Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-12
DID
WORTHY WORK
History Of Activities of South
Amboy Militia Reserves

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SOUTH AMBOY. Feb. rs cy,r,1
months before the entrance OF the
United States into the Word War
the desire of the people Of South Am
boy FOR a concrete form If Drppar
edness bore fruit in the organization
OF a Home Defense League in March.
ISIl. Owing to the difficulties Of Sc
curing proper equipment for a strictly
south Amboy defense unit il was i'm
cessfully.
The country going into the World
war in April 1917, resulted In heavy
increase OF munition plants neal.
South Amboy and Company F. came
into being. 1t was not organized by
soldiers, nor did soldiers Join its
ranks. Company f was created by
civilians unframed and without mii-
tary experience, created in a city chat
had V had a military ~organiza-
ton.
l. They were sworn into service Octo-
Ter 8, 1917. by 1t. Col. Robert l..
Patterson, inspector general Of New
Jersey. In three weeks they were
enlisted up to full strength and the
first commanding officer became Lieut.
Ernest T. Fauroat afterwards ad-
vanced to the c~aptancy. Under capt
F~auroat's able command they forged
ahead
Through the kind cooperation of
James j. Van Pelt and j.. w. Reed
the Motor Corps, Company + was
often first at the appointed Rendezvous
with the highest attendance. Mr.. Van
Pelt was rendered the rank of Major
in the Militia Reserve and requested
to form similar units of motorists
elsewhere in the state.
On July, 1918 Captain Fauroat
d from tho commonJ ne III.
company to again follow the sea-"
The men of the Company then elect
ed f. G. Roddy captain. with Is. r.
Ravens as First Lieutenant. and
George J.. Hasslacher as second Lieu
tenant.
During the m Of 1918 and
1919 Company F left South Amboy
for an intensive course of training at
Sea Girt. At camp the local company
tied with Company E Of New Bruins
wick for first honors of the battalion
as to attendance. Last September in
the state Rifle Tournament Company
f excelled, being the only Third Bat
talon Company to win a prize in the
state company team matches. Com
pany f was also honored by being rep
resented in the Battalion Team that
won the National Guard Trophy for
1919. Every Company i man attend-
LIB h4AC NObl AAA WIN 4 tl anu
bronze medals.
The greatest proof of the prepared
ness of the company came on October
4 and 5, 1918-the Morgan explosion.
-Four days before the explosion at
Morgan, Company f officers brought
the executive officers Of the National
League for Woman's Service and the
Motor Corps of America to South
Amboy, and they, with their ambu-
lances and drivers, visited the Morgan
plant by request.
Company + has the distinction of
being the only unit of the state forces
attached to. and for a time, actually
a part OF the United States forces,
under Captain Higgins Another dis
they have is that Company
F was the only unit of the state forces
actually under fire. On the morning
Of October s. 1918, the war WAS not
5000 miles away for the men of
Company +. Although they werc
never taught how to go through a
barrage they got a taste OF It coming
four way at once Company F men
went past hot "duds" that didn't stay
"duds'' but let go long after they
dropped. Company F details hat
searched for the dead and injured in
still burning ruins. They were
supposed to be a unit Of infantry. but
for a time the men were stretcher
bearers. grave diggers and hospital
orderlies. In the eve days of duty
at South Amboy the militia forces
eight deaths and Yer fifty
cases. None Of Company F's
casas moved fatal