A Selection from
Muleskinner with the Marine Brigade,
1917–1919, Vol. 1
The Story of Corporal Alpheus Appenheimer, USMC
By His Grandson B.J. Omanson
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| Pvt. Appenheimer in Marching Order |
Editor's Introduction:
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Getting the Word
On December 6th 1917, orders were received by the 1st Machine Gun Battalion at Quantico to “hold itself in readiness” for a departure in two days. The Marines were not caught flat-footed. Credible rumors of an imminent departure had been circulating for about three days: the drawing of uniforms and equipment up to full strength was already underway, and the actual packing had commenced the day before. Even the postcards announcing their safe arrival in France had been issued for each man to prepare ahead of time. The crating of the battalion’s Lewis machine guns was completed on the 6th, and the loading of all equipment onto railroad freight cars on the 7th.
BJ Omanson, Introduction
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| A Marine Machine Gun Company Prepares to Ship Out |
Alpheus Lets His Mother Know He's On the Way
Quantico, Va.
Dec 6
Dear Mother
I expect when you get this that I will be on my way. We have every thing packed and have had our last inspection. I think we leave some time tomorrow night.
It’s now after chow, and the order was read for us to turn in our sheets and pillow cases, the first thing in the morning, and to pack our sea bags.
America is going to come and stay with you, as soon as she finishes with her visit. She is now at Buchanan’s, the people who kept her till Doc was married.
We each wrote a postal card and they will be kept at the HeadQuarters in Washington and as soon as we land in France, or where ever we go, they will cablegram back, and then our postal cards will be mailed. That way you get news that I am safe across 3 or 4 weeks quicker than if I wrote from the other side. . .
Good bye, your loving Son, Al
Pvt. Alpheus Appenheimer, 1st Machine Gun Battl.
“Going for sure now . . .”
Dec 5: For the past two days we have been fully equipped and fitted out in good uniforms. 77th Co. started to pack today. Everything shows indications of us leaving for France. Was allowed to make out card stating that we had landed in France safely and could not even state our rank.
Dec 6: Packed our machine guns today. Everybody turned to.
Dec 7: Still packing and getting ready. Going for sure now. Packed all our equipment and things on freight cars today.
Dec 8: Reveille at 3:45 this morning. Rolled our packs with O.D. shirt, 3 pr sox, 1 suit underwear. Train started at 6:30 from Quantico Va. for Newport News . . .
Sgt Peter P. Wood, 77th Company
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| USS DeKalb |
Getting Underway
Dec 9th – Coaled ship, the U.S. DeKalb, at the mouth of James River.
H.F. Davidson, 81st Company
At 4 p.m. on December 11th, the USS DeKalb sailed from Newport News, Virginia, for New York, NY, arriving there at 6:00 a.m. December 12th, and anchored off Staten Island.
Sixth MG Battl. History
Dec 14: Woke up surrounded by transports. At 8:30 p.m. when walking the decks we started to move and every ship in the same vicinity also with all lights out. We were on our way to France.
Sgt Peter P. Wood, 77th Company
A Funny Thing About the USS DeKalb
Strange as it seems, on the strength of a pounding crankshaft sawed four-fifths through by German sabo-teurs, hung the fate of thousands of American soldiers who crossed the Atlantic on the USS DeKalb during the world war.
Formerly the North German Lloyd line, Prince Eitel Frederich, built in 1904, 15,000 gross tons, the DeKalb was one of 120 German ships interned to the United States at the outbreak of the war with Germany.
Strange as it seems, a complete going over of the DeKalb refused to disclose anything wrong with her, so she was placed into transport service and made eleven successful crossings to France, carrying thousands of ‘doughboys’ to the Big War.
Confident that all was well, men and officers alike were blissfully unaware that the pounding, vibrating crankshaft that drove them through the ocean waters was ready to shear off at any moment.
1938 Newspaper Article
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| U.S. Navy Officer and Crew on the USS DeKalb |
Life Aboard Ship
“ We were wedded to our life preservers . . . ”
Then finally we pulled out with the other ships and a cruiser, the North Carolina. We had a mighty good trip in all. This is a good ship, has a fine captain, Captain Geraghty, formerly Naval Attache at Berlin. We were wedded to our life preservers after a day out, sleeping and eating in them. Everything went fine, Marines pretty nervous after we passed 20 degrees West, the limit of the U.S. war zone. Then one day seven U.S. destroyers showed up and everyone felt brave.
Pvt. Walter Tigan, 81st Company
Our duties aboard ship were minimal—a short attempt at platoon formations—we land lubbers had not acquired our sea legs and the platoon lines which were supposed to stand at attention and steady in place would break and surge forward and back with every roll of the ship. So formations etc did not last long.
