Compiled by Julius Klausner, Jr. 1920...

[Pg 4] [Pg 5] And remembering, we shall always seek to justify the self-sacrifice made by those companions who trained with us and fought with us but whom by virtue of their supreme service, we returned without. They died, but being dead, live on, and their spirits beckon us to strive toward that for which they died. The flag was their shrine—the fields of France their tomb—and they shall ever be wreathed with God's great glory....

Greetings! I am very glad that Company B—307th Infantry is putting into this form the many memories of the Great War which remain with those of us who participated therein as bright spots in our path through life. The work done by the 77th Division was most notable and in that work Company B—307th Infantry took full part and contributed its full share. The record of the Company is one of which any organization might well be extremely proud. It took part in the operations in the Vosges; on the li

I NVITED—all of us. And we trooped down Yaphank-way, out on Long Island, as tho bound for a picnic. Which, for a week, it was. Then we were brought up short. On September 17, 1917, the 77th Division came to life. One of the first units to be organized within the division was Company B—307th Infantry, formed also on September 17th. Immediately we were on paper as a regular unit, we quickly took semblance of a military organization. Under the leadership of Captain Blanton Barrett, 1st Lieutenant A

On the night of April 5th we were ordered to roll packs. We stacked our bunks and drew ammunition. And we were posted on a vigil of waiting. April 6th, 1918, Saturday, was the first anniversary of America's declaration of war. At two-thirty on that morning, in an air pleasantly crisp and flooded with moonlight, we marched to the railroad and entrained. Leaving Camp Upton at three-fifteen, we pulled into Long Island City just in time to be greeted by the usual six o'clock factory whistles. A wait

Once in Calais we found that we divided honors with Company C of our regiment in being the first two National Army companies to land in France, having debarked on French soil April 20, 1918. That night we experienced our first real touch of war. Sheltered in tents in British Rest Camp No. 6, we received a call of welcome from a squadron of Jerry aeroplanes. A truly thrilling reception it was, with the thunder of Hun bombs alternating with the "ping!" of British anti-aircraft guns,—and thru it al

Two days by rail, via Amiens, Versailles, Bar-le-Duc, and Nancy, and we detrained on June 11th at Thaon, in the Vosges. Then an intermittent hike, with stops at Longchamps, Destord, and Menil, passing thru Rambervillers and Baccarat, to Vacqueville, in the Lorraine. A stirring incident occurred en route when we passed the boys of the old Sixty-Ninth New York Regiment. Brooklyn hailed Brooklyn; Harlem called to Harlem; Bronx met Bronx. It was a breath of home to the already veteran Sixty-Ninth an

It was usually Fritz's intention to place a harassing barrage on any section of the line where he knew that a relief was being effected. But he was less watchful than usual when we went in. The enemy awoke, however, three days later, on the morning of Monday, June 24th, and attacked our regimental outposts. In order to effectively prevent any assistance being rendered by the platoons stationed in St. Maurice, a heavy barrage was laid on the town beginning at 3:30 A.M. During the early part of th

On Sunday, July 21st, a patrol of fifty-two men from our Company, accompanied by two medical first-aid men, engaged in a raid on the German trenches at two-thirty in the afternoon. The party advanced on the enemy lines in single file, divided in four groups which were respectively commanded by Sergeant Todd, Captain Barrett, Sergeant Bromback and Lieutenant Mohlke. The intent was to surprise the enemy with a daylight raid and thereby obtain information thru capture and observation. But either th

Two days later, August 10th, we took transport on an immense train of motor trucks—"lorries" we called them, after the English. They were driven by Indo-Chinese serving under the French. After nine cramped but interesting hours—we passed thru Chateau-Thierry—our trip ended at Fere en Tardenois. For three days we camped in a small wood and then we moved to a position supporting the attack on Fismes. We were stationed in the Bois de la Pissotti, adjoining the Forêt de Nesle. While there we were en

The memorable and decisive drive known as the Argonne-Meuse Offensive started on September 26th. That day found us entrenched near the main road at Florent,—a position in reserve of the 1st Army Corps. Actual operations were started that night, when the entire cannon of half a hundred divisions poured forth on the enemy its scorching fire. Next morning we moved to a position north of Florent, and three days later we moved thru the town of Le Four de Paris into those trenches north of La Harazee

