, so twenty-two more were
called to make up the list of alternates for the large party and meet the call for Camp Dodge:

Albin E. Anderson
Cecil C. Snow
Peter N. Stotzheim
Edward E. Martin
Fred H. Schaller
Albert M. Enger
Samuel Schneck
Christoph Rath

Clayton E. Geer
John A Mallum
Joseph A. Sherlock
Ernest Peterson
Ransom G. Minard
Max C. Bliss
Theodore P. Endres

Bernie Bailey
Chester L. Gibson
Mike W. O'Donnell
Olen E. Coy
John J. Richards
William S. Johnson
Charles L. Porter

                                        This exhausted the list of Class 1 and took several of the new registrants who had become
                                        twenty-one after the first registration of the year before.
                                              But this entire draft party was doomed to disappointment, and while they were bitterly
                                        vexed with the Kaiser for depriving them of the opportunity of joining their fellows at the
                                        front, the world at large was thrilled with the news of the Armistice which meant that the
                                        war was over so far as (page 328)

(page 329)                                         the fighting was concerned. The boys were all ready to go and many of them at the depot
                                        when the agent received orders to issue no transportation, so they had to return to civilian
                                        pursuits without their taste of service.
                                              Many others who were not in the draft calls enlisted in the service and among these
                                        were:

Warren F. Barnes
Edward C. Porter
C. F. Johnson
Joe Carpenter
Dr. James V. Miles
Harry Day
Robert Walker
Max Wiltsie
John Jones
Alvin Miller
Claude King
Lee Wickersham
Lloyed Caldwell
Paul H. Rehberg
Walter Smith
Scott Oberman
Charles Misfeldt
Coyle N. Willis
Frank Callan
Hector Porter
Art Hanson
William F. Spaulding
Neil B. Andrews
Beryl L. Henry
John Raymond Perry
Harold M. Lowe
Everett A. Thrams
Wilber T. Wheeler
Clarence W. Ritterbush
Herman S. Martin
Albert W. Reinhart
Charles Anderson
Jens P. Jensen
Ernest J. Rickson

Anton Nelson
Charles Robinson
T. H. McDonald
Leonard Meachen
A.R. Amphlett
Floyd Mallory
Joe Boyd
Theodore Northrop
Hobert Jones
Lyle Coleman
Jay Harm
Arthur Rosenthal
Bertie Cox
Preston Coleman
Llewellyn Lynde
G. Odland
Dan McDonald
Lloyd King
Rex Saunders
Orvis A. Banks
Albert Pennabacker
John Dawe
Earl D. Young
Edward L. Covey
Jerrold B. Cook
Samuel A. Lemke
Tom Bell Brisby
Enoch A. Frojen
Erick E. Burke
Clifford D. Mitchell
Ernest D. Case
Louis Bond
John C. Johnson
Haralambus Kotinas

Harry Peters
Austin R. Burrows
Maurel Dunton
Don McCormick
George Misfeldt
Ed Mallory
Walter Smith
Clarence Bartlett
Francis Abraham
Lyle Colby
Clarence Bjornstad
Floyd Randall
Albert Heine
Robert Potter
Gottfried Roehl
George Brown
Edward Martinson
H. Charles Peek
Ralph Rose
Howard Bean
Alvin B. Counsell
Fred A. Whitfield
Ernest M. Dille
George E. Nelson
Ernest Lewis
Jesse A. Burrows
Charles G. Fuller
Charles E. Donnelly
Robert A. Ritterbush
Frank G. Fahrenkamp
Oscar C. Reinhart
Peter Bordlo
Alek Jurchuk

                                              When Company K left Ellendale for the training camp on October 1st, it was given an
                                        ovation by a multitude of people from all parts of the county. Oakes and Ellendale both were
                                        represented by their bands. The boys were taken to the city hall where the Red Cross gave
                                        each member a comfort kit and a pillow, and where speeches were made and farewells (page 329)

