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FALLON COUNTY
O’Fallon Flashbacks
Copyright 1975 O'Fallon Historical Society, Baker, Montana. ALL RIGHTS RESEVED
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The American Legion Story
Two Veterans of World War I, Charles Shepherd and Thomas Lloyd Owen, taken on Veteran's Day 1969.
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HISTORY OF FALLON POST #35
AMERICAN LEGION
by T. L. Owen
Wade Goble, former Captain of Company 1, Montana National Guard of Baker, Montana, must be given credit for being the father of Post #35. As the boys returned home from World War 1, in the summer of 1919, he put in considerable time and effort in promoting the idea of a post. Larry Busch, as correspondent, wrote to the Helena Headquarters asking for permission to start such a post under the name of Fallon. We were then asked to submit a list of names of a sufficient number of veterans which would warrant the approval of such a request. The following names were sent in to Helena; Wade Goble, Lawrence Busch, Arthur Lockhart, Denzil Young, Jay Blazek, Carl Hansen, Thomas L. Owen, Don Goe, Ralph Keener, Clarence Trandum, W. R. McDonald, Lloyd Kelling, G. J. Silvernale, Harry Schenck and R. B. Riggs.
On receipt of this list by Helena, we were given permission to go ahead and hold an election and organize, which we did on October 24, 1919. We received our Charter from Helena on October 29, 1919.
The first anniversary of Armistice Day, in the Pearce Hall, later Graingers Hall, was when and where we held our first meeting and election. Previous to this there had been considerable discussion as to who should have the preference in managing the affairs of the organization. Some thought it should be the overseas veterans, and some thought it should be the volunteers in preference to the draftees. This discrimination had not worked for harmony in the service. For several months, after war was declared, the insignia on the blouse of the jacket collar gave the status of a soldier: U.S. only for old regulars or volunteers in the regular army; U.S.N.G. for National Guard; U.S.N.A. was for National Army or Draftees. In the spring of 1918, the order came out for U.S. Only, putting all the servicemen on a common status. The V.F.W. (Veterans of Foreign Wars) held that only overseas veterans were entitled to be members.
Our first election, however, went smoothly. Ed Hanson, brother of Al Hanson, the abstracter, a draftee with overseas service, was elected our first commander. Larry Busch, also a draftee, was elected Adjutant. Such good feelings were so obvious that the election wound up in an "hilarious" party.
We then put on a membership campaign for charter members that would be included with those who had joined at the first. One hundred names of Charter Members now appear on the walls of our clubroom. We had several meetings at the Pearce Hall. About that time the Baker National Bank moved from what was to become the Hanson Abstract Building, to the building on the southwest corner of Main Street and Highway 12. The building to which the Bank had moved had been a grocery store during the War and had had a fire which was confined mostly to the basement. The Bank offered the Legion the use of the basement, rent free, if we would clean it out, paint it and make it into desirable quarters.
This was our first great challenge. Several loads of garbage, scrapings from the charred joists and trash were hauled away. We washed down the walls, painted them and gathered mostly donated furniture to make our meeting place decent.
The first group to take on the Legion name was the Legion Quartet. It got together mostly to aid in the presidential campaign of Warren Harding in 1920. The first members were Denzil Young, Don Goe, John Barger (Midland Lumber Co. Manager) and Lloyd Owen. Barger was later transferred and Lorin Bruggeman joined us. Goe left and was replaced by Bob Parks (an M.D.U. man). When Parks left John Swindal (Manager of the Red Owl Store) took his place. These last four, Young, Owen, Bruggeman and Swindal, were active until Bruggeman left in 1941. In these 21 years the quartet probably aided in 100 funerals, were given honorary membership in the Miles City Half Century Club and entertained at Highway 12 meetings from Forsyth, Montana, to Lemmon, South Dakota.
Our next efforts were in getting old Company I reorganized. The summer of 1919 had been a tragic one as far as crops were concerned. Then followed a winter which caused a severe loss of livestock. Some State and Federal Money, in drill pay, would help the community, especially boys who were in high school. Most of the veterans had had all the army they cared for and it was difficult to get volunteer officers. Finally Scotty Cough signed up as Captain, Lloyd Owen as First Lieutenant, and Frank Kuss and Second Lieutenant. They were commissioned in 1923, the year the banks closed. The old Flax Mill, across the tracks and northeast of Baker, was the Armory. The Company attended State Encampments in Helena for three years, put on a sham battle in the hills south of town for the Fourth of July entertainment, which was attended by a huge crowd. Interest began to lag and in 1926 the Company failed its inspection and the National Guard was given to Glendive.
