source: The War Book of the One Hundred and Sixth Regiment Field Artillery, U.S. Army 1917-1919 transcribed & submitted by L.Schmidt, grand-daughter of Sgt. Philip Conpenelis, 106th H.A., Battery "E" Medical Detachment On September 4th, the Regiment moved by train, in four sections, on its first lap of the journey to the front, and the Detachment was equally divided to form details for each section. Our trip by rail lasted about fifty hours, and beautiful rural France was enjoyed by everyone. Then we arrived at Longeville, a little town not far distant from the city of Bar le Duc. On the evening of the 8th, we started over the road for the front. A few were fortunate enough to have horses, but because the Regiment was handicapped by shortage of them, most were not able to ride. ... The nights were black, and the travelling was rather difficult. It was, however, an experience few will forget. The men were always wet and tired, horses sick, and the road not easy to find; while many halts, due to mired guns, failing animals and blocked roads, always delayed our movements considerably. One thing was noticeable as we progressed on our journey, and that was the ever increasing appearance of ruins and devastation. We halted at 5 a.m. on the morning of the 12th of September at the little shell-battered and rat-infested village of Baleicourt. Here the details for the three battalions were made... A part of the Detachment was always kept in the echelon of the regiment caring for the sick and providing medical supplies for our details at the gun positions. While at Baleicourt we had our first air raid, when several bombs were dropped without casualties; but it served to introduce to us what treatment was to follow.... On September 12th the regiment participated in the St. Mihiel offensive, which was a prepared attack, made by the First American Army on the right of the sector occupied by the 17th French Corps. On September 21st, our men had their first real opportunity to do first aid work. This was at Bethlainville, with the Third Battalion, when shelling from the enemy began at 5:30 p.m. One of Jerry's shells had made a direct hit on one of Battery E's dugouts, and a call for first aid was passed on to us immediately. As a result of the caving in of the dugout, it was necessary to evacuate five men with fractures, but evacuating at that particular time was very difficult, in that it was necessary to send a messenger six kilometres to Sivry La Perche for ambulance service. ... On September 26th, the Meuse-Argonne offensive was begun, a prepared attack. We were still attached to the 33rd Division of the Third U.S. Army Corps. This was a memorable night, from midnight until 5:30 the next morning, our guns in connection with those of the other regiments of our 52nd Field Artillery Brigade, and the French Artillery, put over a terrible and most wonderful barrage, terrible yet awe-inspiring. ... For the enlisted men, it can be said that they did wonderful work under fire, and never sought cover when there was work to do. The men doing the less interesting work at the echelon acquitted themselves admirably. They worked where work was to be done; built dugouts, groomed mules or did sanitary work with equal good will. ... Roster of the Medical Detachment, 106th Field Artillery (Including all members of Detachment from time of leaving for front.) Name - Rank Home Address Adams, Walter Pvt Honorably discharged in Europe. Artman, Guy R. Pvt Whitestown, Ind. Bell, Louis J. Pvt 1cl Bloomingburg, NY Bloomer, Albert Pvt 1cl Batavia NY Boeckel, Fred W. Sgt 1cl 568 E. Utica St, Buffalo NY Botkin, Henry R. Pvt 1cl St Marys, Ohio Brown, King W. Pvt Gillette, Ark. Burdett, Ellis J. Sgt Batavia NY Burns, Thomas E. Pvt 40 Ford Ave, Ogdensburg NY Ceroni, Dominick Pvt Wounded and evacuated to hospital. Driscoll, Cornelius P. Sgt Died at hospital, December 1st, 1918, from accidental burns. Driscoll, Joseph P. Pvt 1cl 187 W. Utica St, Buffalo NY Evers, Herbert H Pvt 126 Childs St, Warren, R.I. Farrell, John A. Pvt 1cl 432 55th St, Brooklyn NY Fink, Harold J. Sgt Wounded and evacuated to hospital Gaczewski, Sigmund Pvt 1342 Broadway, Buffalo NY Gaczewski, Mathew Pvt 1342 Broadway, Buffalo NY Gasseling, William Pvt 1cl Toppinich, Wash. Gatsos, Pete J. Pvt 200 Third Ave, South Seattle, Wash. Graczyk, Frank Pvt Silver Lake, Minn. Higgins, Clifford W. Pvt 114 forbell Ave, Brooklyn NY Jenkins, Edgar H. Pvt 1cl Warsaw NY Neubach, Frank W. Pvt Evacuated to hospital Dec 11, 1918 O'Grady, John F Pvt 214 S. Water St, Kent, Ohio Parks, David M. Pvt Senoia, Ga. Phillips, Arthur C. Pvt Byhalia, Miss. Sears, Lewis Pvt 326 North St, Middletown NY Shields, Walter Pvt 1cl Wounded and evacuated to hospital Smith, Greeley E. Sgt 908 Pennsylvania Ave, Elmira NY Sperrfechter, Frank L. Pvt 113 Lake Ave, Middletown NY Stevens, William H. Pvt Oakfield NY Sullivan, Francis X. Sgt 649 Carroll St, Brooklyn NY ~ * ~