Twenty-one boys from Watonwan County yielded up their lives in the great world war. They died for their country and for us who are living. We love them and cherish their memory. In order that their gallant and heroic deeds, and those of their companions in arms be preserved for all time, this book is published, and to them it is dedicated.
The boys below did return from their service, and their history is given as follows:
ARTHUR BLACKSTAD - (1)
Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Blackstad, of La Salle. Inducted into the service on July 24th, at St. James, Minn., as a private in the Infantry section of the National Arm. Assigned to Co.. H. 54th Pioneers. Trained at Camp Wadsworth. From July 28th to August 20th, and then at Camp Stuart. Was sunstruck at Camp Wadsworth, and was in the hospital 3 or 4 days, and also at New Portsman, VA.
EDMUND JOSEPH COUGHLIN - (2)
First class private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Coughlin, of Long Lake. Was inducted into the service May, 1918, as a private. Originally assigned into to Co. G. 50th Reg., 20th Div., of the Infantry, at Jefferson Barracks, Mo. Trained at Jefferson Barracks, Edgewood, Md., South Baltimore. Camp Mills, N. J., Camp Sevier, S. C., Camp Dix., N. J. Discharged from service at Camp Dix. Jan 31, 1919 as a first class private. Was member of Battery C. previous to his indictment.
OLIVER KOLSTAD - (3)
Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Kolstad of St. James. Inducted into the service on Feb. 23rd, 1918, at St. James, Minn., as a private in the Infantry section of the National Army. Assigned to Co., M. 117th Reg., 30th Division, at Camp Dodge, Iowa. Trained at Camp Sevier, S. C. Embarked from New York, on the Ansel, May 11th, and arrived at Liverpool, England, May 23rd, 1918. Went to Calais, France, and then to the Eperlecques Training Area. Transferred to 2nd British Corps, Second Army in Ypres. Marched to Belgium July 4th, and went into first action. Wounded on Sept. 29th by a machine bullet, which went through his hand. In Second Southern General Hospital at Bristol, England, from Oct. 1st to the latter part of October, and then in the U. S. Military Hospital, South Hanstad, England, until Dec. 1st. Was at Boubey, France. Arrived at Charleston, N. C., March 27th, 1919, and was discharged from service at Camp Dodge, Iowa, April 10th, 1919, as a private.
JOHN C. MATHISTAD - (4)
Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Christ Mathistad of Odin. Inducted into the service on April 29th, 1918, at St. James, Minn., as a private in the Infantry section of the National Army. Assigned to Co. B. 350th Inf., 88th Div., at Camp Dodge. Embarked from Hoboken, Aug. 8th.
EMIL REWITZER - (5)
Corporal, son of Mrs. Mary Ludvig, of St. James. Inducted into the service on April 13th 1917, at St. James, Minn., as a private in the Coast Artillery section of the National Army. Promoted from private to corporal Jan. 1st, 1918. Embarked from Hoboken, N. J., on the U. S. Siboney, Sept. 6th and arrived at Brest, France, Sept, 15th. Unloaded boats and work at docks at Brest and St. Nazaire. Stationed at Brest, St. Nazaire, Le Mans, France. Embarked for the U. S. A. Feb 25, on the ship "Aeiolus," and arrived at Azore Islands, March 3rd. Stayed there 3 days for coal and water, and March 13th arrived at Newport News, Va. Went to Camp Hill and stayed there for one week, and then left for Camp Grant, Ill. Discharged from service at Camp Grant, March 31st, 1919, as a corporal.
WILL C. NIEMEIER - (6)
Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Niemeier, of South Branch. Inducted into the service on Oct. 23, 1918, as a private. Assigned to Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico. Discharged from service at Camp Cody, November 2, 1918, as a psychoneurasis.
EMANUEL VICTOR BLOOM - (7)
Son of Aug. Gloom, St. James. Inducted into the service Oct. 3rd 1917, at Melstone, Mont., as a private in the Infantry section of the National Army. Assigned to Co., H. 362nd Inf., 91st Division, at Camp Lewis, Wash. Trained at Camp Lewis from Oct. 6th to June 24th, 1918, and then at Camp Merritt, N. J., 6 days to July 1st. Promoted from private to corpora, Oct 27th, 1918 Arrived at Liverpool, England, Juy 17th, 1918. Trained a month at Montigny, France, and was then sent to the St Mihiel front, where he was in reserve for 2 days. Transferred to the Mense-Argonne front, arriving there the evening of Sept. 25th. On the morning of the 26th he went over the top with his company and fought for eight days and nights without relief. On Oct. 4th his company was relieved and had 2 days rest, then sent back into the lines for 5 more days of hard fighting. Was then sent to Belgium for 2 weeks rest and was again sent to the front and was chasing the Huns when the armistice was signed. Arrived at Hoboken on homeward trip on April 14th, 1919, and was discharged from Fort Russell, Wyoming, April 3rd, 1919, as a corporal.
WILLIAM RATHKE- (8)
Private, son of Mrs. Augustus Rathke of South Branch. A write up appears in another page of this book.
HILMA NELSON - (9)
Yeowoman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Nelson, of St. James. Enlisted into the service on Sept 18th, 1918, at Minneapolis, Minn. Assigned to U. S. S. Triton, Naval Operations. Transferred to Washington, D. C. Released from active duty and placed in inactive reserve list, Yeowoman U. S. Naval Reserve Force.