In 1923 all three of our banks were closed by the State Inspectors, as a result of losses in 1919-1920. Charles Russell, as receiver of the Baker State Bank, in attempting to liquidate some of its assets, offered the Legion the old Chinese Laundry Building, which was located on the lot now occupied by the Valley Motor Company, for $600.00. To help finance the purchase of this building, several young citizens of the town who were not eligible to become Legion members, organized the Baker Athletic Club. This club was valuable in promoting athletic events. We went into this wholeheartedly. Following the Preamble to our Legion Constitution we could now aid Community, State and Nation. We reactivated the Boy Scouts under James Mann, a teacher, and gave them a clubroom and training quarters. The Women's Club was given an area upstairs for its first real library quarters. The building had a full basement, which we equipped with shower bath, official wrestling mats, dumb bells, wall exercisers, medicine ball, etc. Several high school boys used this equipment and the boys were used in the preliminaries of some of our wrestling matches and boxing bouts. Our basketball team, along with the high school ball team, used the present Community Church building (before it was turned around) for a gymnasium. The team played towns up and down the Milwaukee Railroad line as well as Ekalaka, which was our main competition. They often used freight trains for transportation. We could brag of a proud record. We even beat a traveling Indian Team. We give Foster Roberts, who was then working for Burns Brothers Garage, considerable credit for the success of the team as he was a semi-pro from Wisconsin. We matched Billy Petroli, the "Fargo Flash," who later performed in Madison Square Garden in New York City, with a Cavenaugh of Glendive. This was our main event one Fourth of July. The stage of the Lake Theater was often used for boxing, wrestling, home talent and minstrel shows. Larry Burns picked up a big husky who claimed to be a fighter. Larry gave him a job in the garage and put him in training, and advertised him as the "Pride of Baker" with Larry Burns as his manager. The "Pride of Baker" was matched with Silver Perry of Billings who, at that time, had an excellent reputation as a boxer. After three rounds of the fight Baker lost its "Pride," flat on his back on the canvas. Our fighter then stole a car and left town.
Slim Niccum, our popular barber, had had words and had exchanged a swing or two with a farmer, Dick Chesmore. This affair was taken up by the townsmen who got the two men signed up for a bout. Both the men were good sports and went along
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with the idea as soon as their tempers subsided. Our good friend, Karl Pleissner, editor of our local newspaper, played up their training and roadwork, week after week in the newspaper. The training was largely fictitious, as after three rounds of boxing neither one could lift a fist and the referee awarded a draw.
In this period of events, we must give credit to those who offered their help in staging many affairs: Bob Askins of Ismay, one time World's Champion Cowboy, the two Heiser boys, Clarence and Birney, from Marmarth. Who had been trained by their father since childhood, as well as Cecil Hosman and Walter Schoedy, also of Marmarth.
By 1926 we had the building and all equipment paid for.
In 1928 George Hough offered our present building for sale. it had been built in 1914 by Mr. Olton of Terry, Montana for a theater, dance hall, basketball court and armory for Company I. The high school used it until 1918 as a gymnasium when Mr. Olton sold it to George Hough for a garage. Financially the building was not a success for Olton during the war as most of the young men had left for the service and the wartime effort had discouraged free spending.
Buying the building was not conceived as feasible by many as it had had two fires in the stage end, was stained with smoke and
exhaust fumes from cars, it had oil soaked floors and general neglect. It looked pretty discouraging, but the town craved a city center; a good place for the activities it had formerly held. By selling our old building to Jack Baker for a hatchery for $600.00, using our savings and getting a loan of $5,000 from Pete McArthur, a bartender at Jim Oven's Saloon, we were able to go ahead with the purchase of the building. Many of the townsmen fell right into the reconstruction job. The walls and ceiling were of ornamental sheet metal which had to be scrubbed down and painted. The hard wood floor which was oil soaked and partly broken up was pried up, the nails pulled out and the boards trucked to Ekalaka to a planing mill after which they were trucked back and relaid. A kitchen was set off to the south of the stage and two club rooms were constructed. One on each side of the large wide entrance. The Legion met in the south room and the Auxiliary met in the north one. There was a balcony overhead for the cheering section, and benches were made along two sides for the audience. Then the job began for the payment of our indebtedness.
Lloyd Owen was elected hall manager. We organized a basketball team. Dr. R. T. Joyce and Dr. Barr took that over as their contribution to the effort, and we had a team which held up with the competition. We sponsored the Harlem Globe Trotters and the Terrible Swedes. The high school used the hall as a "gym" until the one behind the old high school was built in 1935. Otto Kuss, a nationally known wrestler of Minnesota, was matched with a Butte man. An elevated ring was erected for this with sloping circus type seats surrounding the ring on all four sides. We originated the playing of Bingo, later Bingo. Several appliance and auto shows, with booths along the sides, were held. We booked several A-1 orchestras. We didn't realize much profit on these, but it gave the populace the privilege of hearing some top music. Remember we had little radio and no TV at that time.
Four of the Auxiliary members, Tilly Kuss, Neva Trandum, Evelyn Hitch and Laura Owen, took on the project of raising $100 for a piano by having a weekly Saturday morning doughnut sale. They made as many as a hundred dozen at a sitting.
When the fair grounds were being built up in 1930, under J. 0. Hembre, County Agent, the Fair Board gave the Legion the exclusive on the operation of Bingo at the fair. They made it an understanding with the carnivals that they weren't to have any Bingo stands. Holgar (Bunny) Trandurn was in charge of the stand for the Legion, and a permanent stand was constructed. One year our profits ran as high as $300. It seemed that Indian Blankets were the most desired prizes. Up to 100 were disposed of.
