Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-01-31
JUST MISSED
!. The HE. BATTLES B n Il
AND IS SORRY
Lieutenant Gene Randall
Was One Of First to
.-.
;,s Enlist.

US Lieutenant Gene Randall, formerly
Of this city, was one OF the first to
enlist in the American army, reached
France safely and, 1t seems. in plenty
OF time to take part In actual fight
ing-and then missed it all" he says
In q letter to ]. H. Griffin, his former
employer. He even didn't see a bat
tie, Lieutenant Randall writes, and he
admits that he feels pretty blue"
about It.
The lieutenant's home is. at Hinck-
ley, MINI. but he is we'll known here
q he lived in Grand Forks for about
three years: when the United States
declared war on Germany, Mr.. Ran
dali received a letter from his moth
or reminding him that there had been
81 least one Randall in every war
fought under the Stars and Stripes.
Mr.. Randall Immediately saw the
point, enlisted at nee and was one
o. the first North Dakota men to join
the first officers training camp at
Camp Dodge.
The letter from Lieutenant Randall
reads in part a follows:
Its rainy, damp and miserable
outside tonight, but at that it is a
bet that is just what it Is in Grand
Forks tonight. At least there is lots
OF grass that is green and trees that
have leaves on them, so perhaps I'm
not so bad off as I might be, though
1t seems 1t would be worth all OF 1t
and more just to be back in the
states and among old friends tonight.
Is at st. Nazaire.
II am located at st: Nazaire, one OF
the dirtiest little sea ports that
France can boast of, and am only
waiting for the chance to get on one
OF the boats and brave any storm, just
to get bach home. This regiment I
am in-the s09th pioneer infantry
left Camp Dodge September Is, and
We came straight over to France. We
landed at st. Nazaire. Our original
orders destined us to the front, near
stranded al Nantes and forced to do
some, work there to help catch up,
and before we got it cleaned up, ar
mistice was declared, and all my
training and preparation, hard work
q grief had gone up the flu, and
] never heard an enemy rifle crack.
There is some Of the irony Of this
fuss Of ours. AS you know I was one
Of the first to get into the army, and
Just stalled away a year going
through the most eternal grind you
rSSSAI s@WS ~ SA4CA 6OS q C1ldIICc ~
come over here. and just when we
were nearly ready to take our places
IT the front, bluey, they go and make
peace. I can't even say I saw a. bat
tie and men who got into it a. year
after me had the pleasure Of going
through many of the fights and even
live to tell of it.
= Beaten Out Of Promotion"
II came Owe here with this regi.
men in very peculiar position. To
begin with, I was one of the first
camp men left at Camp Dodge when
The regiment was formed, and was
given command of a company as a
second lieutenant. All the rest Of the
company commanders got their pro-
motions later and were made cap
fatns. but when they tried to make
me a captain straight from a second
lieutenant, my Recommendation was
turned down by A. E. F. Headquarters
and when they tried to send it in
straight an order came from the wal
department at hat time, which was
shortly after armistice was declared
which stated that no more promo
tons would be made. So I am beaten
out Of a promotion all the way
through, but I am coming back to
God's country in command Of this
cQmpany-ft's the best in the reg1-
ment-and there Is going to be a lot
OF satisfaction to me in that.
4 Right now we are handling
horses. Unloading them off the boats
and loading them on trains after a
few days, sending them up into Ger.
many for u army of occupation.
Sent one Of my lieutenants up with
train the first Of the week and If
can get away am going to take a
train myself just to see the country.
Want to get a train that goes straight
through to; Coblenz If possible. I will
fry to get a leave Of absence the last
OF this month and visit Paris, 20
over the battle fields Of Chateau.
Thierry and Verdun, then go south to
Nice, and come. back by the coast and
STOP 1t Bordeaux where my youngest