(page 330)                                         spoken. The Company then marched to the train where they were provided with three
                                        Pullman cars and left the city shortly after four o'clock.
                                              The roster of the Company was: Commissioned Officers                                         Captain � Harry E. Thomas
                                        First Lieutenant � George W. Sears
                                        Second Lieutenant � James E. Huffman Sergeants                                         First Sergeant � James S. Tully
                                        Supply Sergeant � Leo Rosenthal
                                        Mess Sergeant � Maurice Saunders
                                        Sergeants � John O. Nelson, Benjamin F. Crabtree, Edward Hadley, Stanley J. Fleming, James J. Wallace Corporals

Frank Johnson
Charles L. Schill
Robert E. Gallagher
Lawrence I. Rosenthal

Loren Erwin
Guy Lynde
Alfred Wolfe
Douglas Misfeldt

Joseph Huffman
Thomas A. Lee
Grandon K. Martin
Anton Nelson

Musicians

Charles Lane

Sherbin Severson

First Class Privates

Lloyd Berry
Edward Bassingwaite
Boye Boyson
Alonzo M. Fuller

Harvey J. Hill
Leslie Johnson
John Mace
Raymond Maternowski

John Pagger
Martin Peterson
Joseph L. Sandkamp

Privates

John J. Albright
Lloyd Alexanderson
Peter J. Arwik
Benjamin Bauer
John Bickmore
Reece Bartlett
Thomas Becktell
Joseph Blair
Robert Babb
Lloyd Borough
Charels E. Bigelow
Harry Burd
John S. Crabtree
Clifford Colwell
Harry G. Dix
Jacob Dix
George C. Eakins
Thomas M. Evans

Irl Hicks
Herman A. Hermanson
Fred Herman
LeRoy L. Hatfield
Emery Huggins
Albert Joyner
Edwin Johnson
Russell Jorgenson
Robert Kilchenman
Max Koester
Thomas Kelly
Archie Keith
John Kelly
Phillip Ketterling
Herbert Lauth
Herbert Lee
Patrick A. Leverty
Hamlin A. Liddell

Conley W. McGimpsey
Albert McEntee
Lee Newton
Lester R. Nichols
Joseph Payton
John B. Phillips
Harry E. Randall
George Ratzlaff
Harry Sanders
Glenn Sherman
Charley Smithson
Grant Singleton
James M. Sidles
Fred Scklinker
George E. Solum
Lewis Solum
Daniel A. Staberg
George H. Staley

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Frank Edwards
Charles Hildebrand
Henry L. Ericson
John E. Fink
William Flynn
Edward Ganser
Alfred T. Goodwin
Oscar W. Gish
Harry S. Heck

Jesse Lind
Vernon Logan
Gabrial A. Lucas
Martin Loner
Emil Larson
Joseph McShane
Walter Moore
Leslie Mock
Chester Maine

Clarence L. Stenquist
Dean M. Stewart
Carl Vantries
William Wiest
Clark P. White
Frank Watson
Jay Winegar
Thommy Young
Albert Zimbleman

                                              The Company went to Camp Greene, Charlotte, North Carolina, arriving there on
                                        October 4th. Here their officers were transferred to other companies and Company K as
                                        such ceased to be and the new company was the 162nd Ambulance Corps of the 41st
                                        Division. After a few weeks at this camp the company was transferred to Camp Mills,
                                        Long Island, from where they took the transport Covington on December 12th, finally
                                        getting out to sea on December 14th. They reached Brest, France on December 27th,
                                        where they were in quarantine until New Year's Eve, when they were loaded into the
                                        �Forty and Eight� boxcars and had a ride of two days to reach LaCourtine. After a three
                                        weeks stay here they were taken to Gondrecourt and after this were in the thick of things
                                        until the Armistice of November 11th found them at Apermont. When they arrived in
                                        France the old 41st was split up and made a replacement division, and was transferred
                                        from the First Army Corps to the 3rd. The Company saw service at Argonne Woods and
                                        in many engagements around that center of activity.
                                              Their commissioned officers were separated after they reached Camp Greene. Captain
                                        Thomas went over in the group of advance officers of the 41st Division, and the first time
                                        he saw his home company was when they landed in LaCourtine after their journey from
                                        Brest. He did not at any time have command of the company while overseas. Lieutenant
                                        Sears was transferred to the Motor Division and went over with a company. Lieutenant
                                        Huffman was transferred to the regular army.
                                              After the Armistice the Ambulance Company followed up the German retreat and
                                        from December 17th, 1918 to March 4th, 1919 they were a part of the Army of Occupation
                                        in the 7th Corps area. When the time for their return came they were taken to Marsailles
                                        where they embarked for home, stopping at Gibralter on the way. They landed in New
                                        York on May 4th, 1919 and were taken to Camp Dodge where they were mustered out
                                        and sent home. The Company reached Ellendale on May 24th, and on Memorial Day they
                                        were given a happy and impressive reception at the Opera House. Captain Thomas had
                                        been mustered out at Chillicothe, Ohio, so he could be with them for the homecoming,
                                        and by that time the other officers had reached home. The drafted boys were mustered out
                                        for the most part at Camp Dodge, but their homecoming was at different times, their
                                        welcome however was none the less cordial. A few of them and of Company K had (page 331)

