Adventures of the A. E. F. soldier

Preface

Through the medium of this book it is my desire to give the reader a fair conception of the many experiences and difficulties encountered by the average soldier of the American Expeditionary Forces and the hardships which he endured from the time he first entered the training camp until he returned from overseas and received his discharge.

In a general way, I have described the many and various locations and movements of the Ninetieth Division from its organization to its dissolution. In the training camp, in England, in France and in Germany we met with various complex problems, strange people and strange customs, in addition to the thrills and horrors of the Western front. More specifically, I have dealt with my own regiment.

I seek no publicity or medals of honor, but I am writing of what I experienced as one of two and one-half million. Although the first person is used quite frequently, it is solely for the purpose of establishing the authenticity of the volume. In compiling this data I have consulted

PREFACE

no military records, but have written simply from personal observation and experience.

I earnestly hope that this book will furnish the reader pleasure in following the A. E. F. soldier through the World War.

Sincerely,

Riley Strickland.

Contents

Chapter. Page.

I. OuE First Soldier Days 11

II. Leaving the States 25

Chapter I. Our First Soldier Days

War had been declared on Germany. The Selective Service Act had been passed and the tremendous problem of mobilizing an army sufficient to effect a speedy conclusion of the world struggle was being solved.

Camp Travis was being built. The skeleton of the Ninetieth Division was being made up of various detachments from the different camps throughout the United States. In September the draftees began to arrive in camp, followed by more in October. The War Department suspended the sending of any more during the winter months, but in February and March, 1918, and each month thereafter, trainloads of Texas and Oklahoma boys arrived in camp to begin their career in the military world.

It was on April 26, 1918, that the writer, with thirteen others, left the station of one of the best towns in East Texas, bidding good-bye to the

12 Adventures op the A. E. F. Soldiee

throng of good people who had assembled there to honor our departure. All were cheerful, and w^e who were leaving had the sentiment of "Send Me Away With a Sniile." Our train was late and we did not leave until about 9 p. m. For our first few miles our trip seemed perfectly normal, but we took on more soldiers at every county seat and junction. Sometimes we would connect on an entire car full of civilian-clad soldiers. When we first left we had a good chaircar, but pretty soon we had to give it up for a smoker. By midnight the train ceased to be a commercial train and was used exclusively for soldiers.

At the break of day the next morning complaints of hunger came from every corner ; however, we were soon served our first army meal, which was very good and made us feel very refreshed, sending our morale skyward. On and on we rolled, taking on more coaches filled to their capacity with soldiers at every junction until at last our train contained some eighteen or twenty coaches. Near Austin we were met by a reception committee, which was a squadron of aeroplanes that escorted us to San Antonio. Some of us wondered if they had brought us

Our Fiest Soldiek Days 13

any dinner, because we were all beginning to get hungry. As we finally pulled into the switch yards in San Antonio all of us were exceedingly vigilant in hopes of locating a sandwich vendor, but none was seen. We got switched out to Camp Travis about 4 p. m. It was raining and the mud was sticky. No dinner had been had yet, and it was then that the natural characteristic of the soldier — that is, complaint — began to germinate.

We were then marched into a reception room wondering all the time if it was a dining room. It proved to be a long floorless barn, dubbed the ''Bull Pen,'' filled with the most inquisitive characters one ever saw. Before we had a chance at another meal we had to stop there and answer all those fool questions. We had to give our pedigree in full from Alpha to Omega, tell whether or not we sprang from a monkey, and if so, just how far we had really sprung. Also, we had to give in detail how much readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic we had had, how many lickings we ever got in school and how many times we had climbed on top of the schoolhouse and placed boards on the chimney to smoke the teacher out, et cetera.

After our initiation at the Bull Pen we were then herded together like so many cattle and taken to our new home, which was a very hard trip through the heavy mud and rain and with no dinner in sight. Our particular bunch had to go just as far as possible in the last barracks of the depot brigade. When we got there our guide told us that these barracks were our new home, then we thought surely that the next thing would be a good hot dinner. In this we were sadly disappointed. We had to go through another ordeal of answering questions, telling all about our family tree and the various and sundry branches thereof, with our first name last and the last name first, etc., and vice versa, all so audibly and distinctly that there could be no probabilities of misunderstanding. All of this was done with our minds on something to eat.