October 2d we left the reserve and assumed a support position. On that day the forces in the line drove forward, but in the execution of the advance Companies E, H, I, K, L, and M of the 308th Infantry and Company K of the 307th Infantry found themselves trapped by the enemy on a hill north of the Bois de la Buironne. These units were the only ones to reach their objective but by thus advancing ahead of their flanks, they gave the enemy an opportunity to surround them. In this hazardous position

Another week and we had driven the Germans across the River Aire. We remained in a clump of woods until October 16th and then, not even waiting for our engineers to throw their bridges across the Aire, we waded the river and drove against Grand-Pre, which was the keystone of the enemy defense in the sector opposed by our division. We were stubbornly opposed by the 253d German Infantry of the 76th Reserve Division. Again and again we assaulted the position and finally, after a running fight thru

Stonne, a village of strategical importance, was next selected by the enemy as a point of resistance. On November 5th the combined strength of our entire Regiment was hurled against the 195th German Division, and Stonne fell to us. The capture succeeded in liberating a French population that for four years had been under the dominance of an enemy army. The enemy by this time was retreating fast, and so closely did we press them, we were far in advance of our cannon. The progress of the big guns

We came to a halt on the banks of the Meuse, four miles from the historic city of Sedan and, after augmenting our depleted ranks by replacement from the 38th "Cyclone" Division, we organized for what we hoped would be our final attack. But the final attack had already been made. The unconquerable Argonne had been conquered; a ruthless enemy was vanquished. Germany sued for Peace with defeat rather than face peace with Death. The last shot was fired at the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the

Christmas was not the dreary day a Christmas away from home usually is. We had much for which to be thankful, and the intervening miles between Lanty and Home were no bar to those good wishes that came from our folks. We celebrated, we ate, and we played Santa Claus. A tree was erected in the centre of the village and we passed out to the civilian population candy and biscuits and tobacco. The women and children and men sincerely appreciated our tokens, and happiness reigned. The mess sergeant h

Not until February 9th was another move made. Then, en freight car , we journeyed to the Le Mans area, detraining at Poillé from whence we hiked to La Roches Farm, near Auvers-le-Hamon. April 15th we entrained at Sable for Brest, where we were quartered at Camp Pontazaine. On April 19th, exactly one year after our arrival at Liverpool, we were lightered out to the United States Transport America . A fast ship and smooth waters combined to give us a rapid and enjoyable voyage and we docked at Hob

The officers before whose names has been placed an asterisk (*) were commissioned from the enlisted ranks of Company B and assigned to duty with other organizations. Elwin Abbott, 188 Crescent St., Rutland, Vt. Samuel Abrahamson, Nicolet, Minn. Clarence R. Ackerly, 624 Broad St., Bridgeport, Conn. Allan Adams, 68 West 102d St., New York. James Adams, 107 West 89th St., New York. Adolph Albrecht, 190 East 3d St., New York. Carl Aldridge, Glen Allen, Ala. Fred Alexander, Carterville, Ill. M. Alper

Capt. Alexander D. B. Pratt, New York. {star} 2d Lt. Clarence I. Grubbs, Kansas City, Mo. 2d Lt. Arthur J. Hamblen, New York. 2d Lt. F. Hartig, address unknown. 2d Lt. Kenneth C. Lincoln, Fall River, Mass. 2d Lt. Harry R. Weiman, St. Louis, Mo. Sergt. Lloyd C. Anderson, Binghamton, N. Y. Sergt. Charles H. Bradshaw, Brooklyn, N. Y. Pvt. 1st Class Louis Beckendorf, Brooklyn, N. Y. *Private Jacob Borker, Brooklyn, N. Y. Sergt. Ralph U. Brett, New York. Pvt. 1st Class George Busko, Breckenridge, Min

That spirit of dominant Americanism with which the war was fought seems in these times of peace to be best reflected by the American Legion. Appreciating this, those members of Company B, 307th Infantry, who regarded with favor the idea of a post-bellum organization applied to the American Legion for a charter. One was granted and they were admitted as the Burke-Kelly Post No. 172. The name was selected in honor of the memory of two of their comrades: Sergeant Frank W. Burke, killed by a high ex