(page 332)                                         been left in soldiers' graves and several were disabled by gas and exposure but every one
                                        came home with the satisfaction of having done his part for his country and humanity.
                                              The civilian people at home were doing �their bit.� The Red Cross had been recruited
                                        and was doing all they could in making supplies to aid the soldiers and were raising funds
                                        to send nurses to the fields of France. Food conservation and the feeding of the warring
                                        world were a task undertaken with a determination that was furnishing abundant material.
                                        A Council of Defense was organized and one of its pieces of work was to protect the
                                        property of the men in service as well as safeguard the country from enemies at home. A
                                        well organized agency of public information was the plan of the �Four-Minute-Men� who
                                        took the messages of the government to the people in theaters and public gatherings. For
                                        Dickey County this organization was under the direction of James M. Austin, who
                                        gathered an efficient corps of speakers for the entire county.
                                              Dickey County made a splendid record in its purchase of war securities. The record of
                                        the thrift and saving stamps has not been compiled for public use, but the subscriptions to
                                        the five liberty loans shows the willingness of the people to help. The First Loan was
                                        offered for May 15th, 1917, and the allotment of $73,300 was immediately taken by the
                                        banks of the county. The Second Loan was offered from October 1st to October 27th, 1917
                                        and D. E. Geer of Ellendale and Thomas F. Marshall of Oakes were chairmen. The
                                        allotment was $100,000 and the subscription amounted to $199,650, nearly 100% over
                                        subscribed. The Third Loan was open from April 6th to May 4th, 1918 and for this Mr. B.
                                        R. Crabtree of Ellendale was appointed as the chairman, and for this and subsequent
                                        Loans a Woman's Chairman was appointed. Mrs. Jennie Canfield of Fullerton served in
                                        this office for the three loans. The allotment for the Third Loan was $125,000 and the
                                        county �went over the top� to subscribe $263,000 with 2,453 people buying the bonds.
                                              The Fourth Loan was offered from September 28th to October 19th, and Mr. F. J.
                                        Graham was the Men's Chairman, with Mrs. Canfield as the other chairman. $350,000
                                        was alotted for this loan and $461,750 was subscribed by 3,279 people. For the Victory
                                        Loan for April 21st to May 10th, 1919, Mr. Graham and Mrs. Canfield served as
                                        chairmen and with an alotment of $405,000 they secured a subscription of $436,100 with
                                        2,309 subscribers. The record for the county shows the total allotments of $1,053,300 and
                                        a total subscription of $1,433,800 with the sum of $841,500 anticipating the 4th and 5th Loans.
                                              One of the final manifestations of the generous spirit and the whole hearted way in which
                                        the people of the county were supporting the forces of the government who were fighting
                                        their battles in a foreign land was the raising of $19,293.85 by popular contributions for the
                                        United War Work Campaign which was concluded on May 1st, 1919. The people of Dickey (page 332)

(page 333)                                         County gave of their means and their time, and in so far as possible themselves for the
                                        cause, and are justly proud of the fine young men who bore the brunt of service and
                                        helped in winning the war, and those who kept the "�home fires burning� also did an
                                        honorable part in achieving the victory. (page 333)
THE END

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