We chowed late morning and late afternoon. The ship was blacked out from dark to daylight so we sacked in from later afternoon to morning. During the day we watched the ocean and the horizon. Occasionally we would see a whale spout but not much else but waves and sea roll.
Pvt. W.B. Jackson, 77th Company
“ . . . there was not a spare inch anywhere on the ship . . . ”
There was much excitement on the first day out at sea. Long into the end of the day the boys gathered for entertainment, singing the songs that were popular at that time. Most of the boys singing those songs were later blown to pieces in France. On the side of the ship where I was placed there was a canteen where one could buy crackers and candies but there were so many men on board that it was difficult to get served. However, there were men lining up at the canteen and getting the tidbits, and reselling them to us at high prices. We were glad to get them, no matter what we had to pay. At a given time the ‘pipe down’ signal was given, which meant that every one must retire for the evening. When I came to retire I discovered that there was not a spare inch anywhere on the ship where I could rest my weary bones. I spent my first night sitting on a ladder, and was glad to get that space. Thereafter I teamed up with another lad, and when the time came for piping down, he would contrive to fill up the space for the two of us until I could get to him. We slept on the hard deck, using as matresses the life preservers which we were all obliged to wear.
I remember one night as I made my rounds as a corporal of the guard, I found one of the boys in distress. I suggested a remedy. He said if his mother was there she could fix him up all right. All I could say to him was, ‘My boy, you are a soldier: you cannot depend on Mother now.’ “
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| 6th Machine Gun Battalion Shoulder Patch |
Alpheus Gets Sick
I had a headache and fever and went to the Sick Bay for some CC pills, and the Dr. said I had the measles. There were several cases on board and they put me in Quarenteen with the rest of the measles cases. I was all right in a day or two and I don’t believe I had the measles, but I got a good state room out of it and my meals brot to me the rest of the trip. So it wasn’t so bad after all.
Pvt. Alpheus Appenheimer, 1st Machine Gun Battl.
Land Ho!
About that time word went around that land was sighted dead ahead. We were almost to France. In a little while we sailed past Belle Island and dropped anchor in the outer harbor of St. Nazaire. . .
Pvt. W.B. Jackson, 77th Company
A U-boat Arrives with Christmas Dinner
While lined up for Xmas dinner [2 days late] of roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, mince pie, vanilla cake, coffee, nuts, celery, bread and cigars, the cyrene blew. A submarine periscope being sighted off our port bow. We fired 3 shots with the for’d 6 in. & 3 & 5 starboard & port stern. It still remained on the surface. The minute the cyrene blew the torpedo boat destroyer #42 steamed up and when we stopped firing it went around us and dropped 2 depth bombs and fired several shots. On its return it sent signals which seemed to have said that she sunk it. We returned and enjoyed a hearty meal. At the same time the sub was sighted we also sighted land. Dropped anchor at 3:30. Weighed anchor and moved into the harbor as it was very dangerous where we were.
Sgt Peter P. Wood, 77th Company
We never did learn if there was actually a U-boat there.
Pvt. W.B. Jackson, 77th Company
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| St. Nazaire Docks |
Dec 28: Land[ed] at St. Nazaire. Carried into France on a stretcher.
Pvt. Herschel Lane 77th Company
Dear Mother — we are lying at anchor in the mouth of the Loire River, a large and peaceful moon shining across the bay, the lights of other ships and some of our destroyers here and there about the basin. A half mile to the shore are the lights of St. Nazaire, a mighty pretty little French seaside resort, converted into a landing port of overseas expeditionary forces. We are in Western Central France, south, about half way between Brest and Bordeaux. ~~~ We came into the harbor to-day and from what I can hear we will disembark to-morrow. I am writing this so I can give it to a man who will carry it back to the States and mail it there. It will not be censored so I will trust you to censor all information I give you . . .
Pvt. Walter Tigan 81st Company
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| Marines Disembarking USS DeKalb on an Earlier Trip |
Dec 29: Weighed anchor at 2:45 and went thru the locks—many interesting things happened. In the evening the first one I saw was Sgt. Neate (O.N.M.) (N.Y.)
Dec 30: Unloading all our cargo all night. Issued blanket, sox, and A.F.G. Blouse. French people selling chocolate for 1 fr. Stepped on French soil for the first time at 2:15
Sgt Peter P. Wood, 77th Company
A Little Later, Back Home
A postcard, postmarked Jan. 4, 1918, arrived in Toulon, Illinois
Mrs. A.R. Appenheimer
I have arrived safe in France.
Alphus R. Appenheimer
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To Order Volume I
From Before the War to the Eve of Belleau Wood
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| Click HERE to Order |
Vol. II From Belleau Wood to Armistice & After is in preparation.
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