Next came our housekeeping outfit, which was considerably abbreviated. If they put out any silk and linen bed-clothes, yours truly got cheated, because all I got was a ducking bed-tick, some aluminum eating plates and cups, barracks bag and towels. I was soon steered to a huge straw stack with my bed-tick, and thus a good bed was made.

OuE First Soldier Days 15

In a few more minutes we were marched into a long dining room, which would hold about two hundred and fifty men, and after the mess sergeant had commanded us to sit down we got away with a vast quantity of beans, bacon, bread and coffee. No ten course dinner ever tasted better than this second army meal.

Our first two or three days in camp were passed off rather pleasantly, because it rained so hard we couldn't drill; however, we had from one to twenty-seven roll calls each day and as many examinations and inspections. .

Some very interesting things happened at the physical examinations, especially to those who really desired to be unfit for military service. In one particular instance the doctor was testing the ears. The victim was some few feet from him and pretended that he could not hear him whispering as the others had. The doctor's suspicions were aroused, and, lowering his voice, he whispered, "Can't you hear that?" The patient replied, "No, Sir." He was immediately pronounced physically fit for military service and marched back to his barracks and perhaps given a few days of K. P. If the reader has not been a soldier he may think that it means Knights of

Pythias, but far be it from that; in the army it means Kitchen PoHce.

Quite a lot of fun was had around our barracks. We were fortunate enough to have with us one of the most comical fellows in the National Army. He k&i^t the entire bunch in a continual uproar of laughter all the time. On one occasion he requested the captain for permission to guard a measles barracks, which was granted, and while walking his post he was ''hard-boiled" with all passersby, making several of them pick up matches, cigarette butts, etc., off the ground.

In a few days the ground dried off and drilling began. Those who aspired to be a corporal would get a squad off from the others and give commands until they were hoarse. The lieutenants specially emphasized the importance of physical exercise, and we were given one hour of that each day. Some of us who could scarcely bend when we first arrived in camp soon became real active fellows.

There is some contrast between an army camp and home. Usually when told to do anything at home the command is often met with "Wait a minute,'' ''As soon as I finish this," etc. ; while in the training camp when the sergeant's whistle

OuE First Soldiee Days 17

blows it is best not to argue the question about it. Many letters to mother, dad, sister, sweetheart and friend have been abruptly suspended, as well as domino games, dice games, etc., when we had to fall out to police the premises.

Our first few reveille formations were worth seeing. Ofttimes some fellow would come down with one shoe in his hand or carrying his coat on his arm. Over half the shoes down the line were unlaced or unbuttoned. One morning one fellow was late, and the lieutenant, being highly displeased, gruffly asked him what was the matter. The man tediously explained that he had misplaced his trousers and had thus been delayed. The officer told him to let the trousers go the next time and come on to reveille on time regardless of anything else. After that the poor fellow slept with his trousers on all the time, and they were not pulled off until he discarded them for khakis about two weeks afterward.

A thing not to be forgotten was the ordeal of inoculations for smallpox and typhoid. The former only required one shot, but the latter required three at intervals of one week each. Here is where the gloomy side of army life began. Some of the boys got so sick that they would often fall

18 Adven-tukes of the A. E. F. Soldier

out of ranks while drilling or standing in formation. One poor fellow skinned his face horribly by falling while standing at attention.

I remember quite well how the smallpox vaccination and the second typhoid shot affected me. I was so sick that I could do nothing but roll on my bunk, and as both of my arms were sore I could not even dd that. I was not working at the company where I bunked, but was on special duty about a half mile away. I played hooky several days. I told the sergeant that I was so sick that I couldn't walk to the infirmary, but he said that I would have to if I wanted any medicine. So, about I p. m., I walked up to the infirmary to find a line of about one hundred and fifty rookies ahead of me. The sun was broiling hot and we had to wait outside until they could get to us. About 3 p. m. it came my turn. The doctor gave me a big dose of salts and sent me back to my bunk. That afternoon I would have traded my position in the army for thirty cents and probably could have been jewed down a bit from that price.

Besides making one temporarily sick, those vaccinations would sometimes make a permanent sore on the arm of such degree as to disqualify one for

Our First Soldier Days 11>

overseas service. Later, however, when we were enduring the hardships of the trenches we learned to appreciate the benefits derived from those inoculations. There were very few cases of typhoid and smallpox in the American Army. We should, indeed, feel grateful to the revelations of medical science.

