CHAPTER I. Birth of the Thirty-Second Division. The 32nd Division was organized under War Department orders of July 18th, 1917, from National Guard troops from Wisconsin and Michigan. Details of this organization are given in G. 0. No. 101, War Department, 1917. Wisconsin furnished approximately 15,000 and Michigan 8,000 troops of all arms. Later 4,000 National Army troops from Wisconsin and Michigan were transferred to the Division shortly before it left for France. When war was declared on Germany, April 6th, 1917, there were two National Guard infantry regiments, one from each of these states, in the Federal Service; the 33rd Michigan, which had never been mustered out since its services on the Border, and the 3rd Wisconsin which had been called out for guard duty on war plants. In July the remainder of the state troops were mobilized at the state camps, and early in August the movement of the troops to the Division's training camp at Camp MacArthur, Texas, commenced. The units thus assembled at Camp MacArthur included all the troops from Michigan and Wisconsin which had been on the Border in 1916. Six of the nine infantry regiments and most of the cavalry, artillery, engineers, and auxiliary troops Had this Border experience. There were, however, in the new Wisconsin regiments, a large number of recruits who enlisted after the Declaration of War. On August 4th, 1917, Battery F, 121st Field Artillery regiment, was the first unit of the new division to arrive at Camp MacArthur. From that time until late in September troops continued to pour in as rapidly as railroad facilities could be provided to transport them from the north. Training commenced immediately upon the arrival of the first units at Camp MacArthur, and proceeded under the direction of the Division Commander and the National Guard brigade commanders. Under instructions from the War Department, the Division was reorganized in accordance with the "Tables of Organization, 1917," on September 22, 1917. Generally speaking, the 63rd Infantry Brigade was formed of Michigan infantry and the 64th Infantry Brigade was organized entirely from Wisconsin infantry. The 31st, 32nd and 33rd Michigan regiments, and, later on, the National Army recruits from Camp Custer and Camp Grant, went to form the 125th and 126th Regiments of Infantry and the 120th Machine Gun Battalion. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiments formed the bulk of the troops of the 127th and 128th Infantry Regiments and the 121st Machine Gun Bat- talion of the 64th Infantry Brigade. These two regiments were brought up to war strength by transferring enough troops to them from the 4th, 5th, and 6th Wisconsin Infantry regiments. These latter three regiments were in the 2nd Wisconsin Brigade, which was designated to function as the 57th Depot Brigade. From this brigade the various new units of the new Division were organized in accordance with the "Tables of Organization, 1917." The 57th Field Artillery Brigade included the Wisconsin and Michigan field artillery and cavalry and men from the 57th Depot Brigade. The 107th Engineer Begiment was organized from the Wisconsin and Michigan Engineer Battalion and men transferred from the 57th Depot Brigade. Whole companies were transferred from the Depot Brigade to make up the 107th Trains and Military Police and the 119th Machine Gun Battalion. The 107th Sanitary Train included the Wisconsin and Michigan Field Hospital and Ambulance Companies. The National Guard organizations which lost their identities to form these new units of the 32nd Division follow: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiments. 31st, 32nd and 33rd Michigan-Infantry Regiments. 1st Wisconsin and 1st Michigan Field Artillery. 1st Wisconsin and 1st Michigan Cavalry. 1st Battalion Wisconsin Engineers and 1st Battalion Michigan Engineers. 1st Michigan Field Signal Battalion, and 1st Wisconsin Field Signal Battalion. Wisconsin Ambulance Companies Nos. 1 and 2. Wisconsin Field Hospitals Nos. 1 and 2. Michigan Ambulance Company No. 2. Michigan Field Hospital No. 1. Major General James Parker, U. S. A., assumed command of the Division on August 26th, 1917, in accordance with War Department orders. On September 18th, 1917, he left for France on special duty with his Chief of Staff, Lieut. Col. E. H. DeArmond. They did not return until early in December, 1917, and General Parker was almost immediately transferred to the 85th Division at Camp Custer, Michigan. GENERAL HAAN ASSUMES COMMAND. Upon General Parker's departure for France, Brigadier General Wm. G. Haan, U. S. A., succeeded to the command of the Division, being senior brigadier general by virtue of his Regular Army commission. The reorganization of the Division was effected a few days after he became the Division Commander. Brigadier General Louis C. Covell, formerly the brigadier general commanding the Michigan National Guard troops, was assigned to the com- mand of the 63rd Infantry Brigade, and Brigadier General Charles R. Boardman, the senior Wisconsin brigadier general, who commanded the 1st Wisconsin Brigade, was assigned to the command of the 64th Infantry Brigade. Brigadier