April 2017 Newsletter
The Red Arrow Returns
When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the 32nd infantry division, with the 126th Infantry as one of its subordinate regiments, was organized from and comprised of local National Guard units from Michigan and Wisconsin. The division fought with distinction on the western front in Europe, and soldiers of the division were among the first Allied units to enter German-occupied territory. The unit’s tenacity earned it
the nickname “Les Terribles.” The 32nd and 126th were called on again when the United States entered World War II in 1941 following a year of federalized training. The division served in the Pacific Theater and earned distinction by spending 654 consecutive days in combat. Eleven soldiers in the 32nd - three in the 126th -- earned the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony held on 7 January 2017 at Camp Grayling Training Center, the 1st Squadron 126 Cavalry Regiment cased its colors, returning “home” to the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team as the historic 3rd Battalion 126th Infantry Regiment. The Cavalry colors and troop guidons were cased signaling the inactivation of the Squadron. The Infantry colors and guidons were unfurled to activate the “Iron Battalion.” During the uncasing ceremony, soldiers of the 126th received their “Red Arrow” insignia to wear as part of the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), once again a critical component in the combat lineage of the famed 32nd Division. The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Michigan and Wisconsin National Guard, including The Adjutant General of Michigan, The Adjutant General of Wisconsin, and Assistant Adjutant General of Wisconsin (former 32nd IBCT Commander). ~ by SSG Virgil Akins
New Archive Room
The new 126 IN Regiment Archives room is nearing completion. The consolidation of 4different storage rooms into one location has been one of the several goals of the ongoing 126th Archives project. The New Space will more than double the available storage and
workspace. This will be an important factor as the project moves from the cataloging phase to the preservation and maintenance phase. The goal is to have all items not on display to be moved in by the middle of April. Room improvements include: New carpet, upgraded lighting, and fresh paint and trim. The shelving that was previously purchased by the 126 Infantry Association will be moved to the new room as well. ~ by SSG Kyle Herring th
From the 126 Infantry Regiment
For those who do not know me, I am MAJ John Keelean, the Executive Officer/Officer in Charge of 3-126 IN. I was assigned to the Battalion last September. I also serve as the Regimental Association second Vice President. I was born and raised in Cadillac, MI and have resided in the Grand Rapids area since 1991 when I came off from active duty as a Marine Infantryman. I also served as an Infantry Officer in 1-125 IN for nearly 12 years. I am excited to be a part of this great organization and the surrounding community. Our Battalion is growing is strength every week and we recently reached 80% assigned strength with 572 Soldiers assigned. I anticipate we will reach full strength in 2018. In April we will begin our field training as dismounted Infantryman and focus on movement to contact at the squad level. This year, we have decided to hold the Association Annual Meeting and the Regimental Dinner at Camp Grayling on August 11, 2017. The events will occur at the end of the battalion’s annual training period in order to achieve maximum battalion participation and Regimental Association recruitment. Additional details will be made available once we finalize the planning.