We were soon fitted up in uniforms, and it was not long before we began to look like real soldiers. Our civilian clothing was cast aside, some being donated to the Belgian Relief Committee and the remainder sent home. This was really a serious period in our lives, because many civilian suits were sent home never to be donned again, the owner later dying on the field of battle in France and being laid to rest in a soldier's grave. The Y. M. C. A.'s were filled to their capacity the next few days with parcels post and express packages which carried the surplus clothing back to their old homes for a few months' or years' rest.

Fitting six thousand new men out and out was no small task, and in most instances the real fitting became a personal problem for each individual to solve. We were told to trade among ourselves where a mutual exchange would result in a fit to either or both, so if John Doe had a No,

20 -Adventuees or the A. E. F. Soldiee

6 coat which would fit Richard Roe, and vice versa, an exchange was in order so that both would be accommodated. The supply sergeants, anxious to get the job over with, would usually tell us that he had nothing left to fit us and that we must take chances on a trade, or that the camp laundry charged by the month and that a No. lo coat would shrink to a No. 6 after being laundered. This practice was the same during our entire career except in the boundaries of No Man's Land, in France, where the advantages of the camp laundry were not amplified.

Now that we were all dressed up in army unilorms, we needed discipline. Good conduct is the running mate of good dress. Many laughable things happened in the period that we were in the training camps.

One morning after a lieutenant had lectured for an hour or more on military courtesy and discipline, with special emphasis on the rule that a soldier must stand rigidly at attention while conversing with an officer, he concluded by saying that he appreciated the fact that we were all new, and if any of us desired to ask any questions he would be very glad to give us what information he could. One fellow near the steps where the

Our First Soldier Days it

officer was standing leaned over with one hand on his hip and with one foot on the lower step and asked, "Well, could you tell me how I could manage to get out of this foot brigade?" The lieutenant stated that the infantry was the best branch in the service, but that if he really wanted a transfer he must first learn to stand at attention.

One night one of our bunch had orders to report to the orderly room after supper to do some clerical work. We had had our second shot the night before, and upon the rooky's arrival the lieutenant asked him how he felt, whereupon he responded, "Well, feller, I feel pretty tough/' The lieutenant bawled him out for his intimacy and told him that he was excused for the night.

One of the funniest things that was told to have happened in Camp Travis was a joke that one of the soldiers pulled on a captain. The soldier reported to the orderly room for duty, and

instead of saying, "Sir, Private reports

for duty,'' he merely asked, "What did you want with me?" The captain criticised his lacking in military courtesy, and told him to sit down at the desk and the captain would demonstrate the proper way to report for duty, and that the private could play the part of the officer and assign him to duty. After the necessary preliminaries of knocking at the door, entering and saluting, the captain said, ''Sir, Private so and so reports for duty." The private looked up from the desk

and said, "Ah, get to h out of here; I don't

need you for anything.''

Some very clever efforts were made by those so determined to get into a branch of the service which they most desired. The sergeants were wise to the various schemes of the new men. One day the sergeants called for all who could drive a Ford, and many with ambitions to be army chauffeurs promptly stepped forward. The sergeant replied that they might do well around kitchen machinery, and they were placed on K. P. In like manner, several would-be carpenters were told that they would probably make good woodcutters.

We were soon out of quarantine, but before we had time to appreciate our liberty we were being transferred to the various branches of the division. The crowds who had been together in the initial army days and who had enjoyed many hearty laughs together over the many peculiar and funny things that had happened in the making of a soldier were scattered to the proverbial four winds of the earth.

OUE FlEST SOLDIEE DayS 23

Uncle Sam's great process of transforming a population who had theretofore known nothing but peace into one that must learn military ways in order to defend Liberty was progressing rapidly. The Huns were threatening Paris and we could not lose any time. The Ninetieth Division was being filled to combat strength preparatory to going overseas, and the Depot Brigade was soon culled to a mere skeleton. Several trainloads of new recruits from Camp iDodge, Iowa, were brought to the great arm^y camp in Southwest Texas.

Our infantry, which later proved to be of the ''none-better" quality, was on the job with its training schedule. All the new men were given rifles, bayonets and other necessary equipment and sent to the target range at Camp Boullis, and the Bull's Eye was the chief objective for several days. We were actually going into fight, and our doughboys must be able to drive Fritz into consternation when the time would come for them to go "Over the Top." The bayonet drill was not neglected, and many Fritz dummies were subjected to furious attacks by our infantrymen.

