The Delta of the Triple Elevens Part 2

When a moment of ease presented itself during the life examination--the supply sergeant got busy and started to hand out what excess supplies he had and, in the matter of uniforms, of which there was always an undercess, measurements were taken with all the exactness and precision befitting a Fifth Avenue tailoring establishment. Why measurements were ever taken has ever remained a mystery, because almost every soldier can remember wearing his civilian clothes thread-bare by the time the supply sergeant was able to s.n.a.t.c.h up a few blouses and trousers at the quartermasters. And these in turn were pa.s.sed out to the nearest fits. It was a case of line-up and await your turn to try and get a fit, but a mental fit almost always ensued in the game of line-up for this and line-up for that in the army.

After being enmeshed in such a coil of red tape all of one whole day, 5 o'clock sounded Retreat, when instruction was given on how to stand at ease; how to a.s.sume the position of "parade-rest"; then, to snap into attention.

Evening mess was always a joyful time, as was the evening, when the soldier was free to visit the Y. M. C. A. and later the Liberty Theatre, or partake of the many other welfare activities that developed in the course of time. From the first day, however, 9:45 p.

m. was the appointed hour that called to quarters, and taps at 10 o'clock each night sounded the signal for lights out and everybody in bunk.

The inoculations were three in number, coming at ten day intervals.

When it came time for the second "jab", the paper work was well under way and the call was issued for instruction on the field of drill to begin. Many a swollen arm caused gentle memories as part of each day was gradually being given over to, first calesthenics, then to a knowledge of the school of the soldier. The recruit was taught the correct manner of salute, right and left face, about face, and double time.

Newly designated sergeants and corporals were conscripted to the task of squad supervision and many exasperating occasions arose when a recruit got the wrong "foots" in place and was commanded to "change the foots."

Meals for the first contingent of pioneer recruits ranged from rank to worse, until the boys parted company with their French civilian cooks and set up their own culinary department with Sergeant Joseph A.

Loughran, of Hazleton. Pa., in charge. August H. Genetti and Edward Campbell, both of Hazleton. Pa.; George Musial, of Miners Mills, Pa., and Charles A. Trostel, of Scranton, Pa., were installed as the pioneer cooks. By this mess change the soldiers who arrived in later contingents were served more on the American plan of cooking.

On September 21st, 1917, came the second section of the selected quotas, bringing more men to Battery D. Their reception varied little from the first contingent's, with the exception that the first arrived soldiers were on the ground to offer all kinds of advice--some of the advice almost scaring the new men stiff.

The future contingents were greeted with a more completed camp, because the construction work was continued many weeks after the soldiers began to arrive. And, in pa.s.sing, it might be recorded, that the construction work continued long after the contractors finished their contracts. Military-like it was done by "detail."

On October 4th and 5th more recruits arrived and then on November 2nd another large contingent arrived and was a.s.signed to Battery D. This was the last selected quota to be received directly into the regiment, for, thereafter, the Depot Brigade received all the newly selected men.

Almost all of the recruits of the first few contingents, including the delegation that arrived on November 2nd, came from Eastern Pennsylvania, from the Hazleton, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre districts of the Middle Anthracite Coal Fields. The delegation that arrived on November 2nd was accompanied by St. Ann's Band, of Freeland, Pa. The band remained in camp over the week-end, during which time a number of concerts were rendered. The band was highly praised for its interest and patriotism.

All the men originally a.s.signed to Battery D were not to remain with the organization throughout their military life. On October 15th, 1917, Battery D lost about half of its members in a quota of 500 of the regiment who were transferred to Camp Gordon, Georgia. On November 5th, two hundred more were transferred from the regiment and on February 5th, seventy-two left to join the Fifth Artillery Brigade at Camp Leon Springs, Texas.

The latter part of May Battery D received a share of 931 recruits sent to the regiment from the 14th Training Battalion of the 154th Depot Brigade at Camp Meade. On July 2nd and 3rd, one hundred and fifty more came to the regiment from the Depot Brigade; 540 from Camp Dix, N. J., and Camp Upton, N. Y.; fifty from the aviation fields of the South; and a quota from the Quartermaster Corps in Florida.

Many of these did not remain long with the battery. In the latter part of June and the beginning of July the battery was reduced to nearly one-half and the March replacement draft to Camp Merritt took thirty-two picked men from the regiment. This ended the transfers.

While in progress, the transfers rendered the regiment like unto a Depot Brigade. Over four thousand men pa.s.sed through the regiment, five hundred of the number pa.s.sing through Battery D.

CHAPTER V.

LEARNING TO BE A SOLDIER.

"Dress it up!"

And--

"Make it snappy!"

"One, two, three, four."

"Now you've got it!"

"That's good. Hold it!"

"Hep."

Battery D had lots of "pep" during the days of Camp Meade regime.

First Sergeant William C. Thompson, of Forest, Mississippi, kept things lively for the first few months with his little whistle, followed by the command, "Outside!"