The American Legion annual minstrel shows put very nice money into our treasury. They were held in the Lake Theater and one year we put on a performance in Ekalaka. Larry Busch was the Interlocutor and was the only white man. The Legion Quartet took the places of the end men. Eight other men completed the chorus. All were done up as darkies.
The hall became the official place for election returns and often was a lively place until daybreak. On one such occasion, Leon LaCross managed our refreshment stand. We sold a hamburger with a bun, pickle and mustard for 10 cents. Coffee with cream and sugar was 5 cents. We used up all the hamburger in town and made almost $100 profit. No inflation then!
One District Convention at Baker was outstanding. It was held in November during the duck season. Three members, sportsmen, took on the idea of furnishing the delegates with a duck supper. Of the 100 present, each was served half a mallard. Following this the dance refreshments were spiked with the produce of one Baker citizen and twenty gallons of "home brew," which was made up and bottled by a secret trio. Remember this was during the prohibition days and a great time was had by all.
Another occasion of special note was a District Convention in Ismay. It was held in the old Erlingburt building. The most interesting feature was going out back in the ice house and finding your own bottle or bottles by digging through the sawdust and ice. This was another successful meeting!!
Two different winters we rented the hall to Joe Merz of Marmarth, North Dakota for once a week roller-skating. It was somewhat hard on the floor, but contributed to our sinking funds. Volleyball teams were sponsored by business houses and produced an extreme interest about town. Even indoor baseball was carried on.
All this time George Vinton, court reporter for Judge Felt who was located here, acted as our service man to the veterans without pay. He made out claims, arranged for hospitalization and wrote numerous letters for us. Many a veteran owes him deep gratitude.
From the first, the Post has always arranged Memorial Day services, which pay tribute to the Veterans of all wars. Their graves were decorated in Baker, Ollie and Plevna. These observances were held in the Lake Theater until our own hall was serviceable with piano and chairs.
Andy Spisla took a great interest in the years just previous to World War II in promoting activities to pay off the debt and he continued until we were able to burn the mortgage in 1944. We left the hall unencumbered for the new batch of World War II Veterans.
The history of Fallon Post #35 would not be complete without the story of the "Last Man's Club." This was instigated by Joe Pugh, a local barber in 1941. We were in another war and another group of veterans would soon be with us. All World War I veterans were eligible but were given one year to join and then the roll was closed forever. The main stipulation was that you had to be a Legion member in good standing for your name to remain on the roll. We started with 64 members. R. R. (Bud) Stevens was elected our first Commander and he has carried the office ever since. As far as those remaining, 18 of the 64 may still be living but only 12 are in good standing. At our dinner in 1970 we had ten members present. The last two members who are left are to be awarded the bank dues which at this time amount to about $400, and they are to go to a National Legion Convention, if physically possible.
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Emil Veroy was the first of the group to pass away. The idea for the "Last Man's Club- - was instigated by the experience all a detachment of English .Colonial Soldiers in World War I who were stationed in the Dardenells at Gallipoli guarding against the Turks. They failed to get reinforcements when needed and died to the last man, as did Davy Crockett at the Alamo. They knew they were trapped, and their song became our theme song, and here it is.
I sit neath the broken rafter The walls around are bare; It seems to send back the peals of laughter; It seems as the dead are there.
Now drink to your glasses steady, This world is a world of lies; Our glass to the dead already, Hurrah for the next man who dies.
My story now ends, and I recommend that Coleman Krokker, Jr. continues the history, as he was the first Veteran of World War I I to join the post. I hope this will be what is necessary to give you an understanding of what Fallon Post # 35 had done in its first 26 years, 1919 to 1944.
Thomas Lloyd Owen
Editors note: Mr. T. L. Owen was the first member of the American Legion Post #35 to be awarded a Lifetime Membership.
VETERANS
WORLD WAR I
*KILLED IN SERVICE
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*George Abrams *Harry Abrams Louis Ames Oliver Ames Carl Bessert John Birkeland Jay Blazek Bert Brandt *Roy Breckenridge Jim Brennan Larry Burns Larry Busch Clarence Carlson *Orrie Carter Rex Chilton "Scotty" Clough Glen Doering John Doering Ed Ehret William J. Eilek Walter Evers Ward Gobel Don Goe Charles Haftle
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Carl Hansen Ed Hanson *Herb Haven Otto Hoenke Bill Hubbard Isaac Inngram Walter Jensen *Roy Johnson Ralph Keener Eph Keirle Lloyd Kelling Louis Konan Frank Kuss Leon LaCross William Lambert Hubert Lawson Frank Lentz Arthur Lockhart Karl Losing Rudolph Lutts Joe Mason W.R. McDonald Clifford Moody Red Morrison |
Bill Murphy Jack Murphy Warren Nash Andy North Bob O'Brien Jimmy O'Connor William Ohlrich William Ollrog Lloyd Owen Harold Patton Bud Perry Clyde Pugh Joe Pugh R.B. Riggs Ernest Riner Norman Rost Ira Sanborn Harry Schenck *Henry Schell Arthur Shear Charles Shephard Christ Sherva Grant Silvernale Harold Silvernale |
Quency Sinclair *Harold Sinclair Ed Skelton Bert Slater Glen Slater Lloyd Smith Oscar Soderling Clifford Sparks Andy Spisla Bud Stamen Bill Stieg R.R. Stevens Clarence Trandum Emil Veroy Elmer Wang Paul Warren Nick Wellenstein *Sam Woodard Ray Wyman Owen Wyman Frank Yonish Denzil Young Germaine Zook
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World War I tank, Bud Stamen standing in front of the tank, picture loaned by Viola Braun Stith.
