The Delta of the Triple Elevens : $b the history of Battery D, 311th Field Artillery, United States Army, American Expeditionary ForcesBachman, William Elmer
History
The Delta of the Triple Elevens : $b the history of Battery D, 311th Field Artillery, United States Army, American Expeditionary Forces
Bachman, William Elmer
United States. Army. Field Artillery Battalion, 311th. Battery D; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- United States
When a moment of ease presented itself during the life
examination--the supply sergeant got busy and started to hand out what
excess supplies he had and, in the matter of uniforms, of which there
was always an undercess, measurements were taken with all the
exactness and precision befitting a Fifth Avenue tailoring
establishment. Why measurements were ever taken has ever remained a
mystery, because almost every soldier can remember wearing his
civilian clothes thread-bare by the time the supply sergeant was able
to snatch up a few blouses and trousers at the quartermasters. And
these in turn were passed out to the nearest fits. It was a case of
line-up and await your turn to try and get a fit, but a mental fit
almost always ensued in the game of line-up for this and line-up for
that in the army.
After being enmeshed in such a coil of red tape all of one whole day,
5 o'clock sounded Retreat, when instruction was given on how to stand
at ease; how to assume the position of "parade-rest"; then, to snap
into attention.
Evening mess was always a joyful time, as was the evening, when the
soldier was free to visit the Y. M. C. A. and later the Liberty
Theatre, or partake of the many other welfare activities that
developed in the course of time. From the first day, however, 9:45 p.
m. was the appointed hour that called to quarters, and taps at 10
o'clock each night sounded the signal for lights out and everybody in
bunk.
The inoculations were three in number, coming at ten day intervals.
When it came time for the second "jab", the paper work was well under
way and the call was issued for instruction on the field of drill
to begin. Many a swollen arm caused gentle memories as part of each
day was gradually being given over to, first calesthenics, then to a
knowledge of the school of the soldier. The recruit was taught the
correct manner of salute, right and left face, about face, and double
time.
Newly designated sergeants and corporals were conscripted to the task
of squad supervision and many exasperating occasions arose when a
recruit got the wrong "foots" in place and was commanded to "change
the foots."
Meals for the first contingent of pioneer recruits ranged from rank to
worse, until the boys parted company with their French civilian cooks
and set up their own culinary department with Sergeant Joseph A.
Loughran, of Hazleton. Pa., in charge. August H. Genetti and Edward
Campbell, both of Hazleton. Pa.; George Musial, of Miners Mills, Pa.,
and Charles A. Trostel, of Scranton, Pa., were installed as the
pioneer cooks. By this mess change the soldiers who arrived in later
contingents were served more on the American plan of cooking.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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