Sidney D. Light's WWI Diary, Postcards & Letters, 329th Battery Book Accounts

        During the month of September, 1917, when the seemingly victorious Huns were making their attacks on churches, hospitals and relief ships, a contingent of two hundred men were assembled in Detroit, Michigan, and given one of the greatest send-offs ever tendered a group of men. “And why all this cheering and celebrating?” one asked.  Detroit was sending her first selection of manly youths to the colors to join the fight for Democracy and Humanity.  From these two hundred men that climbed the old hill at Custer through mud and with perspiration streaming from their brows, sixteen were sorted out and assigned to Battery E, 329th Artillery.

        Upon their arrival at their new home they found Captain James F. Burns in command with Lieutenants Harry G. Sparks, Alexander B. Lange, Harney B. Stover, Charles F. Sawyer and O.Z. Ide as his assistants.  The first night was comfortably spent on army cots filled with nicely arranged straw ticks which were welcome after a strenuous day spent in Detroit and on the way to Custer.  But when the bugler sounded reveille in the morning we learned the reason a bugler has so few friends in the army.  The next two weeks were spent learning the fundamentals of artillery and preparing the home for the recruits that were yet to follow.

        On September 20th, fifty-two additional recruits were ushered into the battery to join the regulars, as they chose to be termed, and two days later these were supplemented by an increase of fifty-three more.  As the battery was now assuming a reasonable size, selections were made and organization was effected.  Out of the shuffle came our old “Top Cutter” as the First Sergeant is dubbed, Clyde Richard Parker.  Our battery was another League of Nations, being made up of many men of foreign parentage, but we had a common purpose and a common understanding was soon reached.  Lectures on military courtesies and conduct in general were delivered by Captain Burns, all of which was strange to us.  It took but a few days to become “regulars” which entitled us to make the most fun of the rookie’s embarrassment and many funny things happened.  We were found saluting the First Sergeant, or addressing the Corporal as “Sir.”  Before we became acquainted with each other it was surprising how many rich men’s sons had come from Detroit.  But time wore down the first impressions and we began to know each other and to realize how much we had in common.

       Just when general training was established as the routine of the day, Captain Burns was taken from our ranks and assigned to the Rainbow Division and Captain Carlton L. Wheeler was substituted.  As the training progressed from stage to stage and we grew to know our work and to know our officers, we found that we had a worthy friend in Captain Wheeler, and our experience under his command from those early days, through the entire race to the end, has justified our regard for him.  With him also came Lieutenants John B. Gay, Thomas Casey and Max L. Gorton, while Lieutenants Sawyer and Ide departed for Camp Green , S.C. 

        All through the months of October, November and December the battery received, transferred and discharged men from time to time.  Our heaviest transfer occurred on the 19th of October when thirty-six of our men were transferred to the 32nd National Guard Division, Waco, Texas, which Division, as it afterward proved, was one of the first to see active service.  November 21st gave the noncoms an opportunity to display their authority, which they surely did, when an additional eighty-three men put the Battery E button in their collars.  Out of this group our popular beauty-shop bugler, Anthony Schultz, made his appearance.  With the assistance of his looking glass Anthony made his way to prestige as the pride of the battery.  This mirror they say was always with him.  But we had not even now become set in our organization and once more a wholesale transfer took twenty-five of our pals for the 32nd National Guard to join those who had left us a month before.  With these men went out never-to-be forgotten Peter Parcienski, who kept the battery in entertainment with his “Me Seck” slogan and Club Cigar smile.  All the while the old sandy field along Harmonia Road was the scene of Squads East and West, Right Face, Double Time and a thousand Greek commands to us rookies.  Lieut. Casey insisted on saying “laft” instead of “left,” until one day one of the rawest of recruits reminded him of the correct pronunciation.  No matter how hard the sun shone, or how hard the rain poured, we were there to drill all day and by the appetites we displayed one would think we drilled at night too.

        On the morning of December 12th Lieutenants E. Bishop, John T. Rawlings, Morris Scott, Peter Adams, Bert N. Sorensen, Newton L. Yarnell and Harry C. Schloot were transferred from a southern camp and attached to the battery for duty.  With this fine array of officers, which now numbered fourteen, one could not go outside without breaking his arm by saluting.