Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-09-18
Montana Boys i'm 91st Division
Have Great Tradition to Uphold
BY ERIC THANE

The first scene is the Argonne for
est, September, 1918. Montana's 9lst
division, whose battle cry of Powder
River-Let 'Er BuckI" had already
made them known and feared by the
enemy, was fighting an enemy they
forced back steadily. A Lieut. E. S.
OFT, in breathing spell, called out
certain Corp. Fred Angel and in
structed him to hike five miles to a
Y. NJ. C. A. canteen to purchase a
package of cigarets.
Written order in his pocket, Corporal
Angel trekked the distance. The can
teen was closed. Corporal Angel re-
turned to his post, reported his in
ability to secure cigarets. A month
later he helped Lieut.. E. S. OFT across
country in an ambulance to a hospital,
where the lieutenant was treated for
16 wounds. suffered in action. Soon
the first scene ended.
The second scene is Camp White,
Ore, Aug. Is, 1912 The 91st division,
non existent except on paper since the
first World war, is being reactivated.
Impressive ceremonies are going on.
Brig. Gen. E. S. OFT is present.
Obeys Orders Fl Years Old
Suddenly a man comes forth. In his
left hand he carries photostatic
copy of the order written by OFT "a
years ago-and a carton of cigarets.
With his right hand he executes a
snappy salute, presents the order and
the cigarets to General OFT. 1t is Fred
Angel, and he is obeying his order
after 81 years.
Powder River-Let Err Buck!"
It's scream from his old comrades,
many of whom are present at the
ceremony.
The above is one incident occurring
at the reactivation ceremonies by
which the Powder River-Let Err
Buck" 9lst division of World war fame
was revived to life. 1t will become a
fighting unit, training at Camp White,
Ore, one of the larger camps of the
United States, where varied terrain
makes training for almost any point
on the globe practicable The new 91st
will become a fighting unit gathering
to itself glory to place beside that
gained by the old 91st.
The 9lst division is dear to the
hearts of MontananS. Powder River
Let Err Buck!" is the battle cry that
during the last war rang out in France.
The Powder river is one of Montana's
greatest rivers, flowing in from Wyo-
ming through a region rich in history
into the southeastern part of the state.
The Powder river was the country of
Indian wars, of rough and tough men,
of Custer and Sitting Bull and Long
horn cattle from Texas. 1t was only
right that one of the fightingest di-
visions of the first World war should
take its name for their war cry.
Went Overseas July 6, 1918
known as the wild West" division
in the last war, the 91st went overseas
on July 6, 1918. The origin and sig
nificance of the war cry is set forth
in the following paragraph from 900
Days Service" a history:
In these early times Powder River,
destined to be the war cry of the
division, made its first bid for fame.
One day, as the old men of month,
a week, or even days experience,
called to the recruits: 'Where're you
from?'-a Montana detachment re-
piled in manner that was never for
gotten, Powder River-Let Err Buck!'
From Camp Lewis this answer was
carried with the early requirements
to the American eXpeditionary forces
and there it grew to the full story
taught as follows at the First Corps
school at Gondrecourt: What is the
longest river in the world?'
Powder river-it'S a mile wide and
an inch deep and it flows uphill all
the way to Texas! Let 'er buck!"
Over 20 years ago an officer of the
old 9lst said, Probably we weren't the
greatest outfit in the war, but we
thought we were. And when we started
out for place, we got there. I Will
say this for the old 91st, too-we never
lacked grit, CUTS or gumption!"
Montana's Powder River" did well.
Gen. John j. Pershing on Dec. 10,
1918, paid tribute:
Soldiers of the 91st division, you
will long be remembered for the Stub
born persistence of your progress, your
storming of obStinately defended ma
chine gun nests, your penetration yard
by yard of woods and ravines, your
heroic resistance in the face of coun-
terattacks supported by powerful ar
tillery fire. For more than month
YOU fought your way slowly through
the Argonne. Your achievement
must remain a source of proud Salts
faction to the troops who participated
in the last campaign of the war. There
can be no greater reward for soldier
or a soldiers memory than to know
that he belonged to an organization
that achieved all this
Heroic among the stories of the old
91st is that of Private Lee GautShe,
the first 91st man to fall on the field
of battle. GautShe, runner, Volun-
teered to get help and silence enemy
machine gun nests. He crept forward
through underbrush, inch after inch.
His friend, F. K. Dover, then frst
sergeant of company I, 362d infantry,
watched him. Gautshe had almost
reached a nest, was preparing to as
sault it, when sniper spotted him.
and killed him.
Dover forgot danger in his fury.
Screaming, Powder River!" he
stormed out of his trench and assault
ed the machine gun nest single hand
ed, cleaning it out. AS memento, he
secured a Germans rifle. 1t had seven
notcheS on it.