Secretary-Treasurer’s Report
Mark your calendar! This year’s Annual Meeting of the Association is being planned for August 11 at Camp Grayling. Details need to be worked out but the plan is to hold the meeting that week in conjunction with other Camp Grayling and unit activities. Once again a big thanks to CSM (Ret) John Shipley for donating the postage and envelopes for this mailing. The cost is around $200. Active members 427 Missing members 257
New members: DISCHER, NIKOLAS GARCIA, ROBERT GRUNDER, JERRY KEELEAN, JOHN LESTER, CURT RITZEMA, RYAN TOOKER M.D., RICHARD M TREVINO, JOSE LUIS WAGH, R.V. WALLAGER, CARL YAKUBOWSKI, GARY Reported deceased since annual meeting September 2016: Gerald Groters, past president of the Association Missing members since last mailing: SPALSBURY, RAYMON C ROPER, RAYMOND W DAKE, LEVOY DELL, JEFFREY FLEMING, WILLIAM F
Legacy Fund
There is now a giant Red Arrow adorning the stage at the Grand Valley Armory thanks to the Association. The cost of the project was $1,353.90. The balance of the Legacy Fund as of 28 February is $1,052.19. We are in need of donations to support the following projects: The awards program of the Association, the new archives room at the Grand Valley Armory, and purchasing items to support the soldiers of the 3/126 (details to follow in the next newsletter). An envelope is provided with this newsletter. Every donation helps maintain the legacy of the 126th Infantry! Thank you to the 46 donors who contributed $2,771.00 to the Legacy Fund this past year. Ben J. Landheer Terrance J Kinney Russell & Elaine Buys COL Chuck Holwerda COL(ret) Bruce Whitman
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Jerry H Kline Glenn Dubbink Leonard Engels Clayton Jackson Richard M. Saganski Walt Draeger Ruth Wierenga Nate Chang John Stengel Gerald Sadowski James Crump Michael Haan MAJ(ret) Bruce Snyder Esther VanHammen Harold Plaisier Gordon Kelley John & Loretta Johnson George H. Anthony COL(Ret) Gary L. Krueger SFC(ret) Clarence Ehlert Jr COL(ret) Robert O'Donnell SFC(ret) Ray Hintz Fred Steed BG Warren Lawrence Ruperto Rodriguez Ernest Voss Wellington(Bill) & Laurel Miller James Luce Paul Essenburg LTC(ret) Toney L. Romans VFW Post 702 Hiram Carpenter SFC(ret)Clare Ehlert CW5(ret) Charles Webb COL(ret) Gary Wainwright COL(ret) Ralph & LTC(ret) Edith Kelly Gerald Groters LTC(ret) Steven Houseal Howard Goodyke Nelson Koeman CPT Diana Sluhan William Streelman Bank statement as of 28 February 2017: Checking $ 781.18 Savings 644.58 CD 2,370.72 CD 2,180.71 Total $5,977.19 Legacy Fund $1,052.19 General Fund $4,925.00
Association Officers President SSG Mark Deyoung 1st Vice President CPT Catalin Bugan 2nd Vice President MAJ John Keelean Secretary/Treasurer LTC (ret) Bill Sobotka Historian CW4 (ret) Darle VanderSchuur Asst. Historian SSG Kyle Herring Asst. Historian SFC (ret) Earl Jenkins Sgt-At-Arms SSG Kyle Herring Chaplin SFC (ret) Bill Witte Immed. Past Pres. MAJ Calvin Caverly The 126th Regimental Association newsletter is published twice yearly and mailed or emailed to all active association members. Inquiries regarding the association and this newsletter should be made to: LTC (Ret) Bill Sobotka Secretary/Treasurer 2820 Longstreet SW Wyoming, MI 49509 (616) 531-3295 BillSobotka@prodigy.net LTC (Ret) David Britten Newsletter Editor LTCDavid@comcast.net MINUTES OF THE 126TH REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING 10 SEPTEMBER 2016 The meeting held at the Grand Valley Armory, Wyoming MI called to order by the President, MAJ Calvin Caverly at 1625 hours. Board Members Present: SSG Kyle Herring, Bill Sobotka, Frank Miller, MAJ Calvin Caverly, Darle VanderSchuur, John Kneibel, Bill Witte. Absent: MAJ Justin Bierens, SSG Mark Deyoung Colors posted, “Pledge of Allegiance” recited, Invocation given by Bill Witte, Roll Call of deceased members called, and Moment of Silence held. Secretary’s report of 3 October 2015 annual meeting, 21 January 2016 and 14 July 2016 board meetings presented by secretary in a handout. Motion to approve: Miller, second: Herring. Approved Treasurer’s report of 30 April 2016 and 31 August 2016 presented by treasurer in a handout. Motion to
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approve as presented: Kneibel, second: Shipley. Approved Unfinished Business: 1. Legacy Fund: Sobotka reported that there was $6934.40 in the fund and that we would continue sending donation envelopes in the spring mailing. 2. 126th Artifacts and room: SSG Herring reported that the new shelving reduced the clutter in the archives room. Grand Valley is still cataloging archive items in the armory. The Grand Rapids Public Museum visited the armory and is interested in borrowing items from the archives for a future military display at the museum. 3. 126 Association Awards: No awards were given out this year. The awards program must be rewritten because of the unit going back to infantry. LTC Caverly to work with the board on this project. 