General R. A. Richards of the 2nd Wisconsin Brigade, who commanded the 57th Depot Brigade until his troops were all disposed of, was ordered to Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, South Carolina. The 125th Infantry, Colonel John B. Boucher commanding, included all of the 33rd Michigan Infantry with the exception of one company, and five companies of the 31st Michigan Infantry. The 126th Infantry, Colonel Joseph P. Westnedge commanding, was formed from the entire 32nd Michigan Infantry and five companies of the 31st Michigan In- fantry. The 120th Machine Gun Battalion was formed from surplus companies of the Michigan Infantry Brigade and Major David E. Cleary, formerly in command of the 3rd Battalion, 31st Michigan Infantry, was assigned to the command. The 127th Infantry was organized with Colonel Wilbur N. Lee, formerly of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry, in command. Colonel John Turner, formerly in command of the 3rd Wisconsin Infantry, was assigned to the command of the 128th Infantry. Major Frank H. Fowler, formerly in command of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Wiscon- sin Infantry, was assigned to the command of the 121st Machine Gun Battalion. Major Percy C. Atkinson, formerly battalion commander of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry, was assigned to the command of the 119th Machine Gun Battalion. Major William Mitchell Lewis, of the 1st Wisconsin Signal Battalion, was as- signed to the command of the 107th Field Signal Battalion. Colonel P. S. Bond, U. S. A., was assigned to the command of the 107th En- gineers. Colonel Robert B. McCoy, formerly in command of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry, was assigned to the command of the 107th Trains and Military Police. Brigadier General Wm. G. Haan, while acting as Division Commander, was also in command of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade. The 119th Field Artillery, composed largely of Michigan artillery and cavalry troops, was commanded by Major Chester B. McCormick, later promoted to the rank of Colonel. The 120th Field Artillery was made up almost entirely from troops of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, and the commanding officer of the latter organization. Colonel Carl Penner, continued in command. The 1st Wisconsin Field Artillery regiment became the 121st Field Artillery, the heavy artillery regiment of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade. The Commanding Officer of the Wisconsin Artillery, Colonel Philip C. Westfahl, became Commander of the new regiment. The organization of the Division Staff was completed in September, 1917. Upon the departure of Lieut. Col. DeArmond for France, Major Geo. M. Russell, F. A. N. A., who reported at Camp MacArthur on September 14th as Division Inspector, became acting Chief of Staff. Major John H. Howard, Inf. N. A., reported on War Department orders as Division Adjutant. Lieut. Col. Hjalmer Erickson, Q. M. C. N. A., the Division Quartermaster, was the first member of the staff to report, arriving at Camp MacArthur on August 22, 1917. Lieut. Col. P. L. Boyer, M. C. N. A., the Division Surgeon, arrived a few days later. Lieut. Col. Gilbert E. Seaman, M. C. Wis. N. G., reported at the same time as Division Sanitary Inspector. The Judge Advocate was Major Samuel D. Pepper, J. A. Mich. N. G. Major Herbert L. Evans, S. C. N. A., was the Division Signal Officer, and Major J. P. Smith, F. A. N. A., the Division Ordnance Officer. Later Major John G. Salsman, Wis. N. G., reported as Assistant Division Adjutant. Major Chas. R. Williams, Q. M. C. Wis. N. G., re- ported for duty as Assistant Division Quartermaster. Major Mathew Hansen, Q. M. C. Mich. N. G., who was one of the first officers to arrive at Camp MacArthur, and who, as Constructing Quartermaster, was largely responsible for the speed with which the camp was completed, also became Assistant Division Quartermaster upon the completion of his duties as Constructing Quartermaster. To the various staff departments were assigned for temporary duty a number of officers who assisted in the administrative work connected with the organization and training of the Division. In addition, there was a camp staff, which labored through- out the organization and training period to complete the equipment of the Division. In the reorganization of the Division it was the policy to preserve original com- pany organizations, but some consolidation was necessary to bring the companies up from the formerly prescribed strength of 150 men to the new tables of organization strength of 250 men. It was also necessary to change the commands of a number of line officers, but this was all accomplished with a minimum of friction, and the new organization started its training period with excellent spirit. A number of officers became surplus in the Division because of the reorganization, and were assigned special duties in the various regiments and separate organizations and in the divisional schools. Early in September, 1917, a large number of the Reserve Corps Officers from Camp Roots reported to the Division