January 2018 Newsletter
3rd Battalion 126th Infantry
The 3-126 Infantry Regiment is taking a much-needed rest the first quarter of Training Year 2018. The battalion completed rifle and machine gun qualifications with phenomenal results. Companies had near 100% qualification rates with many soldiers firing at the expert level. The remaining months have included maintenance, safety, and administrative briefings as well as a break during the holiday season. Commanders and their companies are re-energized and looking forward to starting a challenging training cycle. Plans were finalized for the rest of the year at a Battalion Unit Training Management workshop held at Camp Grayling in early January. The battalion will conduct a 21-day annual training period focused on platoon-level evaluations together with the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) at Camp Grayling, following up with a tremendous live fire opportunity during “Northern Strike 18.” The opportunity to conduct a platoon live fire exercise, work with engineers to breach obstacles using demolitions, and collaborating with our NATO allies has the entire battalion motivated to train hard for these challenging yet exciting opportunities. The centerpiece for guests of our annual training this year will be “Red Arrow Day” held at Camp Grayling this summer on July 24 2018. The entire 32nd IBCT will come together to celebrate our lineage and review the year’s accomplishments.
100 Years Ago - The Great War
Beginning this past January 4, our 126th Regiment Association Facebook page has been following the yearlong exploits of the 126th and 32nd Division in World War I. The daily posts come from published sources such as Emil Gansser’s “History of the 126th Infantry in the World War” and official U.S. government reports) as well as an unpublished “Diary of Company M 126th Infantry, 32nd Division in World War” kept by Herbert
D. Crothers. All posts are unedited from the original sources and some posts will include photographs or copies of local news sources from back in 1918. You can read these posts over your morning coffee or just about anytime by going to: https://www.facebook.com/126thRegiment/ You can easily scroll back to catch up on the posts already there. Here’s the first unedited post: January 4, 1918: [Still at Camp McArthur, Waco, Texas] "Had a bad sand storm today. Drilled in morning and men looked like negroes [sic] when they came in. Food was full of sand. It is impossible to keep it out of our mess hall." (Crothers) "After the holidays the training continued without any let up and the weather was very cold. There were frequent flurries of snow, which usually disappeared by mid-day, but on one occasion the snow remained for three days and a thick ice formed, causing considerable difficulty in keeping the pipes in the bath houses from freezing, as the boys used the showers daily. Early in the month the word was passed out that the Division had received orders to move to a Port of Embarkation, and we did not learn until shortly before leaving that we were to go to the embarkation port at Hoboken, N.J." (Gansser)
Fall Social Mark October 6, 2018 on your calendar as the date for our next 126th Association Fall Social. We began this new tradition last October at Tommy Brann’s on Division and had a great turnout. More details will be sent to you this summer but reserve the date now! We’ll also update you on the day and time for our annual business meeting.
Secretary-Treasurer’s Report Once again a big thanks to CSM (Ret) John Shipley in donating the postage for this mailing. The cost is around $200. Active members 412 Missing members 268 Welcome to our new members: Akins, Virgil Dykstra, Travis Nell, Wayne Treece, Larry Wildman, Bob Reported deceased since annual meeting August 2017: Chester Scofield John Huttenga Carl Smestad, one of the WWII “Ghost Mountain Boys” Missing members since last mailing: Michael J. Petras Arthur C. Meinke William G. Herrera III Bank statement as of December 31, 2017: Checking $ 3,458.64 Savings 874.73 CD 2,372.69 CD 2,189.78 Total $ 8,895.84 Legacy Fund $ 4,232.55 General Fund $ 4,663.29
Legacy Fund
We are always in need of donations to support a variety of historical projects. An envelope is provided with this newsletter. Every donation helps maintain the legacy of the 126th Infantry! Thank you to the 51 donors who contributed $3,760 to the Legacy Fund last year. A special thanks to the nine donors who gave multiple times. Ben J. Landheer (2) John Stengel (2) Stanley Jastrzembski Wellington (Bill) & Laurel Miller (2) 1SG James L Kingsbury John L Clark
