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Iowa National Guard

Report of the Adjutant General of Iowa
For the Biennial Period Ended June 30, 1918
Published by the State of Iowa
Des Moines

     The office of the Adjutant General has been a very busy place during the past two years. The United States has been involved in two wars during this period. At the beginning of the
year 1917 the Iowa National Guard, with the exception of the Field Artillery, which was mustered out in December, was in  Federal service and was on duty on the Mexican Border guarding the border states from invasion.  The organizations were returned to their homes early in the year and by March 23, 1917 were all out of active service.
     On March 25, 1917 the President again issued a proclamation calling into active service a part of the National Guard from each state, preparatory to entering the World War. In Iowa the First Regiment of Infantry was called into service and placed on duty guarding bridges and munitions plants.  By July 15, 1917 all other organizations of National Guard had been called into service.
     On August 5, 1917 all men who had been mustered into National Guard service were drafted into U. S. service.  This took the Guard entirely from under the control of the state.  By the latter part of August all Iowa units had left the state.
     Iowa Guard units sent into the service were all efficient, but it so happened that only one of them, the Third Iowa Infantry (168th U.S. Infantry) experienced any battle field service.  This regiment was a part of the 42nd or Rainbow, division, and was a composite organization, composed of the third and parts of the First and Second Infantry regiments.  Three-fifths of the enlisted men of the Third, when it left Iowa, had been for some time  in the ranks of this regiment.  Two-fifths were Guardsmen, transferred from the First and Second Regiments.  As a result it was truly a representative Iowa National Guard unit, and its brilliant achievements on the battle fields reflects credit upon the National Guard as a whole.
 
 

      Montgomery County

 

The Men of Company M

Part of the 168th Infantry of the "Rainbow Divison"

The National Guard of Iowa, as of June 30, 1918, consisted of one brigade of infantry (3 regiments), First Infantry, Second Infantry and Third Infantry, as well as many other outfits. The Third Infantry was made up of fifteen companies, one of which was Company M, Red Oak, Montgomery County. These 3 regiments went on to fight in the battles of Lorraine, Champagne, Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, Argonne and Sedan in France in World War I as part of the 168th Infantry of the famed Rainbow Division. Members of Company M are listed here.

                                                 

Commissioned Officers  

 

Last Name First name Age Residence State Born Rank
Ross Lloyd D. 42 Red Oak Iowa Captain
Briggs Charles O. 38 Red Oak Iowa 1st Lieutenant
Christopher John C. 27 Red Oak Iowa 2nd Lieutenant

Non-Commissioned Officers

Last Name First name Age Residence State Born Rank
Johnson Oscar F. 38 Red Oak Iowa 1st Sgt.
Graves Cecil B. 24 Red Oak Missouri Supply Sgt.
Larson Clarence Arthur 23 Red Oak Nebraska Sgt.
Ferguson Donald V. 22 Red Oak Iowa Sgt.
Fulton W. Wayne 19 Fairfield Iowa Sgt.
Hamilton Byron W. 24 Pleasant Plain Iowa Sgt.
Hardwick Russell 23 Red Oak Iowa Sgt.
Hawkins Owen C. 42 Red Oak Iowa Sgt.
Hobbs Clem 24 Red Oak Missouri Sgt.
Lepley James B. 22 Red Oak Pennsylvania Sgt.
Longstreet Glendon A. 23 Red Oak Iowa Sgt.
McManus Everett G. 24 Cherokee -- Sgt.
Shields C. Floyd 23 Fairfield Iowa Sgt.
Shontz William E. 28 Correctionville Iowa Sgt.
Totty Clarence 21 Red Oak Iowa Sgt.
Blank Otis Paul 20 Red Oak Iowa Sgt.
Boustead George R. 39 Woodbine Iowa Cpl.
Brooks Philip A. 25 -- New Hampshire Cpl.
Butler John Donald 22 Red Oak Iowa Cpl.
Davis Loren W. 26 Libertyville Iowa Cpl.
Donavon Timothy J. 22 Cherokee Iowa Cpl.
Durfee Benjamin F. 19 Fairfield Iowa Cpl.
Enokson Ruben L. 22 Cherokee Iowa Cpl.
Fall Henry H. 23 Red Oak Kansas Cpl.
Faulkner Lloyd E. 27 Fairfield Nebraska Cpl.
Freeburg Thure 23 Red Oak Sweden Cpl.
Gross John J. 29 Fairfield Minnesota Cpl.
Hart Claude V. 27 Cherokee South Dakota Cpl.
Hoke Arnold 24 Red Oak Iowa Cpl.
Holtman William H. 29 Atlantic Illinois Cpl.
Killion James W. 23 Cherokee Nebraska Cpl.
Lepley Edward C. 19 Red Oak Pennsylvania Cpl.
Lewis Russell 20 Red Oak Iowa Cpl.
Marcher George O. 21 Alta Denmark Cpl.
Morse Jesse C. 33 Red Oak Iowa Cpl.
Nelson Carl O. 21 Fairfield Iowa Cpl.
Oats Reuben A. 22 Fairfield Iowa Cpl.
Reiley Oliver 18 Red Oak Iowa Cpl.
Roberts Ralph E. 20 Atlantic Iowa Cpl.
Salts Ralph H. 21 Fairfield Indiana Cpl.
Sanks Chas E. Jr. 21 Red Oak Iowa Cpl.
Scott Lloyd T. 27 Cherokee Iowa Cpl.
Shaeffer Harold 22 Storm Lake Illinois Pvt. 1st Class
Smith Jay D. 19 Red Oak Iowa Cpl.
Stansberry Lane E. 23 Fairfield Iowa Cpl.
Swanson Joseph C. 22 Red Oak Sweden Cpl.
Wilson Earl W.