Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-26
Organization Never Entered
Action as Unit - Men
Scattered Over Front.
(By f. H. Tostevin.)

menace; when the historians shall
recorded in glowing phrases and
words the valiant deeds of the men
who fought and won: then it may be
possible for you to read and pick out
of the great volumes the names of
those you know. I
And interspersed through all the
conflict will be. little notatiohs Of
deeds Of men from the northwest. q
Censorship is still in force, but the
time for the breaking of silence has
come and I shall try to note briefly
the history of the regiment once
called the First North Dakota, then
the 164th infantry of the Sunset divi-
sion.
AS a unit, the 164th never entered
action. However, the story Of the
volunteers from North Dakota is a
story identical with that of the famous
First division comprising the 18th,
18th, 26th and 2Sth infantry regi-
ments, and the Second Brigade Ma
chine Gun battalion.
Scattered now from one end of
France to the other. a full need of
their precious life taken to enrich
the soil of France at such tremendous
to the folks back home. scattered as
the birds in fall, the North Dakota
boys look forward to the day Of their
migration homeward.
The old 41st division. the Sunset,
was selected upon arrival in Franco
as a replacement division. There is a
melancholy pride to- be derived from
that dubious honor. 1t was signifi-
cant that the men from that division
as soldiers to be made a parcel of the
veteran division Of the regular army
to be made comrades in arms of the
men who followed Pershing into
Mexico.
The old First North Dakota lett 1T.
Lincoln, Minot, Grand Forks and
WilliSton, on September 80, 1917. and
arrived at Camp Greene. Charlotte,
N. c., OF October 4. What transpired
Greene on November 10 and arrived
at Camp Mills, Hampstead. L. l., on
November II. Then the next move
took us to Camp Merritt, Tenafly, n.
j., on December 6. For eight lays
we knew well-heated barracks. com.
Portable spring cots. mattresses AID
hot shower baths. Then on Decent
Der IA we packed UP barrack bags,
slung the packs on our backs and
hiked two miles through snow two
feet deep for the train: through the
streets of Hoboken and up the gang
plank on to the Leviathian, the Water
land Of the kaiser'S pride, humbled to
troop duty as the finest transport in
the world. The old 163rd infantry
of Montana and the 164th, several
hospital corps units, about $50 Ped
Cross nurses. and the crew of the
ship, made a total of some $4,000
the same as any other trip and what
you want to know is how the boys
finally landed as there are many of
them today in Germany.
AT Liverpool.
Christmas eve. December "a, 1917,
we debarked at Liverpool, as you have
long since guessed. Then a flying
ride across England to Winchester
and eight days at Winnal Downs
Morn Hill camp. On December 81 we
went by train to Southampton and
crossed the channel to LIE Havre,
landing in France with the new year.
Thirty hours later we were speed
ing southwark. Let's change that one
making our way south sounds better,
1t was about 3 o'clock Of the morning
Of January 3 that we left the crazy
little French cars and hiked u to
the camp at La Courtine. in the de-
partment of Grouse. On January 6
orders came.
Twenty-four hours later the pride
of North Dakota. the pride of Mon.
tana. the 164th and 163rd were
(privates) from u old regiment
were sent up to the 10th, 18th, 26th
and 28th i%nfantries while the boys
from the Machine Gun companies
went to the First and Second Machine
Gun battalions.
The full history Of the First divi-
sion is yet to be written. Back home
as we could tell from some Of the
weird reports which most of the
newspapers carried. the home folks
thought the whole regiment in the
conflict. But there was no such luck
for h cOrporals, s~ergeants and COM
missioned officers. Just the privates
were taken for the replacement.
On January 26, the remaining mer
in the headquarters company, sup.
ply company. Companies A., B, c AND
G and H were sent to Cantillon Sui
Seine. and the Third battalion te
Langres. The First Army Corps
school at Gondrecourt had plenty 'ol
work for the boys Of the First bat
talon. while the Second Army Corps
training school at Chatillon and Off
GERS training school at Langres pro-
VlQed Work Tor OtnerS. since Janu'
airy 26 the non-coms of the old regi
ment have been drilling casuals.
draft men and others, preparing then
for action and sending them on.
United Again.
About two months ago the regimen
was united again at st. Afghan, os
tensibly to be built I'D for service a.
a combat unit, together with the 9th
er original units of the 41st division
But most of. that Information yOt
have gained from letters sent HON.
by the boys.
It is the chaps who saw service IL
the trenches and the open fighting
the boys, from North Dakota who die
their share in causing the utter rou'
of the boche army. that resulted II
the ignominious c~apitulation, that 70,
are most interested in.
To land in France with your owl
regiment on New Years day, to react
a camp in the south central part,.o
this country on the third of tn,
month expecting a rest and training
then on the seventh day to be sen
up to the front to enter the trenches
on the ninth: that Is the kind Of ex
perience many North. Dakotans WI.
tell you onttheir return.
Do. you remember back through til,
days of war news to the origina
l 80 4 - - a 49, ~.