Walt Draeger (2) Glenn Dubbink Clayton Jackson MAJ (Ret) Bruce Snyder Nate Chang Ruth Wierenga Harold Plaisier (2) COL Chuck Holwerda COL (Ret) Bruce Whitman BG Warren Lawrence (2) Salvador Castro Luella Holmes James Anderson SFC (Ret) Clare Ehlert (3) COL (Ret) Gary L. Krueger (2) Esther Vanhammen Robert Offenbaker Paul Essenburg CPT Diana Sluhan MAJ Gerald &Delores Sadowski Sheri Malmquist VFW Post 702 Joyce Klynstra Tom Wallace Gordon Kelley BG (Ret) Gary Tellier Robert Gutschke Vernia McCullough Howard Goodyke Ronald Schell Clair Zwiep Richard M. Saganski Michael Haan John Johnson COL (Ret) David Ratajik LTC (Ret) William L. Byl William Streelman (2) CW4 (Ret) P.J. Bourdon COL (Ret) Howard Becker LTC (Ret) Gary Hutson SFC (Ret) Robin Bowen Anthony S. Palazzolo Mary Stoops Charles R Nagtzaam COL(ret) Ralph & LTC(ret) Edith Kelly Donations in memory of: Jack Jones CB WWII Rogena M Kingsbury Mel Wierenga Kenneth Plaisier F. J. Bleching KIA WWII 12/6/44
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Merle W. Holmes Harold E. Krueger Robert Vanhammen CSM Lester Ott Allen Malmquist COL James A Klynstra Robert L Kelley William Plaisier SFC Roy Walburn Dick Zwiep Clarence C Saganski Frank Gerke John M Miller, USMC Capt Gerard Streelman SSG Ronald Stoops CWO Ralph Schmidt Those that have passed Commo Plt All who have served
Association Officers President CPT Catalin Bugan 1st Vice President MAJ John Keelean 2nd Vice President SFC Robert Scaia Secretary 1SG (Ret) James Norton 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 Travis Dykstra Chaplin SFC (Ret) Bill Witte Immed. Past Pres. SSG Mark Deyoung 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 & Facebook Page Editor LTCDavid@comcast.net
MINUTES OF THE 126TH REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING 10 AUGUST 2017 The meeting held at Camp Grayling, Grayling MI called to order by the 1st Vice President, CPT Bugan at 1605 hours. Board Members Present: CPT Catalin Bugan, MAJ John Keelean, SSG Kyle Herring, Bill Sobotka. Absent: Bill Witte, Darle VanderSchuur, SSG Norton, SSG Mark Deyoung Colors posted, “Pledge of Allegiance” recited, Roll Call of deceased members called, and Moment of Silence held. Secretary’s report of 10 September 2016 annual meeting along with 31 January 2017, 4 April 2017, 11 July 2017 board meetings presented by secretary in a handout. Motion to approve: Britten, second: Herring. Approved Treasurer’s report of 30 April 2017 and 31 July 2017 presented by treasurer in a handout. Motion to approve as presented: Herring, second: Britten. Approved Unfinished Business: 1. Legacy Fund: Sobotka reported that there was $3,089.62 in the fund and that we would continue sending donation envelopes in the next mailing. 2. 126th Artifacts and room: Herring working in the artifacts room with Jones (Grand Valley student). Jones should be recognized for the work he has accomplished in the room. He should be invited to the October dinner. There is a file cabinet that belongs to the MIVDF in the room. Sobotka to notify Stengel. 3. Items for sale: Keelean stated that shirts were being sold and a reorder will be needed and the Association could fund that. They are also working on other items to sell. Keelean should be able to present what they need at the next board meeting. 4. 126 Association Awards: No Association awards were given this year. Keelean stated he would have the program rewritten by next board meeting for approval. 5. Classrooms: It was recommended that LTG Schnipke’s name be moved from the presidential library to one of the classrooms. It was recommended that the drill floor remain
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named after the Medal of Honor recipient PFC Dirk Vlug. There were three classrooms where the BN Hdq’s is now. They were named after COL Howe, MG Cecil Simmons, and BG Earl Stewart. New Business: 1. Dinner October 7, Tommy Brann’s: An informal dinner is being planned for the Association because of the annual meeting being held at Grayling and not much participation by members. Notice will be sent out by Sobotka and Norton to members (retired and active) who might attend. 2. Annual meeting 2018: Annual training will be in July [Editor’s note: The date, time and location have not been decided as of this newsletter]. Keelean will look into a date to have it. A dinner could still be scheduled in the fall. 3. Mailing dates: Britten brought up that the dates of mailings are not six months apart and that we should have one in December or January and the second in June or July. There is usually a board meeting in January so this would be a good time for a mailing. The second mailing would be before the annual meeting.
Election of Officers: - SSG Travis Dykstra nominated for Sgt of Arms. Nominations closed. Approved with unanimous vote. - MSG (Ret) James Norton nominated for Secretary. Nominations closed. Approved with unanimous vote. - SFC Robert Scaia nominated for 2nd Vice President. Nominations closed. Approved with unanimous vote. For the good of the order: None Motion made by Britten, second Sobotka to adjourn. Approved Meeting adjourned by the 1st vice president at 1635 hours. Respectfully submitted, Bill Sobotka Treasurer
Fort (Camp) Custer recently turned 100 years old! See more photos on our Facebook page.
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