Company K, leaving Stoughton for WWI.
Company K, 4th Wisconsin Infantry, 107th Military Police, 32nd
Division
Company K, 4th Wisconsin Infantry National Guard was reorganized for War and became part of the 107th M.P. Unit, 32nd Division
“Welcome
Bravest Division of All”, “Victorious Co. K Welcome Home”, “Welcome Home Boys”
read hundreds of lines of type in the May 21 and 22 issues of the Stoughton
Daily Courier-Hub … greet “44 of Our Heroes Due at 7:56 Tonight”
At 3 p.m.
Wednesday, May 21, 1919 the whistles of the wagon factory signaled the “coming
of ‘The Bunch’.”
Arriving home
on that 7:56 train were the members of Company K, 107th Mounted
Police (sic*) of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry of the 32nd
Division:
Paul Alme,
William Anderson, Herbert Bakken, Obert Bakken, Clarence Berg, Albert Berge, Albert
Brovick, Carl Clausen, Benjamin Dahlman, Joseph Dahlman, Harry Erickson, Herman
Gaulke;
Trygve Grinstad,
Raymond Hanson, Albert Haugen, Warren Hegelmeyer, Levi Hellickson, Claire
Jacobson, Oscar Jerdee, Arthur Johnson, Martin Johnson, Wilmer Johnson, Roy
Jorgeson, Christ Juseson;
Elmer Ladd,
Harvey Larson, Clarence Leikness, Elmer Lund, James Luther, **First Lieutenant
Fred Mattingly, Clyde Mickelson, Gerhard Molstad, Otto Molstad;
Arthur
Newton, William Noyes, Oscar Odegaarden, Arvid Olson, William Olson, Einar
Smestad, Thorwald Strom, Axel Sundby, Early Turner, Albert Wathe, and **Paul
Wedvick.”
“When the
group of 44 heroes arrived, they were escorted to automobiles—which indicated
their importance—and together with their immediate families were driven down
Main Street and to the First Methodist Church where the caravan separated to
drive the men to their homes.
One of the
scenes they passed was a large red arrow and flag illuminated by an electric
light that stood majestically above the flag and bunting draped front of Marvin
Renvick’s flat above the milk depot.
At noon
Thursday May 22, the factories, business places and city schools closed for a “monster
Parade” at 1:30 p.m., which included representatives of all the city’s
organizations and schools and the returning heroes.
After the
parade, an amateur vaudeville performance and band concert were held.”
“Courier-Hub
editor J.M. Hibbard greeted the returning soldiers with an editorial that
covered the top half of the page on May 22, expressing the city’s thanks for
the work the men had done for their country, but reminded,
“In the
midst of all this rejoicing and happiness we pause every once in a while to
give a little thought to the men who started out with you nearly 2 years ago
but are not here to share in the home coming.
We are
thinking of Edor, Tommy, Herbert, Marvin, Maurice and the others who stayed—just
as you are.
Like a flash
our minds leave here and travel several thousand miles to the little mounds of
earth ‘Somewhere in France’ which cover all that is mortal of your buddies and
our friends Alvin Bringa, Andrew Furan, Adolph Gyland, Lee Hanson, Selmer
Havey, Ole Lee, Parker Moe, Helmer Nelson, Otis Sampson, Andrew O. Sperle, Gunder Skaaland, Arthur
Thompson, and George Woolf, who have gone across the Great Divide on foreign
soil, and Alvin Anderson, Francis Baker, Elmer Bostrack, Austin Lunde, Peter
Mathison, Carl Olson, Ernest Olson, Arnold Swan and Carmen Thompson who died ‘over
here’.”
“Stoughton
and Edgerton area men originally formed Company K and according to a diary of
the famed “Les Terribles” recorded by Arvid Olson, the men were called into
service on July 25, 1917, drilling every day until they left for Camp Douglas
on August 11.”
“On Sunday,
February 10, the company departed for France aboard the U.S.S. Martha Washington
and two weeks later on February 24, they arrived at Brest, France.
While in
France, the company saw action on five fronts – Chateau Thierry, Alsace-Lorraine,
Oide-Aisne, Sassion-Tartiers, Meuse-Argonne, the defensive sector and with the armistice
forces. It was at Tartiers that the 32nd
gained the name of Les Terribles and was recommended for their work.”
“Finally
November 11, 1918 arrived, . . . the Armistice was signed and the war was over” “The Company
left Europe on April 23, 1919 on the battleship Louisana. The trip to the United States took 13 days .
. . before receiving the heroes’ welcome in Stoughton on May 21."
Excerpted
from the Stoughton Courier, May 22, 1969
(sic*) M.P. was an abbreviation for Military Police
** 2nd Lt. Fred Mattingly and Pvt. Paul Wedvick received the Distinguished Service Decoration along with six others from the 32nd Division Military Police, The 32nd Division in the World War, 1917-1919 page 307, copyright 1920 by the Wisconsin War History Commission, Madison, Wis.
Company K, 4th Wisconsin Infantry National Guard was reorganized for War and became part of the 107th M.P. Unit, 32nd Division.
Read a brief history of the 32nd Division, aka Red Arrow and Les Terribles. Made up of Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard WWI
Posing before a Chateau in Germany are the members of the famed (NG) Company K, many of whom returned home to Stoughton on May 21, 1919 - fifty years ago Wednesday. The Chateau was one of the company's better sleeping places, as they had bunked in one of Napolean's prisons, on the ground, in a haybarn, and only occasionally in a bed. Stoughton Courier, May 22, 1969
