The diamond drill., 1919-04-05
BATTERY HISTORY.
Battery sF-, 18th Field Artillery OF
which Andrew Uren Il Sergeant.


4he 77th Field Artillery. Since join
ing the 4th Division, 1t may be di-
yided into three parts: the training
period from December lst. 1917 till
August 1st, 1918; the fighting period
from August 1st. 1918. till November
18th, 1918, and the period as a mem
Der of the army OF occupation from
November llth. 1918 to the present
time The Battery was fortunate thru
sne training period and part of It's
fighting period, in that 1t had the same
commanding officer who was able to
develop a single and consistent sys-
tenn OF training
rhe regiment was peculiar in that
IL was formed from volunteers who
enlisted at the time OF Americas dec
larstion OF war, most OF the men en-
listing in April and May. 1917. There
fcre there were no traditions to be
feared or respected. or old customs TO
be followed or obeyed. IL had 10 es-
tabiish It's own individuality and form
its own characteristics. A history of
any organization is merely a record
OF the development OF its Characters
tics and the origin and growth OF
its traditions.
Its training period. as member OF
ahe 4th Division, began at Camp
Greene, N. c., at the beginning OF
the winter 1917-1S. Before the train
5ng began temporary reorganization OF
.tle officers was made and the follow
ing officers were assigned the Battery:
Commander, Capt. Charles b. Dun
can, who had been the commander
since the formation OF the regiment;
First Lieut.. Herbert j. Burke, who
Joined shortly after the regiment was
formed; First Lieut. Walter J. Bay
less, who held a temporary commits
sion and who had seen service in the
army as an enlisted man; First Lieut.
Leslie II. Lawrence, who was later
transferred when the organization
sailed for Europe; Second Lieut.. A
Gordon Klapp who was transferred
from the 10th Field Artillery; Second
Lieutenant John NJ Lentz and Sec
ond Lieut.. Ralph w. Simmons, who |
joined the regiment from the second |
officers training camp. The First |
Sergeant was Emil f.. Mariboe, who |
left for an officers training camp the |
FIRST OF the year and was succeeded |
by Sergt, Joseph r. Meskimen. The |
enlisted personnel was up TO authoriz-
ed strength (194 mem, OF whom only |
small portion OF on-commissioned |
officers had seen previous service in
the army. The Battery was equipped
with four 3-inch guns and a combat
train OF two sections OF caissons.
The horses assigned were greys
throughout and so led a distinctive
and uniform color to the Battery. Act
Nal training comprised OF standing
gun drill, draft and instruction OF B.
G. detail and eliminated in fifteen
days practice at the artillery range
at Gastonia, North Carolina from
April Sth, 1918 TO April 23rd, 1918. No
competitive firing was indulged in, so
the standing OF the Battery in rela-
tion to others could not be determin-
ed, however, in a Battalion contest
for the best appearing section COM
Blete, "F" Battery was the winning
battery.
The battery fully equipped and
with an esprit des corps developed I
during its life at Greene. left Char
lotte on the 18th day Of May, 1918. for
Camp Merritt, New Jersey. where, af-
ter five days stay II sailed on the
IS Horonata for England and thence
10 France, arriving at Camp de souge,
France for its final period OF inten-
tive training. before II joined the |
Sighting forces at the front.
The only incident in the memorable |
voyage was the Battle OF Morn Hill
Camp" Winchester. England. where
the Battery first tested its fighting ca
Pacity on small detachment OF mill
tary police. The casualties later re-
Joined the regiment at Camp de Souge,
france. under guard
Intensive training at Camp deSouge
consisted OF daily practice on the
range and numerous schools for Of
fcers and enlisted men was complet-
ed the latter part OF July. Just at the
time the Allied counter offensive on
the Marne began. The regimental
contest in standing gun drill which
stretched over the last four weeks OF
training was won by this battery.