Elmer Wang at Fort Lewis, Washington, 1917, picture loaned by Laura Wang -Holder.
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WORLD WAR II
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Jesse E. Anderson Lawrence L. Askins Richard H. Atkinson Martin Anderson *Steve Avender William Angelo Andrew Andolshek Gerald Agler Edward Alexander George W. Brantley Frank J. Bretzel Frank Buck Christie G. Bush Charles Ballou Dwight L. Beach Thomas L. Beck E. E. Brewer Theadore Bruha George L. Bulman Lowell Bergstrom Jesse E. Barstow William Buerkle George Benner Roger Buell Clifford Beach Ora L. Blanchard Robert Bergstrom *John Bergstrom Richard Beach LeRoy Bergstrom Herbert E. Bechtold William Beck James K. Brandemihl Kenneth Briggs Frank Blutt John Breen Nelson Brownson Victor Berg Joseph Burnosky Herbert Burkhardt Donald Blair David Briggs Charles Breen Herbert Bertsch Ralph Braatz John J. Bechtold Theodore Bertsch Walter Bertsch Delmas Baird William Bohle Emmet Ball George Bermer Laura Bailey William Burkle Bernard Beckman Jack Carter Robert Carter Alfred Christnot Patrick W. Cleveland Richard E. Cleveland Chester Coons Harvey Coons James C. Currey Robert Koening Irvin Keirle Art Kuhl Harry Konan Violet Klein Patrick LaBreck Edwin Locken Myrle Louis Frances LaCross Charles Lambert Christ Lang Earl Leishner Norman Leishner Donald Lentz Howard Lintreedt Emil Lovec Laurence Ludvig Roger Lunder Orrin Lee Clarence Lamphere Warren Lee Robert Larson Robert Lentz William Lee Ernest Lang Leonard Leischner Clarence Leischner Oliver Leischner Isadore Leischner Raymond Leischner Dwight Loutzenhiser Jack Lentz Agnes Leonard Mike Lewis Leonard Lambert Laverne McCord Leonard McKnight J. D. McLeon Vergil Major M. A. Malley Gene Malmquis Paul Most Donald Munro Edwart Myers Alfred MacKay Everette McNaney Joseph McQuillan Raymond Madler Stanley Mastin John Mellor Charles Moody Frances Myer Samuel Myer Reinhardt Myer Harold Muhs Scott Mitchell Eldon Mengel Robert Meccage Curtis Myhre Arthur Martin Hugh Morris Vern Morrison Fred Morrison Elmer Martyn Harold Wiseman William Woolston Emmanuel Wenz Joan Williams *Emil Wasnuck Arthur Wasnuck Lawerence Wagner
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Marion Callen Colin E. Cameron Terrance M. Cameron Edward A. Celander Howard G. Conine Wayne Cox *Chester Critchfield Eugene R. Crowe J. Patrick Carey Esmond Carey Ruby Cretsinger Harley Celander Edward Cox *Leonard Chesnover Viola Chesnover David Collie Robert Conn Thomas P. Cunningham Leonard Cozad Ernest G. Christman Hollis Cretsinger Everett Cook Franklin Cunningham Edward W. Coons Dan Cox Gerald Cherry James E. Carey Felix Cunningham Clair Cat Joe Cunningham Elizabeth Christianson Mable Christianson Duane R. Dague Malvin G. Dague Warren Dally Charles F. Dawson Charles R. Donald William R. Downey Austin R. Duncan William Dacy Franklin Dietz Frank DuChane John Doyle Owen DuChane Vernon Dobeck Edward Darst Robert Denson Eugene Duppler Elmer Drew Thomas Doyle Forrest Duffield Robert Dobeck Thomas Daniel Edward Ehret Thomas Eilek Harry Engstrom Richard Engstrom Edwin Eisenbeisz Robert Eilek *A. F. Ernswiler Ervin Freier Earl Fries Eugene Fuch Robert Middagh Clifford Moody Patrick Murphy Stanley Mastin Rodger Myhre Roy McNaney John Mellor Robert McGuire Robert Mitchell James Nies Clarence Northrop Thomas Nielson John Navjocks Edward Nelson Harold O'Connor Patrick O'Connor Robert Olson Vernon Olson Michael O'Conner Howard O'Loughlin Wayne Olson Dale Olson John Olson Daniel O'Conner Herbert Oster Robert O'Donnell Edward O'Brien Albert Oster Wanda Olson Anna Olson Lester Peabody Dan Peterson Larrie Phelps Edward Pederson Drury Phebus Cecil Plummer Lewellyn Price, Jr. Paul Pearson James Plummer Robert Proctor Karl Pleissner Lorentine Pleissner Ivan Pederson Everett Plummer Charles Plummer Harold Peck Carl Preuss Orie Pratt Carl Preuss Orie Pratt Lyle Pratt Lyle Perry Billy Pratt Luis Peterson Kenneth Pratt Deme Poulos Carl Quam Albert Quenzer Fred Quenzer James Roencraz Bernard Rakes Sanford Reese Scott Richey John Rieger Raymond Wagner Leon Wagner Charles Weinschrott Axel Qirnan Daniel Wash, Jr. Arthur Werth Arthur Wang |
