A draft of 112 Winneshiek county men left for Camp Gordon, Georgia, in 1918.

The Ossian boys in this group were: Walter Oxley, Herman Schulze, Henry Schroeder, Edward Schulze and Lloyd Ean. Several young men joined the student's army training school. Among these were; Glen Oyloe, Rufus Cahill, Harold Gilbert, Charles Ward, Everett McManus and Leslie Worley.

The Ossian Community Club raised a service flag, carrying fifty stars, over the bandstand. The St. Francis Church dedicated a flag with 28 stars to their young parish members in military service.

The first local casualty was Norman Selsaas, a cousin of Berge Benson, and a farmhand on the Ole Hendrickson acres. His death, attributed to influenza, occured at Camp Dodge. Nurse Edith Becker succumbed to this disease while stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison, and Sergeant Edward Schulze passed away at his mother's home in Ossian. He was the victim of pneumonia—his death coming only eight days after discharge from service. Becker and Schulze, members of the Catholic Church, were buried in the parish cemetery with full military honors.

Two local boys were killed in the war: Theodore Brockman by the accidental explosion of a hand grenade, just two days before the armistice; and Solomon Hammersland, while in action during the battle of Epieds. The Ossian American Legion Post was named in their honor. A resolution by the town's council renamed three of the city's streets after Becker, Brockman and Schulze.

The remains of Brockman and Hammersland were returned from France in 1921. Their bodies were interred in the St. Francis and Stavanger cemeteries.

There was great patriotism on the home front during this period. Anyone, who refused to contribute to the war effort, was subject to ostracism by the community. There were several recorded instances of public recantation in the form of published notarized letters. However, Ossian's residents, almost without exception, supported the war effort. Dentists, Schneberger and Sobolik, offered free dental service to local draftees prior to their induction. Attorney Ward Allen gave free legal services to returning veterans and their families.

A Red Cross Chapter was formed early in 1917. Mrs. J. W. Lynch was chose as chairwoman; Mrs. M. J. Carter, vice chairwoman; Miss Lydia Gunderson, secretary; and Mrs. Fred Figge, treasure. A committee for soliciting membership was appointed. It was composed of the Misses Linnie Gilbert, Marjorie Nereson and Beatrice Becker. The selection of these young ladies proved judicious, indeed, when 351 local members were quickly enrolled. The public school children became junior members of the unit with a 25¢ contribution.

The Red Cross Ladies served Thanksgiving dinner, and sponsored a home talent play, and dance, at the opera house, raising $442 for the organization. The Saint Francis ladies held a card party and dance with the receipts of $102 used for furnishing comfort bags for the parish boys in service.

Red Cross sewing units were organized. The Junior Red Cross girls, under the direction of schoolteachers, Jewell and Kolsrud, filled a box with 200 articles of clothing for relief of refugees in Belgian. The sewing units met, on a rotating schedule, at all participant's homes, for sewing bees. The final tally of their work totaled 1019 pr. of sox, 428 sweaters, I98 pr. wristlets, 49 helmet liners, 32 pr. pajamas, 17 hospital shirts, 48 shoulder shawls, 45 pillow cases, 102 bandages and 36 wash cloths. In addition, a comfort kit was furnished every Ossian serviceman.

The firemen held a benefit dance for the Red Cross that had total receipts of 3137. Mr. Flectner, Ossian's baker, donated a cake that brought $67.50 when raffled at this event. Two benefit dances were held at the Anton Anderson farm north of town.

A Military township "pig club" was organized. One hundred and thirteen community farmers agreed to donate a porker each for the benefit of the Red Cross. A train of 33 cars was assembled to haul the 2200 pigs given by county farmers.

They netted $67,675 at the Chicago stockyards.

Attorney W. M. Allen was the leader of a Red Cross solicitation in 1918. This