The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-02-14
TO REMAIN IN FRANCE

While the old End Washington regi-
| ment that saw service on the Mexican
border of rather mild nature in
1916, when war looked eminent with
Mexico, and the fiasco OF "watchful
waiting was sprung upon the public,
is soon to return to the United States,
, several of the members have been de-
tached to remain in France AMI pos
| sibly to serve in Germany. The old
End Washington, since entering the
war known as the 161st, is only a
skeleton of its original personnel. The
regiment was attached to the 41st
Division, and through military pro-
cesses that are an enigma to the lay
man the 41st as well as two or three
other divisions were designated as re-
placement units upon reaching
France These replacement units fur
nished. drafts of men for those regi-
ments on the fighting line to fill up
the ranks made vacant by casutlaies,
and as the old men We're detached the
officers and on-commissioned officers
of the divisions were employed dr;li-
ing new recruits as the various con-
tingents from the States reached for
eign soil. SO far as the rank and
file are concerned the regiments Of
those divisions used as repla cement
units have undergone a complete
change in membership and few of
those who crossed the seas with the
l61st will return as members of that
n agiment, which is matter Of regret
as the regiment ceases to be a state
organization.
Ms stated a asumber of the non
commissioned officers will not reform
With the regiment. and as they are an
N.Cus to return lone. now tat all
prospects of active service are over,
:. was a sad experience for them to
zee their comrades march off to place
If Cmbarkation. David Erwin, Il cor
oval in Co. L. of he 161st, ha; writ
zen home some cf the most enter
tanning letters that have appeared in
ornt from the boys over there. and
those letters have been pub 'shed in
the Seattle Time.;. Under date of
December 81 he writes a long letter
,clIing of the doings of the division,
regiment and company stating thar
the meagre skeleton thai remains
II The once husly 4lst Division is
Soihg to start tho new year right to-
'norrow," as the boys were to get
oc e.Nn1 10 tn . I,o
going home orders. He CLOSES his
letter as follows:
81 haven't been waxing enthusiast
over the return of the regiment be-
cause | have becn picked to stay in
France for six or eight months long
er. Sunday morning each company
was lined up and all non-coms who
had high schoc! education. or bet
ter, were pluched for further duty
Fin France.
"The battalion commander assured
us that we should feel proud of the
| honor, as the memorandum to pick
the men stated that only the best
should be chosen. | was Just as eager
to get home again as anyone. and
when men who were drafted in June
or July. and who have been in France
but two or three months, are sent
home and some of us who saw serN-
ice on the border in 1916, and have
been in service continuously since, en-
cept for six months, and in France q
year, are kept, why then | NATURAL,
feel bit peeyed
There are seven of us non CONS ir
b company who We're with the ole
End Washington on the border anf
have been in France over a year
| think you know them all: Bill Jacob
son, Leo. Ables. Bob Borst, Johnny
Clark, Butch Heberd, Larry Dallan
and |. And it sure is going to bt
hard to watch the boys march dowr
the road and out of sight next week
We will probably be kept in this tow
to do evacuation work. that is to hell
others get ready to go home. And t.
make matters worse they made rs
get up at o'clock this morning ant
go through all the red tape with tht
fellows who are going home. Oh
well; 'c'est la guerre. There is {
rumor going about that we who are
picked to stay may be sent to thf
army of occupation. ! hope it is true
If it is I'll be able to write you some
| real letters and tell you how oul
charming German friends like to bf
guarded by husky Yankee doughboys.