Merrill C. Liebensberger, of Hazleton, Penna., served as the first supply sergeant of the battery. David B. Koenig, also of Hazleton, Penna., ranking first as corporal and later as sergeant, was kept busy with office work, acting in the capacity of battery clerk. Lloyd E.

Brown, of East Richmond, Indiana, served as the first instrument sergeant of the battery. John M. Harman, of Hazleton, Penna., was the first signal-sergeant to be appointed.

It might be remarked in pa.s.sing that Messrs. Thompson, Liebensberger, and Harman were destined for leadership rank. Before the outfit sailed for overseas all three had gained application to officers' training schools, and were, in the course of time, commissioned as lieutenants.

Battery Clerk Koenig continued to serve the outfit in an efficient manner throughout its sojourn in France. Instrument-Sergeant Brown early in 1918 answered a call for volunteers to go to France with a tank corps. While serving abroad he succ.u.mbed to an attack of pneumonia and his body occupies a hero's resting place in foreign soil.

A wonderful spirit was manifested in the affairs of Battery D despite the fact that the constant transfer of men greatly hampered the work of a.s.sembling and training a complete battery for active service in France. Men who spent weeks in mastering the fundamentals of the soldier regulations were taken from the organization, to be replaced by civilians, whereby the training had to start from the beginning. This caused many changes in plans, systems, and policies.

Rejections were also made for physical disabilities.

For the greater part of the Camp Meade history of the battery, the organization lacked sufficient men to perform all the detail work.

Thus days and days pa.s.sed without any military instruction being imparted.

Instruction in army signalling by wigwag and semaph.o.r.e was started whenever a squad or two could be spared from the routine of detail.

Then followed instruction on folding horse blankets, of care of horses and harness, and lessons in equitation, carried out on barrels and logs.

Stables and corrals were in the course of construction. By the time snow made its appearance in November horses were received, also more detail.

First lessons in the duties of gun-crews and driving squads were also attempted. Materiel was a minus quant.i.ty for a long time, wooden imitations sufficing for guns until several 3.2's were procured for the regiment. Later on the regiment was furnished with five 3-inch U. S. field pieces. Training then a.s.sumed more definite form. For weeks and weeks the gun crews trained without any prospects of ever getting ammunition and firing actual salvos.

Learning to be a soldier also developed into a process of going to school. Men were a.s.signed to attend specialty cla.s.ses. Schools were established for gunners, schools for snipers, schools for non-commissioned officers. Here it might be stated that the first non-coms envied the buck-privates when it came to attending non-commissioned officers' school one night a week when all the bucks were down enjoying the show at the Y hut or the Liberty Theatre.

Schools were started for all kinds of special and mechanical duty men; schools to teach gas-defense; buzzer schools; telephone schools; smoke-bomb and hand-grenade courses; and map-reading and sketching schools. Sergeant Earl H. Schleppy, of Hazleton, Penna., who a.s.sisted in the battery office work before he was appointed supply-sergeant, developed extra lung capacity while the various schools were in progress. It became his duty to a.s.semble the diverse cla.s.ses prior to the start of instruction. He was kept busy yelling for the soldiers to a.s.semble for cla.s.s work.

It soon developed in the minds of the men that war-time military life was mostly drudgery with only the personal satisfaction of doing one's duty. Hardships and drudgery, however, did not mar the ambition of the soldier for recreation. Baltimore and Washington were nearby and pa.s.ses were in order every Sat.u.r.day to visit these cities.

Wednesday and Sat.u.r.day afternoons, during the first few months of camp life, were off-periods for the soldiers, but later Wednesday afternoon developed as an afternoon of sport and the men took keen interest in the numerous athletic interests which were promoted.

On Tuesday, November 6th, a half-holiday was proclaimed and Election Day observed throughout the camp. The soldiers who availed themselves of the opportunity of marking the complicated soldier ballot that was provided, cast the last vote, in many instances, until after their official discharge.

Daily hikes were on the program in the beginning to develop a hardness of muscle in the new soldiers. Lieut. Robert Campbell was in charge of the majority of the daily hikes at the off-set. His hobby was to hike a mile then jaunt a mile. When it came to long distant running Lieut.

Campbell was on the job. He made many a soldier sweat in the attempt to drag along the hob-nailed field shoes on a run. Hikes later were confined to Wednesday afternoon.

Battery D always put up a good showing in the numerous athletic contests. On Sat.u.r.day, November 10th, the Battery won the second banner in the Inter-Battalion Meet; in celebration of which a parade and demonstration was held on the afternoon of the victory day.

Music was not lost sight of. The boys of Battery D collected the sum of $175 for the purchase of a piano for barrack 019. Phil Cusick, of Parsons, Penna., was the one generally sought out to keep the ivories busy. November 19th witnessed the first gathering together of the regiment on the parade grounds for a big song fest under the leadership of the divisional music director. Battery and battalion song jubilees were conducted at intervals in the O block Y hut.

CHAPTER VI.

FLEETING HOURS OF LEAVE