Although we were working hard now, we were glad to be out of quarantine and have a chance

24 Adye^vttuees of the A. E. F. Soldiee

to go to San Antonio occasionally. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and nights were the times most passes to town were issued. It was a great treat to eat at the swell cafes after having had army chow for several days ; however, all the places observed the rules of Hooverization to the nth degree. In one place there was a sign "Ask for one lump of sugar only. Stir like hell,, we don't mind the noise."

Trips to Brackenridge Park, Hot Wells and the old missions afforded very wholesome recreation. The shows in town were greatly enjoyed, while the Gunter and the St. Anthony Hotels afforded a splendid rendezvous for meeting outof-town friends

At Rendezvous Park, just outside of Camp Travis, dances were held almost every night, the participants being the soldiers, the Red Cross and Y. M. C. A. girls, and the girls employed at the camp laundry. They were properly chaperoned and all had many pleasant hours.

We had been hearing various rumors for quite a while about going to France, and when some of the boys who had been promised furloughs began to be refused we began to think seriously about the matter.

Chapter II. Leaving The States

The Ninetieth Division was nearing completion. Other small contingents of draftees had come into the Depot Brigade and some were promptly transferred to the Division.

The gossip began to spread, ''We're going to France." There was no doubt of our going but of course no one knew definitely just when we would leave.

All outward signs revealed our expectations. Details were at work making boxes, crates, etc. Wagons, carts and harness were being painted and oiled and taken apart and crated for shipment. All men were being issued overseas equipment, and every man was required to write his name on every article in his possession. All necessary equipment that was not needed before our expected departure was packed up and designated "American Expeditionary Force.''

Infirmaries were on the job conducting the overseas physical examination and, also, completing every man's t3^phoid and smallpox inoculations. Our regimental surgeon impressed the fact upon the men that the inoculation must be on paper as well as in the arm, and warned each man to see personally that the required number of ''shots" was inserted in his service record.

Other domestic and social signs proved that we were not expected to remain in Camp Travis much longer. Men who had wives temporarily living in San Antonio began to make arrangements for them to go back ''home." Fathers and mothers flocked to San Antonio to bid good-bye to their sons. Sweethearts and sisters came to tell the boys goodb3^e, and in some instances weddings were solemnized, and the bride would bid hubby "God speed." All the boys were allowed passes as far as consistently could be arranged. The company commanders themselves did not know just when we would leave, but they would grant passes quite liberally until the final quarantine went into effect.

It was about that time that "censorship" began. We were forbidden to write or wire that we were going so soon. This seemed rather severe, because many relatives and friends failed to see some loved one and bid him a fond farewell, because they could not find out when to come or when the troop train would pass through the home-town. However, we all realized that it was necessary that we keep our intention hidden from German spies, so we took it all good-naturedly.

Thus the last few days in Camp Travis were spent in good-byes, tears and suspense until Wednesday, June 5, 191 8, one year from the first registration day, the first trainload of Camp Travis started for France, and the writer was on that train.

Our regiment was divided into three sections. The first one left the station about 10 a. m. As we rolled out northeastward over Texas we wondered when we would see the dear old Lone Star State again. Our second section caught up with us at Palestine and brought the report that one of their men had gone "over the hill" a few hours previous. His home was in that locality, and, presumptively, he was homesick. Perhaps he was later disturbed, as details of M. P.'s were promptly sent back in search of him.

About 2 a. m. we passed through the good old

28 Adventures oe the A. B. F. Soldier

town of Longview, which I had called my home for somf,e four years. I had expected everybody to be slumbering peacefully, but the news had leaked out that we were likely to come through at any time, and the town was too patriotic to allow any of the boys to go through without another good-bye, so there was a great crowd at the station. One of my friends asked me where we were going. I told him that I didn't know, and that I was not supposed to tell if I did, but we had been going directly toward France ever since we left San Antonio and we were still headed in that direction.

We arrived in Texarkana Thursday at 7 a. m., and thence pulled out through the swamps, pines, sweet gums and razor backs of dear old Arkansas. We reached Little Rock about 2 p. m., where we got off for a few minutes and indulged in a little calesthenics. We then proceeded on our journey through the northern part of the State, arriving in Poplar Bluff, Mo., about 8 p. m., where we got off and sang to the citizens that we were ''going over and would not come back till it was over over there," etc., and we told K-K-K-Katie that we'd be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door. As we continued our journey through the "show me" State many quartettes were appropriately singing the Missouri Waltz.