MARTIN O. HUNSTAD - (10)
Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil G. Hunstad, of Butterfield. Inducted into the service on Oct. 23rd, 1918, at St. James, Minn. as a private in the Engineers' section of the National Army. Assigned to 13th Engineers at Camp Forest, Georgia. Transferred to Co., 8, 163rd Depot Brigade, at Camp Dodge. Discharged from service at Camp Dodge, Iowa, Jan 7th, 1919, as a private.
SELMER MATHISTAD - (11)
Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Christ Mathistad, of Butterfield. Inducted into the service on July 24th, 1918 at St. James, Minn. as a private in the Infantry section of the National Army. Assigned to Co. I, 4th Pioneer Infantry, at Camp Wadsworth, S. C. Transferred to Co. L. 113th Reg., 29th Div. Embarked from Camp Stuart, Newport News, Va. Aug 23rd., 1918 and arrived at St. Nazaire.
PHILIP LAWRENCE HENDERSON - (12)
Sergeant, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Henderson, of Echols. Inducted into the service on July 24, 1918, as a private. Originally assigned to Co. I, 4th Pioneer Infantry, at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina. Transferred in France to 29th Div. Promoted from private to corporal, and then to sergeant. Embarked from New York, Sep 23 1918, and arrived at France, October 6th, 1918. Was at the front the day of the armistice. Spent the winter and spring in France. Mustered out at Camp Dodge, July 24th, 1919.
ELMER JOSEPH SETRUM - (13)
Sergeant, son of Mrs. Josephine Setrum, of St. James. Inducted into the service on July 24th, 1918, at St. James, as a private in the Infantry section of the National Army. Assigned to Co. I, 4th Pioneers, at Camp Wadsworth. Trained there from July 24th to Sept. 18th, 1918. Transferred to Hdqu. Co., 113th Inf., 29th Division. Promoted from private to sergeant Aug 31st, 1918. Arrived in St. Nazaire, France, Oct. 6th 1918. Trained in France at Le Mans from Oct. 15th to the 24th and back of the St. Mihiel sector from the 10th of Nov. till the 15th, and then stationed at Bourbonne Les Raines. Discharged from service at Camp Dodge, May 28th 1919, as a sergeant.
OLAV K. HOVDEN - (14)
His history will be in another place in this book. This picture represent first aid.
HAROLD DEWAR DODGE - (15)
First class private. Enlisted into the service on April 6th 1918, at International Falls, Minn., in the Field Artillery. Assigned to Jefferson Barracks, and then to Bat. D, 9th F. A., at Ft. Sill, Okla., then transferred to Hdq. Co., May 7th. Transferred to central officers' training camp, at Camp Stanley, Texas, Oct 5th. Promoted to first class private Aug 25th, 1918. Discharged from service at Camp Stanley, Dec. 7th, 1918, as a private, first class.
LEWIS REWITZER - (16)
Private, son of Mrs. Mary Ludwig, of St. James. Inducted into the Naval section of the Marine Corps. Trained at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. Discharged from service at Great Lakes N. T. S., March 27th, 1919.
HENRY T. BLACKSTAD - (17)
Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Blackstad. Was inducted into the service Feb. 22nd, 1918, as a private in the 313th Supply Train of the 88th Division of the National Army. He was transferred to Camp Donophin, Oklahoma, and attached to the 129th Machine Gun Battalion, 35th Division. In April 1918 he left for Camp Mills, New York, and in May sailed for overseas. After a short training in France he went into action on the Alsac front in July and fought in the Mense-Argonne offensives from Sept. 26th, until he was wounded, Oct 1st by shrapnel in the left arm. He was in the hospital for a month and in April 1919, was returned from overseas and discharged at Camp Grant, on May 3rd.
EMIL CARLSON - (18)
Corporal. Inducted into the service on Sept. 9th 1917, at St. James, as a private in the Cavalry section of the National Army. Assigned to 2nd M. P., 88th Division, at Camp Dodge. Trained there from Sept. 10th, 1917, till Aug. 9th, 1918. Promoted from private to corporal.
JOSEPH MONSON - (19)
His military history and picture appears on another page of this book.
ARCHIE LAYTON SCHUTZ - (20)
Sergeant, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex P. Schutz, of St. James. Inducted into the service on Feb. 27th, 1918, at Minneapolis, Minn., as a private in the Aviation section of the Regular Army. Assigned to 15th Co., 4th M. A. S. Trained at Camp Hancock, Augusta, Ga., from March 2nd, 1918, till April 16th 1918, and at Camp Greene, Charlotte, N. C., from April 19th, 1918 till July 10th 1918. Promoted from private to sergeant May 1st, 1918, and from sergeant to sergeant, first class, May 9th, 1918. Arrived in Liverpool, England, July 30th 1918. Trained in Tours, France, in the 2nd Aviation Instr. Center from Aug. 5th, till Jan. 10th 1919, and at Le Mans France, from Jan. 10th, 1919, till June 9th, 1919. Discharged from service at Camp Dodge, July 12th, 1919, as a sergeant, first class.
In the World War 1917, 1918, 1919
St. James Plaindealer
St. James, MN
(publishing date unknown)