for further instruction, and they were distributed among the various units. A number of these Reserve Corps Officers later accepted National Guard commissions and were recommended by organization commanders for permanent assignment to duty. Others took advantage of an opportunity to be transferred to organizations from their several home states in other camps, and those remaining who were surplus in the Division just before it left for France were assigned to Camp Dodge, Iowa. FIGHT FOR EQUIPMENT. The various National Guard units which were sent south for the new Division arrived fairly well equipped for campaign service similar to that on the Border in 1916, but with very little of the equipment prescribed for overseas. The necessity of securing, at the earliest possible moment, the equipment necessary for duty abroad was immediately apparent to the Division Commander and his Staff, and their energies from the first were bent upon so equipping the Division. Upon the completion of the reorganization, training, of course, took precedence, but there never was a let-up in the efforts to secure the equipment for service as a combat unit in France. In this work the Camp Quartermaster, Major Edward H. Andreas, co-operated with the Division Commander and the Division Quartermaster to an important extent, and to him a measure of the credit is due for what was achieved in the next three months in getting the Division ready to sail. TRAINING PROGRAM STARTED. At the time the reorganization of the Division was completed troops were training in accordance with War Department instructions contained in a pamphlet entitled "Infantry Training," prescribing a course of sixteen weeks' training for all elements of the Division. The first four weeks' program was completed shortly after the reorganization had been effected, a,nd when the second four weeks' period was taken up the Division was organised on a permanent basis and the schedules throughout the various units were uniform. An infantry school of arms was established, and various officers and non-commissioned officers were assigned for training in infantry specialties. Upon the completion of their course they became instructors, and returned to their organizations to instruct companies, platoons and squads in the use of new infantry weapons. This school was commanded first by Colonel Marshall Cousins, of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry, and later by Colonel Peter Piasecki, formerly of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry. To this school Captain Alien L. Briggs, A. D. C. to General Parker, devoted all his time. Captain Briggs was in Europe when the World War broke out in 1914, and had had an opportunity to observe the methods used in the various military schools in France. Later five French officers and four British officers, with several French and English non-commissioned officers, arrived as instructors, and during the latter part of the training period gave valuable assistance in preparing the Division for the part it was to play in the Great War. A trench system was constructed just outside the camp, and in this system trench warfare was practiced. Infantry and artillery target ranges were prepared early in the training period, and a thorough course of instruction in service firing was given to every man in the Division. From these two features of the training program excellent results were obtained. The War Department training program prescribed that certain hours of the week be devoted to athletics, and advantage was 'taken of this opportunity to organize a divisional football team, which was an important factor in creating a divisional esprit de corps. The team played elevens representing other military camps, and finished its schedule without being defeated by a soldier organization. TROOPS DRILLED, RAIN OR SHINE. The training was greatly expedited by the excellent weather which prevailed at Camp MacArthur. The policy of the Division was to carry out the program, rain or shine, and this policy was rigidly adhered to, especially in the schedule of trench maneuvers. However, there was very little rain, and interruptions of the program were rare. All elements of the Division trained with equal energy, and all ranks soon realized that the 32nd would "get into the war" at a much earlier date than many had at first realized. This was a point which the Division Commander frequently emphasized in his daily conferences with the field officers. It was quickly evident to everyone that there was no time to waste, and the Division accordingly wasted none. In spite of handicaps due to lack of equipment, the Artillery Brigade developed as steadily as the infantry, the machine gun battalions rapidly gained knowledge of their weapons, the signal battalion, the engineers and the sanitary troops found practical work to do to supplement the required drills, and the trains, truck companies and trench mortar battery, without the "tools of their trade" with which to practice, took up infantry training, and organized schools to learn what they could about their specialties. Indeed at several division reviews the trains