The Detroit times., 1917-05-25
FIRST u. S.
FIGH TIERS
AT FROM T
Transport Unit In Ser
vice; Others
Training
MEN DRIVE BIG
CARS UNDER FIRE
CoIlegians Form Bulk
of New Army
Corps
Rn HENRY WOOD.

TRAINING CAMP OF THE
AMERICAN FIELD SERVICE,
SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE MAY
25.-America's FIRST armed force be
gan active service at the front to
day. II was Section One or the
American munition transport ser
vice. It's forty-odd young Americans
left the training camp late last
night. Today they are hurrying
shells and ammunition to French
fighters in front trenches. under FIRE.
Simultaneous with the departure
of Section One there arrived here
Sections Two and Three Two is
composed mostly OF Andover col
lege men. II is 10 enter active set
vice next week. Two weeks hence
the Dartmouth. Yale. Harvard Johns
Hopkins, Chicago and Williams Uni
yersity men in unit No. viii be az
work
In the meantime Sections TWO
and Three started drilling win
French rifles and the French man
ral OF arms They are also 20 be
thoroly instructed In handling auto
mobiles--and particularly the big
five.ton American motor trucks
which they viii drive in active ser
Vice. The Americans are wearing
khaki uniforms closely resembling
The American military garh. Many
have had military training IN the
United States, but when they began
drilling today they discovered they
would have to begin al over again.
since the French manual Of arms
and the French drill tactics are en-
tirely different from the American
The training camp OF Americas
nrst nghting forces on the French
front is installed in one Of Frances
most beautiful and most historic
forests close 10 where the army is
fighting.
The American nag floats beside
the tri-color high above the encamp.
ment. The particular standard OF
the Stars and Stripes now in use
was the gift 10 the mutations trans
port service OF Clarence Msckay.
The camp is officered by French
army commanders. including Lieut.
J. r. ostheimer. of Philadelphia. who
enlisted in the French army in 1914.
Lieut.. Daily, an American and who
was captain OF the 1910 Yale foot
ball team. with William Taylor. OF
New York, as second in command,
comprise the commanders of section
Two. Section Three has not yet
been oficered -~ .-
The very first thing the French
army officers bumped against IN pre-
pairing for the American nghting
men was that they hrd 10 nave
breakfast. No French soldier eats
regular breakfast, and the French
army cooks have their mornings OF
IN consequence. But not so al the
American munition transport r9ln'
ing camp The usual American ap-
petite for breakfast are very much
in evidence Therefore the French
army regulations had 20 be altered
to TT. The French officers also dis
covered that the usual emergency
ration would have 10 be changed I'm
the case of he Americans The
French soldier carries one solitary
loaf Of bread for his reserve food
supply when starting out on active
service
This didn't look like enough "a
the Americans The suully Nas
therefore. increased to ih@sude ir
addition. Two hard boiled eggs
Driving nve.ton automobile trucks
is the hardest sort OF physical laboi
and the members OF these frs
American armed forces are all pick
cd men The hours are irregular
and during battles turns on dul
may continue for days at q time
The great trucks must lum Der alonl
in range OF enemy shells
Physical labor. the hardships o.
service. the dangers Of the firms
line--none Of these deter the Amer
leans. All they demand Is 10 Soc
actual service In the quickest possi
BILE time.