Bert Frye William Ferguson Walter Flint Richard Follmer Raymond Ferguson LaVern Freimark Kenneth Freeze Emil Freir Raymond Fost C. E. Frazier Rudy Groshell Hans Groth G. R. Gray George Gorski Edward Gonsiorosky George Gunderson Glen Gulbranson George Grainger Clarence Gariott Jane Meyer Galligher Harold Greenlee John Giesler Robert Gordon Harry Gregerson Lawrence Goroski Lyman Hall Thomas Heggen Eugene Hendricks Lowell Height Wallace Horn Kenneth Hunter Gavin Hunter John Harwood Ernest Hansen Milford Hansen Marvin Hanson Leon Hilton Vern Hitchcock William Holmquist Myron Huber Theodore Huber J. C. Hufford Melvin P. Hufford Raymond Hall William Harris Leon Huber Henning Haydal George Hitchcock Daniel Hackett Kenneth Huber Patrick Honstain Myron Harris Jack Hanley Earl Holmes *Lloyd Harris Leon Hilton Clarence Halverson David Heskett Alvin Hasty Philip Hanratty Roy Huber Earl Hall Russell Householder Robert Rieger Richard Rieger Harvey Rost Martin Roth Kenneth Rozell Richard Russell Julius Rabe Walter Roth *Paul Rieger Melvin Rabe Eugene Russell John Rozek Edward Roth Henry Rambur Ross Richey Theodore Rambur Ben Rieger Clayton Rost Clinton Rost Francis Roget Ralph Rustad Elmer Repplinger Phina Rieger *Chaplain F.M. Richert *Sig Rusley Donald Scholtz James Setinc E. M. Suffield Joseph Snyder Inez Sather Otto Schaeffer James Scheimer Alfred Scheuffle John Schmitz David Scoles Donald Seaman Harold Seeley Edward Sieler Theodore Sleeth Rollo Smith Charles Smola Ernest Sparks Wayne Speelmon Harold Stallard Howard Stark Raphael Steffes Milan Steiber Gotthilf Schmidt Clinton Shepherd Samuel Schell Wilbert Schweigert Jack Seeley Berthold Schell Oscar Sawyer Arron Sieler Charles Samsel, Jr. Martin Setinc Dale Smeltzer Oscar Selden Howard Schimmel Robert Schendel *Gottfred Schlecht Dan Salsbury Eldon Sanborn Monte Wolenetz Sten Wiman Eugene Wellenstein Fred Wenz Vernon West Derrell Wildish Fredrick Williams, Jr. |
Walter Hanna Floyd Hansen Hubertus Halmans James Haggerty Glen Hasty Herbert Huber Melvin Hufford *Jean Hanley Leonard Hoenke Robert Hall James Hall Gordon Hufford George Hanley Virgil Higgins *Delbert Halsey *Donald Halsey Galin Inman Donald Isakson L. W. Jardee A. W. Johnstone William Jordon Robert Irvine Delmar Jensen William Jesperson George Johnson Odd Ingeman Johnson Robert E. Johnson Virgill Jordon Lorene Janz Floyd Jensen Albert Janz Hazel Jardee Lloyd Johnson Orville Jorgenson Earl Jacobs *Earl Leroy Johnson Earl Jensen John Johnson Oakley James, Jr. Louis Jensen T. Klauzer Albert Klauzer Vernon Knipfer LaVern Kellogg Cecil Ketchum Louis Knight Arnold Koenig George Kubes LeRoy Kusler Robert Kochel Morrell Ketchum Robert Knipfer Francis Kruger Leslie Kruger Carl Krokurn *Reid Kochel Coleman Krokker, Jr. Kenneth Kochel Fred Klos Emil Krausz John Karch, Jr. Ralph Keech Denzil Kreager James Seaman George Sanderson Glenn Stark *George Sparks Vincent Stephenson Richard Straub Kermit Stumpf Royal Shepherd Peter Sliper Gerald Smeltzer Tony Sieler Walter Spriggs Simon Sieler Herbert Schueler *Vernon Schuetzle Harry Slaughter Henry Stumpf John Schell Clarence Schuetzle Jack Steinback Elmer Schneider William Sleeth Herman Stabler Thomas Shishkowsky Edwin Stark John Shishkowsky Robert Seeley Ralph Shepherd Richard Stabler Herbert Schuetzle Raymond Schuetzle *Ronald Siring *Harold Stitzer Grenville Tooke Richart Trobert Orvale Tennet Henry Tronstad *Glayds Turner H.M. Trandurn Einar Tronstad Lonny Tadhenko Roy Tunby Leo Towner Richard Tronstad Gordon Tunby Arnold Uecker Charles Volin Olaf Vereide John Walter John Ward Keith Washburn G. P. Webster Delbert Welch Ira Williams Lyle Woolhizer John Wallace George Wassmarm Lewis Watts Dan West Rueben Whetstone Robert Whitney Elmer Williams Allen Teigen Marlen Wiman Robert Yates Denzil Young, Jr. Melvin Young Curtis Zarth Arnold Zerbst |
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Beyond the Line of Duty
WW I from notes of Charles Shepherd
Charles Shepherd in France, 1918, picture loaned. by Dessa Shepherd.
