Page 57 - history-of-military-units-in-columbia-county-fl-(1970)-robert-gary-shields

History of Military Units in Columbia County, FL (1970) Robert Gary Shields

HISTORY OF THE 31st DIVISION DURING WWI

Organization and training in hhe United States, July IS, 1917r^Sep± i, 14,

July 18, the war Department disignated National Guard troops of
Alabama, Florida, and Georgia., to form the 31st. Division (Pmp Wheeler
was selected for the training. Aug. 3, the War Dept, directed the
concentrr tion r nd orgr niz~ tion of the
Div. at Camp Wheeler. Aug. 5, th NG of Ala- Fla., and C-a. are drafted
into Federal service. Aug 25th , 'the concentration at Camp Wheeler
begins: Sgj. Gen. Francis J. Kerman assumes command; the brigades,
are organized and ultimately include: Gist Inf Brig., the 5th Gs . iJJf,
separate companies of Ga. Inf, and detachments of the 1st Ga , 2nd. Gr,
and 1st Fla. Regts, of' Inf: 62nd. Inf. Brig, the 1st Ale?. & 2nd. Fir.
Regts of Inf, & detachments of the 1st Fla find 1st. Ge. P.egts. of Inf
and of the 1st Ala.. Cav; 56th FA Brig, detachments of Gs . AF, of the
1st, Fla, 1st Gr $nd 2nd, Ala Regts of Inf and of the 1st Alg Csv.
Sept 1, the Div. is reorganized in accordance with the Tables of
Organization of Aug. 8, 1917 During October, dra ft.'v from Al®., FIs'.
& G§. , totaling 10,000 men are obtained by transfer ■£&&&. C-mps Gordon,
Jackson, and Pike. Oct 28th, systematic training begins. Between
Nov, and June the Div. tr@nsfers, or otherwise loses, nearly all
infantry privates gnd sbout half of the artillery privates, including,
June 11, a detachment of £,800 sent to Camp Merritt. During June
drafts aggregating 9,200 arrived from Mich, and Ill, and. during
July, 5,700 additional came from Ill. July?l, the Div, officered
largely from th CRC and NA, totals 24,100. July 24, 56th FA Brig
moves to C mp Jackson for training. Aug. 20, 2nd Ba. 122nd
Inf, moves to Ckmp Greene for station. During Aug. 2,000 men,
including 1,200 from C2mp Travis, join.

Movement overseas, Sept. 15, - Nov. 9, 1918

Sept 15, the Div. moves from Camps Greene, Jackson, Stnd Wheeler,
via C&mp Mills, -to the ports of embarkrtion of Brooklyn, Hoboken,
and New York. Sept, 16t , 106th Engrs and Tn, s?il from New York,
5.nd arrive, Sepjb, 29, in Scotland. Sept. 29, Adv Det sailssfrom
Hoboken and arrives Oct. 7, at Brest, except the 117th and 118th MG
Bns. and Tn Ho. & MP which arrive, Oct 17, in England. Oct 14-28,
the 56th FA Brig and the remainder of the infantry and trains soil
3nd I'ond, Oct. 25-Nov 9, at Brest, except the 124th Inf which latads,
Oct. 24, In England. Troops which land in England st-sy 3 short time
in rest camps and then proceed ViS. Cherbourg and Le Havre.

Activities overseas, C?ct. 4 - Nov 26, 1918
Oct. 4, 106th Engrs (less Ta which remains at Le Havre) moves
from Le Havre to Brest for duty with the SOS. Oct. 17, Orders direct
that the Div. be skeletonized. Oct. 19-r DHO, 61st Inf. Brig, 62nd
Inf. Brig., 116th MG Bn. 106th Sup Tn., -nd 106th T- Ho & MP move
to Le Mans, a few of the units proceeding vis? the Loches Are?; the
remaining units are detached upon their arrivl at Brest. Oct 29,
orders direct the reduction be made to § record cadre strength- the
56FA Brig, (less 106th TM Btry which goes to Vitrey on Nov 4) moves
from Brest to C<?mp Coetouidzn for training Oct. 30, 106th F Sag Bn
leaves Brest for the Signal Corp, Replacement Depot &t Cour-Cheverny.
Early in Nov, the DHO, 61th Inf Brig, 62nd Inf Brig, 116th-MG Bn, and
106th Tn Hq & MP gre skeletonized, a record, cadre of 10 officers a?nd
102 men is formed, <ynd the1 surplus are transferred as replacements to
the 2nd Depot Div. Nov. 25th, 106th Sn Tn moves from Brest to Camp
de Souge, and in Dec to the American Embsrk’ation Center, Le Mans, where
it is subsequently skeletonized. ' '

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