4. Classrooms: Discussion was held on the naming of the new classrooms. Britten stated that we should honor deceased Grand Rapids area members and mentioned that COL Westnedge was from Kalamazoo and the Regimental Headquarters was in Kalamazoo. The Association would probably pay for new signs. New Business: 1. 2017 Dinner/meeting: After some discussion it was decided that the board should pursue a joint venture again next year with the unit. The cost of an armory rental and a liquor license would be a high cost factor for the Association. 2. Association Way Forward: Caverly stated that the Association has made strides to become known to members of the unit with the awards program and having the joint dinner meeting. For the Association to grow it must have the mix of retires, m-day and full timer’s participation. Herring stated having items for sale with support of the Association would get the word out about what the Association could do for them. Caverly to work with the incoming president to move the Association forward. 3. Election of Officers: a. SSG Kyle Herring nominated for Sgt of Arms. Nominations closed. Approved with unanimous vote b. With the departure of MAJ Bierens, CPT Bugan nominated for 1st Vice President. Nominations closed. Approved with unanimous vote
c. MAJ John Keelean nominated for 2nd Vice President. Nominations closed. Approved with unanimous vote. For the good of the order: The armory has a copier that we can use for all future mailings. Motion made by Shipley, second VanderSchuur to adjourn. Approved Meeting adjourned by the president at 1720 hours. Respectfully submitted, Bill Sobotka Secretary/Treasurer
100 Years Ago: The World War
The 32nd Regiment, forerunner of today’s 126th Infantry, had deployed to the border with Mexico in 1916. Having mostly benefited from rugged training during the border crisis, the regiment was mustered out of the Federal Service on February 15, 1917 and the troops proceeded to the various home stations. It was reported that had not a part of the regiment been mustered out before diplomatic relations with Germany were broken the whole regiment would have remained in the Federal Service. Instead, they automatically reverted to their former National Guard status as provided by the National Guard law adopted by Congress June 3, 1916. All companies entered upon the work to recruit up to one hundred men, as required by the new law, and weekly drills in the home armories were held regularly. The training and experience acquired in the border service greatly increased the military efficiency of the Guard and this training was quickly imparted to the new recruits. That winter, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph B. Westnedge, who was second in command of the regiment, was advanced to the rank of colonel and became commander of the regiment, and the senior major, Eli Farardieu became lieutenant colonel and Captain John H. Schouten, who was senior captain in the regiment, was promoted to the rank of major and placed in command of what was then the second battalion.
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On the 6th day of April, 1917, the Congress of the United States declared war against the Imperial German Government. The events following that eventful day are now history. Within a few weeks after war was declared, orders were received to recruit all organizations up to their maximum war strength as provided by the new Federal National Guard law. The strength for infantry companies was one hundred and fifty men, and for the machine gun company it was seventy-two men, and for the supply company and sanitary detachment it was fifty-four and thirty-two men respectively. The new law made no provision for a headquarters company except the regimental band, which was a separate unit. The new law required each organization to increase its strength approximately one hundred per cent and by July 1st the necessary quota was reached. Regimental headquarters was established at Kalamazoo (owing to the commander being from that city which was the custom at the time) and every armory was a scene of activity. The War Department announced that the entire National Guard of the country would be called out on two different dates, July 15th and August 5th, and the Guard of Michigan was included in the call for the first date and the regiment was ordered into active service on July 15th, on which day its service during the World War began. The various units of the regiment assembled at their home armories and the equipping and training of the troops began in earnest. Government rations were provided and the several armories were turned into barracks. Daily drill schedules were prepared and every forenoon and afternoon the companies went through calesthenics and close and extended order drill on the home commons. On August 5th, the regiment, in common with all national guard troops in the country, was automatically transferred to and became a part of the Army of the United States. With these preliminaries out of the way, the training at home stations was again taken up and continued until August 16th, when the movement of