The next morning we awoke to find ourselves running along the side of the Great Father of Waters. We arrived in St. Louis about 8 a. m., and after a short stay we crossed the bridge to East St. Louis and started across the beautiful State of Illinois. At Mattoon, Illinois, we got off and marched through the city. It was a prosperous railroad town in a pretty prairie country, and the beauty of each was supplemented by a green law^n. In the latter respect, as well as in size, the town seemed like a twin of Beaumont, Texas. Later in the afternoon we passed through Terre Haute, Indiana, and arrived in Indianapolis about sunset. In the night we passed into Ohio and arrived in Cleveland the next morning.

All day Saturday we ran along Lake Erie enjoying the cool breeze. Between Erie, Pa., and Buffalo, we saw many grape vineyards, where an immense quantity of Bryan's favorite beverage is made each year. We arrived in Rochester about night, and after a short rest and some singing we were treated w4th ice cream, candies and cigarettes by the Red Cross. After leaving Rochester we soon reached the beautiful Catskill Mountains and the Hudson, which made a splendid combination of scenery. It was "moonlight on the Hudson," and as the cool mountain air found its way through our open windows we regretted that we had to sleep some. We arrived in New York the next morning about lo a. m., just four days and nights from the time we left Camp Travis.

Not all of the Division moved over the same route as we did. Instead of having stories of the pretty prairie farms of Illinois and Indiana, the -cold breeze of Lake Erie, the grape-juice section of Pennsylvania and New York, the scenery of the Hudson, etc., boys of other units told of the many wheat fields of Kansas, the Blue Grass of Kentucky and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

One regiment was detained in Camp Travis for several days because of the discovery of a spy. A soldier had learned the exact scheduled date of the departure and the definite route over which his unit would move. He attempted to send a cablegram to Germany disclosing all the information, but he was caught by the authorities, segregated from his organization and deprived of his trip to Germany with the other boys. The moving date of the entire regiment was deferred several days.

We enjoyed our trip from San Antonio to New York. We had splendid accommodations all the way. The train was composed exclusively of Pullman cars, with the exception of a car for baggage and a box car for the kitchen, which was on the job all the time. There were two seats to every three men, thus giving the upper berth to one man only, while the other two occupied the lower. Our meals were carried to our coaches where we were served in our mess kits. All this was some contrast to what we later encountered in traveling through France. The Red Cross was our friend at all the large cities where we stopped. The people all along the route would shout with joy as we passed by, and as we glided over the beautiful farms and saw Old Glory waving there,. as well as at the homes of the cities, we realized more than ever before that we had the best country in the world and that we must hurry on across the Atlantic and keep the fight over there, so that the pillaging Hun could not get a chance to plunder and destroy our beautiful land of the free and home of the brave.

After having crossed the ferry into Nev^ York City proper, we entrained again and went to Camp Mills, Long Island. Our stay there was rather brief. Our time was spent in completing our equipment and more overseas examinations.

Although we had seen quite a few aerial stunts in San Antonio, we kept our heads in the air a great deal at Camp Mills, because the planes were as thick as blackbirds. Those flyers were chiefly the ones who had already qualified for overseas service and were more proficient than the amateurs in the Southern camps. They could make any spin, dive or loop that the human mind can possibly conceive of.

We had plenty of rain while on Long Island which gave us an idea of what life in the muddy trenches was going to be like. We did not have our good barracks like those in Camp Travis, as Camp Mills was only a concentration camp and not used at all for training purposes. . There we lived in floorless tents. We waked up one morning to find ourselves floating in water. Some wondered if the Atlantic Ocean was out of banks. We went to work with picks and shovels ditching the water out of the tents and digging large square holes for receptacles for the surplus. Occasionally some soldier wading through the mud would suddenly plunge off into one of those holes and get a muddy bath, while the bystanders laughed.

Very few of our regiment went down to the city while we were there, although some got passes to Mineola and Jamaica. Many of the boys of the other units, however, went to ^'town'' and learned a great deal of the whims and wherefores of the world's greatest city.

We soon began to realize that we were about to tell the dear old United States good-bye, but we were all ready to go and get the job over with. We reasoned that the sooner we got over the sooner we would get back. We could not tell how long we would stay in Camp Mills. Army gossip now began to spread. Some said that we were going to Hoboken; others said that we were going through Canada or down the St. Lawrence. Others said that we were not going an3^where for a few