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BEYOND THE LINE OF DUTY-WORLD WAR I
By Charles F. Shepherd-1966
All rights reserved by Dessa Shepherd
A review of my last five days on the front line in the Muse Argonne defensive sector of World War 1.
I was a Buck Private in squad 1 or 2 of Company H. 317 Infantry of the 80th Division, carrying a Browning Automatic with a man on the left and a man on the right carrying ammunition and extra parts for the gun. I carried a sidearm, a 45 Colt for personal protection in case of hand to hand encounter. I, Smith and a Smithy were replacements and had been transferred to Company H about two weeks before, as the Company was returning from its second encounter with the Germans.
The B.A.R. or Browning Automatic Rifle was a new weapon and our squad had been assigned one, and a volunteer was called for to take over the responsibility of the gun. The men who had been in the front line two times and were familiar with machine guns hesitated and did not want anything to do with the new weapon. It was a suicide squad and I volunteered. A quick investigation revealed that my record was good and that I was above average as a marksman, so I was assigned the automatic and given special instructional training for four days. I can still feel her jump as the trigger finger squeezed. The third or fourth bullet would be considerably above the target of a single shot. "Get right on the top and hold her down", were the orders.
The second or third day, before taking over the front line, we reviewed before General John J. Pershing. We spent two days just back of the front line, and on November 1 we moved to our section of the front line in the vicinity of Sedan. Our advance was steady with very little resistance. Artillery barrage covered our advance each day and at all points of heavy resistance, the Germans were doing their best to keep out of our way, and were leaving dead men and horses. Destruction and equipment were in evidence on all sides. We had made our advancement for the day and were digging in for the night. The Germans evidently had our location spotted and were dropping bombs in a field at our rear. While on front line duty one squad is designated as look out and/or reconnoiter duty each night. November 5 was our night for duty but due to the fact that we were carrying the B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle) general orders were not to send the BAR squad reconnoitering. I can still hear the Corporal of the next squad "cuss" because he and his men had to go. He was one of the Non-Coms from California who were the "Gold Brickers" and "Prune Pickers". Their officers, who were originally in the National Guard, had been on the Mexican Border and had finished training the 40th Division and now were with the 80th Division on the front line. The officers of the 40th, a replacement division, were not considered capable of front line duty.
Our location for the night of the 5th was a cobble stone road leading to a small town and our squad was about a quarter mile from the town. I, along with others, "badgered" my way into an embankment that made an ideal place to "dig in". Orders were, "Fall out and prepare for the night". Dropping our packs and rifles and gas masks, we proceeded with pick and shovel to take advantage of all natural facilities as the "Jerry Bombs" or shells were being dropped by airplanes for an almost direct hit on our location. Our Corporal, a boy from Virginia, was scouting to see how his men were faring and was on the cobble stone road directly in front of my location, when a bomb hit the road a few feet from him. He fell in the road and two of the other members of the squad were wounded. I rounded up my helpers, got a stretcher and proceeded to get the Corporal off the road. There being no other help available, the three of us started down the road toward town hoping to find a first aid station or at least another man to help carry the stretcher. I was on the rear end of the stretcher alone. The other two men carried the front end.
About forty rods down the road we came to a stone wall, progress was slow and darkness was upon us. We rested and then again we started on our way. Ahead of us was a large hole in the wall the size of a fifty gallon barrel or about four feet by four feet. When the men in advance passed the hole in the wall the bullets that were coming through missed them. When I came in range a machine or rifle bullet passed my body within inches. It penetrated my forearm between the wrist and the elbow. The two men dropped the front of the stretcher and I fell upon the body of the man we were carrying. My helpers dragged the stretcher to a protected area beyond the hole. Within minutes a first aid man and his helper appeared upon the scene. They examined my Corporal and bound up my arm and then helped us to a basement room which they were using as a place to gather up the wounded. Examination revealed the fact that the man on the stretcher had been hit by shrapnel in the back of the ear. The skull was crushed and brain matter was oozing out. He was dead within an hour of our arrival. I stayed with him until a messenger came and instructed the wounded who could walk to take refuge in a shelter that had evidently been occupied by Germans the night before. German equipment, clothing and boots were in evidence and you could still smell their feet in the boots. Six of us spent the night there, all with different types of wounds. While there and during the night we received several gas alarms. The Germans were gassing the town. I against strict orders, had left my gas mask at my dugout when I left to help carry our Corporal. I felt pretty helpless. I used my handkerchief filled with soil to breathe through. Watching the others sniff the air and put their gas masks back on made the night seem long. I was one thankful man when morning came and I could get out of there. This place was being used by first aid and the ambulances were taking the serious cases. Four others and I were ordered to walk to the first aid station in back of the front line. We followed the main road leading from Beaumont, France which was the name of the town. The dead were still laying along side and on the road. In some places we could step from body to body. These were evidence of the sacrifice given on the main road entering the town from the southwest. I would say our Company H's advance was about 1/4 mile west of the town. We encountered, not far back of the front line, a Salvation Army outpost and were given coffee and doughnuts. My, but they were good!