the regiment to the mobilization camp at Grayling began. At the time, the Michigan National Guard consisted of the 31st, 32nd and 33rd Michigan Regiments of Infantry, which constituted the Michigan Infantry Brigade, four troops of cavalry, the first field artillery, brigade headquarters detachment, two companies of engineers, two companies of signal corps troops, one field hospital and two ambulance companies. The entire Michigan Guard was under the command of Brigadier General Louis C. Covell of Grand Rapids, an officer of long military service, he having been a captain of an infantry company of the old 32nd Michigan Volunteers during the Spanish-American War and an officer in the Michigan National Guard ever since its reorganization after that war. Hardly had the regiment become settled in its new camp when training began in accordance with new drill schedules, which called for exercises in the forenoon and afternoon of every day except Saturdays, when the usual inspections took place, while Sunday was a day of rest. The system of training followed was that prescribed in the army text books then in force, supplemented by the experience acquired in the Mexican border service, and consisted chiefly in close and extended order drill, calesthenics, bayonet exercises, guard duty and the working out of problems in minor tactics. Guard mount was held daily and every third afternoon the regiment marched in parade. Under orders of July 18, 1917, the 32nd Division was to be organized from National Guard troops of Michigan and Wisconsin, and Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, was to be the southern training camp of the division. It was now the first part of September, and as the days passed by an undercurrent of suspense pervaded the regiment, with everyone anxiously inquiring when we would start on the second lap of our journey. On August 14, orders were issued by the Brigade Headquarters to the regiment to entrain on the following day. The 32nd was the first to leave and every one worked with a will to pack up and load the equipment on the cars, which had been placed on sidetracks near camp. The next day, on September 15th, the regiment entrained and headed south. The new 63rd Infantry Brigade consisted of two regiments instead of three and this necessitated the
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breaking up of one Michigan regiment, and the 31st regiment being the junior, was broken up, part going to the 32nd regiment, part to the 33rd, and part of the 119th and 120th machine gun battalions. The 33rd regiment was designated the 125th Infantry and the 32nd became the 126th Infantry, and Colonel Joseph B. Westnedge, by general order number one, dated September 23, 1917, assumed command of the 126th Infantry, N. G. The new order of things called for twelve infantry companies consisting of one captain, three first lieutenants and two second lieutenants and 250 men each; one machine gun company of one captain, two first and two second lieutenants and 172 men; one headquarters company (a new unit) of one captain, three first and two second lieutenants, and 289 men; one supply company of one captain and one first lieutenant and 140 men, and a sanitary detachment of four medical officers and 52 men. With the reorganization thus effected the new 126th Infantry, National Guard, was officered as follows: Commander, Col. Joseph B. Westnedge; second in command, Lieut. Col. Eli V. R. Falardeau; Adjutant, Captain John P. DeRight; Chaplain, Captain Patrick R. Dunnigan. First Battalion, Major Jay C. McCullough, commander; 1st Lieut. Edward W. Minier, adjutant. Company A, Capt. Roscoe L. Graves; Company B, Capt, John Benner; Company C, Capt. Robert L. Wright; Company D, Capt. George R. Hogarth. Second Battalion, Major Albert C. Wilson, Ann Arbor;
1st Lieut. Lewis J. Armstrong, Detroit, adjutant. Company E, Capt, Arthur Volland, Ann Arbor; Company F, Capt, Richard F. Smith, Jackson; Company G, Capt. James 0. Cathcart, Detroit; Company H, Capt. Fred W. Beaudry, Detroit. Third Battalion, Major Earl R. Stewart, commander; 1st Lieut. Walter L. Cornell, Grand Rapids, adjutant. Company I, Capt. Charles L. McCormick; Company K, Capt. James Sinke; Company L, Capt. George L. Olson; Company M, Capt. Emil B. Gansser. Machine gun company, Capt. William Haze; Headquarters company, Capt. Jess W. Clark; Supply company, Capt. Walter N. Burgess, and Sanitary detachment, Major Ernest G. Lee. Training and the receipt of replacement troops at Camp Waco continued until after the Christmas-New Year holiday. To be continued in the next newsletter. Sources: Britten, David G. LTC. Courage without Fear: The Story of the Grand Rapids Guard, 2004 th Gansser, Emil B. The Story of the 126 Infantry in the War with Germany, 1921
Barb Reeves would love to make contact with men of the 126th. Email her at barbreevesnc @earthlink.net.
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