were commended by the Division Commander for the fine showing which they made, marching as infantry, and became rivals of the best "doughboy" battalions for smartness on parade. Rigid discipline was required in everything that the Division did. Even games- the exercises prescribed as part of the training-were played at attention. Laundry work was done by schedule, during hours set apart for that purpose; and facetious "doughboys" used to say that they took their shower baths "by the numbers." But if the stern military rule to which they were subjected irked the men they did not show it; early in the game they demonstrated a willingness to implicitly obey orders, and after the Division had been in training two months it became apparent to every- one that the 33nd was to hfi a thoroughly disciplined organization. Both officers and men had cause, later, to be thankful for the careful attention given to this important feature of the training during the formative period. SCHOOLS FOR EVERYBODY. The men worked hard, and the officers worked even harder. With the organization of the School of Arms, many junior officers and non-commissioned officers were ordered there for courses in specialties, leaving harassed Captains, First Sergeants and company clerks to handle the administration of the companies. At drill a company commander was fortunate to have even one Lieutenant to help him handle a company of 250 men, and the First Sergeant likewise was forced to "carry on" with his best non-com assistants away at school during drill hours. Each evening there was an officers' school which all commissioned grades were required to attend, and frequently the non-commissioned officers were called together for special instruction "after hours." A school for Brigade, Regimental and Battalion commanders, with General Haan himself as director and instructor, was held daily. The Division was fortunate in possessing a wealth of excellent officer material in the ranks of the enlisted men of the National Guard, and, when opportunity finally offered, certain enlisted men, who had shown exceptional ability in training activities, were examined, and later, on recommendation of the Division Commander, they were commissioned as Second Lieutenants and assigned to fill vacancies in the lower commissioned grades. A number of older Second Lieutenants also were promoted. Some of the best officers developed in the great campaign of the Division in 1918 were men promoted from the ranks during the training period at Waco, and all fully justified the confidence which General Haan expressed in these young officers at the time their commissions were announced. While camp life at Waco was strenuous, and the duties of all ranks most exacting, it wasn't entirely a case of all work and no play. The people of Waco proved themselves to be highly hospitable, and born and bred Southerners, who admitted that they had reached the age of maturity without knowing that "damned Yankee" wasn't all one word, went out of their way to entertain these stalwart soldiers from the North. Many fine friendships were formed, and when the Division left for overseas Waco people took the parting as they would for their own sons. In fact the local papers always referred to the 32nd as "Waco's Own," and followed closely and enthusiastically the gallant career of their friends from Michigan and Wisconsin. And in 1919 when the Division returned from abroad it is a record that many of the men went back to Waco and "lived happily ever afterwards." DIVISION ORDERED OVERSEAS. During the latter part of November and early in December the Division was visited and carefully examined by War Department artillery and infantry inspectors, and was judged ready for overseas service. Their reports to Washington indicated that the 32nd was more advanced in its training at that time than any other division then in the U. S. Its equipment was very nearly complete, and the spirit which had developed no doubt also influenced the inspectors. Accordingly notice was shortly forthcoming from Washington that the Division would be sent to France at the earliest practicable date. In those days information regarding troop movements was carefuly guarded, but before Christmas it was generally known throughout the camp that the 32nd was on the "sailing list." Many officers and men, of course, desired furloughs to say good-bye to the folks at home; but the journey north was a long one, and there was considerable uncertainty as to just when the movement would begin, so leaves were impracticable, and relatives who took the hint that there might shortly be "some- thing doing" came to Waco for the final farewells. Following the receipt of orders from Washington for the transfer of the 32nd to the Port of Embarkation at Hoboken, N. J., the first troops left Waco on Janu- ary 2d. From that time on the movement was steady, until the camp was cleared by the first of March of all but a few casuals. Division Headquarters left Waco Janu- ary 14th. The infantry was moved first, arriving at Gamp Merritt before Division Headquarters sailed. The artillery movement did not get under way until February.