We arrived at the army's first aid station about ten in the morning, received our tetanus shots and I was billed for surgery as soon as the more serious were taken care of. Some "butcher" tackled the task of removing the bullet from my arm, but his cutting and probing were without results. The next morning I was taken by ambulance to an army hospital fifteen or twenty miles back of the line, where ex-ray revealed the fact that the bullet was practically through the arm. Surgery again and I was presented with the bullet, a souvenir that I have in my possession at the present time.
From the base hospital I was sent to Vichy, France for further hospital care and was in the hospital at the time of the signing of the Armistice. I was in the hospital for five days, then given the choice of returning to Company H or be put in a casualty camp. I was in the casualty camp from November 15 to March 10. We were fed at a prison camp on a hill nearby. Several of the boys died. We had every kind of disease; small pox, scarlet fever and measles. On March 1Oth I was shipped on
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the Levithan to Brest, France. There I was deloused and given a complete new outfit of clothes. I sailed a few days later on the George Washington - Admiral Dewey Battleship, the ship that took President Wilson across the Atlantic Ocean for the Armistice meeting of the generals. As we arrived in New York harbor we sailed past the Statue of Liberty and went on to Hoboken, New York where we stopped for a spell. From there we went on to New York City where we unloaded.
I spent two days sightseeing in New York City, then I boarded a civilian train for Fort D. A. Russel, Wyoming. I received my discharge and carfare home. I went home by the way of Billings, Montana, then east to Beach, North Dakota where I took a branch line south to Ollie, Montana. I arrived home in Ollie about four P.M. March 24, 1919. 1 went directly to the Post Office and told Clara Sherva to stay by her job and I went out to the farm to help put in the 1919 crop.
That year there was no rain, so no crop. Three of us boys put in 400 acres of crop. Dad furnished the horses, seed and the equipment. The summer was hot and dusty. The wheat had to be cut with a header. When we settled up my share was $37.50!
P. 0. Esmay, Clerk of the Horse Creek School, hired me to teach and I taught the term of 1919-1920. 1 was married December 29, 1919 and the Mrs. took over the Post Office.
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The Baker Fire Department
Baker Volunteer Fire Department, early picture, left to right: Mert Malek, Gene Duppler, Edgar Boucher, Eddie Nelson, Firman Loueless, Vic Grainger and Bing Bakken.
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The City of Baker organized its first fire department in January of 1922. At a meeting held at that time some thirty people offered their services and from this group, Emil Ravey was elected chief and James McRae as assistant chief. The first fire hall was located near the lake and not far from the site of the present Bank of Baker. Their equipment consisted of four handcarts which served the purpose until 1928.
One of their first goals was in acquiring finances for the construction of a new fire hall. For a number of years they followed a policy of assessing absentee members, but the most rewarding means were the dances they sponsored. The first was a bowery dance held on the main street of Baker on the 4th of July in 1922. In the fall of that year the department adopted New Year's Eve for the holding of the annual Fireman's Ball. These dances were held in the Masonic Hall, located above the Old Bank, and in later years in the Legion Hall. For a number of years this event was the highlight of the winter season as well as replenishing the budget. When dances no longer paid out, raffles were started and proved to be a better moneymaking project.
After stressing the need of a more updated method of fighting fires, in 1928 the firemen canvassed the town and enough money was donated to buy their first truck. The fire signals used were a code system carried out by the Baker Light and Power company. So many long and short whistles would signify the area of the fire. This method was used until 1929 when the department, together with the city, purchased an electric fire siren which was mounted on a tower along the side of the fire hall.
It wasn't until 1946 that the department got its long awaited fire hall. One of the firemen, Bing Bakken, had been seriously injured and the fire hall severely damaged in an explosion of unknown origin the year before. After months of hospitalization and much suffering, Bakken was able to return to his duties, while, in the meantime, plans were formulated and carried out for a new fire hall. It was with great enthusiasm they moved into their quarters in 1946. Also by this time more equipment had been added thus making this one of the most up to date volunteer fire departments in the state.
Emil Ravey served as fire chief for fourteen years ending in 1936. After acting as assistant chief for one year, Vic Grainger was elected chief and served in that capacity for thirty years. He retired at the end of 1968. Since then Bing Bakken officiated as chief and at the present, Leon Newell is in charge.
FALLON COUNTY FAIR
The Fallon County Fair, a fair with a reputation of being the best in eastern Montana, was started in 1925. Actually the fair program was begun with the holding of community fairs in 1923 - 1924 when J.O. Hembre was county agent. By the late 20's a racetrack and the old section of the grandstand were built. The old exhibit building went up in 1938. Early officers of the fair board include Bob Lowery, Albert Fost, Larry Busch, Homer French, George McHoes, L. Price and Larry Burns. Mrs. Margaret Carrington, who resigned in 1957, served for many years as secretary. Her more than 25 years of service in county affairs won her state-wide recognition. The present county agent is Gene Hoff. Among the special activities to be noted at the Fallon County fair are good races, excellent rodeos and the auctioning of 4 H beef.
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Fallon County Library
Fallon County Library Baker, Montana, built in 1969. Mrs. Bea Siring in picture, picture loaned by Alice Newell
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FALLON COUNTY LIBRARY
By Mrs. Vera Bruggernan
It is over fifty years ago a group of 25 neighbors led by Mr. and Mrs. Karl Pleissner and Dr. and Mrs. A. D. Brewer formed a reading club. Each member was to donate at least one book and the resulting volumes were the modest beginnings of our Fallon County Library.
Dr.and Mrs. A.D. Brewer, 1940
Mr. and Mrs. Karl Pleissner, 1962.
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In 1922 Mrs. Brewer, then the president of the Baker Woman's Club, with the help of Mrs. Karl Pleissner, organized the Baker Library and appointed three members of the Woman's Club to take charge of the books which by now had grown in number to 300 and were housed on the shelves of the law office of Judge C. J. Dousman.
The library soon outgrew this location and was moved to the old Legion Hall. Here the three members of the Woman's Club acted as volunteer librarians at stated hours. Later, when it was moved to a small building belonging to the Masonic Lodge, it became necessary to hire the first regular librarian at the rate of 25c per hour.
It was this year, 1928, that a permanent board was formed consisting of six women to act as a working board, the county commissioners, the mayor, the superintendent of the city schools and the president of the Baker Woman's Club. At this time, the county agreed to make an annual donation of $100, later increased to $400, and sometime later the city added a sum of $100. This plus personal gifts and book fine money, constituted the budget of the local library for many years.
In 1931 an attempt was made to establish a county library with a full time librarian. However, this failed to materialize because of the drought and the depression.
By 1941 the library had outgrown the small building in which it was housed so the Library Board undertook an ambitious program. With the help of the Baker Woman's Club, they canvassed the town and raised enough money to buy an abandoned rural school at the low bid of $152, moved it into town onto a basement built by the WPA labor on lots donated by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Otter. Volunteer labor cleaned, painted, and built book shelves and magazine racks.
Small building to the left is the old library, now houses the O'Fallon Historical Society Museum.
Books and magazines continued to be donated. The librarians during this time worked for a mere pittance. The board, in addition to its regular duties, acted as janitors and book menders. Many patrons from the entire county used the library and with the influx of population, because of the discovery of oil, it soon became obvious that we would either have to meet the challenge of the times and make some changes or become completely stagnant.
A means of progress came along in the form of the Library Services Act. This made federal funds available for the creation of a federation of libraries to share in the services of a bookmobile, to provide centralized processing of books, to set up a program of in-service training for all participating librarians and to make possible joint book ordering, inter-library loans and film service. Thanks to the foresight of the Library Board under the chairmanship of Mrs. Harry Schenck, the librarian, Mrs. Alice Newell and the Fallon County Commissioners, Fallon County took advantage of this opportunity to provide more and better library service and in 1959 joined Custer, Garfield, Carter and Powder River counties to form the Sagebrush Federation of Libraries with Carnegie Public Library in Miles City as the Center. For the first two years the cost of the Sagebrush Federation was met by the federal government but after this demonstration period, each county assumed its proportionate share of the cost.
As a result of our joining the Sagebrush Federation, the use of our library, now called Fallon County Library, and the circulation of books have shown a rapid and continued increase. It became necessary to add two part time librarians and keep the library open 46 hours a week as compared to 8 hours prior to this time.
It soon became obvious that larger facilities were necessary. The building was crowded and there was no room for expansion. Interested patrons met with the Library Board, the County Commissioners, and the representatives of the Fallon County Planning Board and from this meeting evolved the plan to combine a new library and Emergency Operating Center for Civil Defense since federal funds were available for both. What had been a long dream- a new, modern, attractive library to serve all of Fallon County-became a reality in an unbelievably short time.
This is our "big step" forward from the modest 30 book beginning which in 49 years has outgrown five locations and increased in number to 10,640 books, 550 records, 60 periodicals and newspaper subscriptions, with an annual circulation of almost 26,000 and housed in an edifice of which all of Fallon County can be proud.
The present library board consists of Mrs. Bonnie Keirle, Mrs. Vera Bruggeman, Mrs. Lilly Klos, Mrs. Lois Steen and Mrs. Florence Mattie. Mrs. Alice Newell is the present librarian, with Mrs. Bea Siring, Mrs. Arlene Roberts and Mrs. Victoria Rambur as assistants.
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