It was on the memorable day of August 5th, 1917, that the members of
Kansas Ambulance Company No. 2 assembled at the corner of Ninth and
Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas. As the clock struck nine the
order "Fall in" was given. After a few army formalities the company was
marched out to Camp Hoel, which was situated at Twentieth Street and
Washington Boulevard. It was a spectacular scene for the outsiders and
for all the men in the company. It looked more like a parade of college
chaps before a football game, as almost all of the fellows were dressed
in their "Sunday best." There were a few boys dressed in the khaki,
which gave the passerby the idea that we were a part of the great
American Army which was being formed. When we reached camp a small white
tent was pitched, which was to be our office, supply room and a place of
shelter for those boys of the company who did not live in the city or
who were not staying at the homes of some of their friends.
Our company was not the only one at this camp, as we had neighbors, who
were later designated as follows: Company A, 137th Infantry; Companies B
and C of the 110th Regiment of Engineers; Battery E, 130th Field
Artillery, and Ambulance Company 140 of the 110th Sanitary Train. The
majority of the members of these organizations were Kansas City boys.
In a few days the drills were started. Awkward squads were formed and
from all parts of the camp the command of "fours right," "to the rear,
march," etc., could be heard. Hikes were numerous, and it was not long
until our feet knew all the bumps on every street in Kansas City,
Kansas.
The mess for the different companies at Camp Hoel was put in charge of
the Central Boarding Company of Kansas City, Missouri. A large tent was
erected for the kitchen and it was there that the men were initiated
into the secrets of "kitchen police."
After wearing overalls, blue shirts or any other old article that was
obtainable, the company was greatly shocked one morning when the news
came that part of our equipment had arrived. Here again another dream
was shattered, for it seemed that the good fits for the men must have
been lost in transit. The large fellows received clothing too small for
them, and the small fellows received clothes that would have looked well
if they had had about fifty more pounds of muscle upon their skeletons.
But as a matter of fact everyone was very proud of the new uniform.
A few days before the uniforms arrived a proposition was laid upon the
table for the debate of the company. The great question was, "Shall each
member buy leather leggins?" Nobody knew at that time about the uniform
rules of the army. Leather leggins looked fine and seemed to be the
fashion according to posters and magazine pictures. So the debate was
closed and the whole bunch bit on the eight and ten dollar pairs. We
used them several times, in fact we wore them in two parades, and were
granted the permission to wear them to Doniphan, were we soon sold them
at the average price of $5.00 per pair.
On August 13th the boys received their physical examination. A few were
disappointed at that time to find that they could not pass the
examination and go along with the company. That afternoon Captain Arthur
L. Donan of the 3rd Kentucky Infantry placed himself before the company
and mumbled a few words. After the company was dismissed the main
question was, "What did the captain have to say?" It was soon found out
that he had mustered us into Federal Service.
On the Saturdays of the first two weeks at camp we were treated fine
(just kidding us along). On the third Saturday we were lined up in
formation and were sent to the infirmary. There we were told to get
ready for the worst. Both arms were bared while iodine swabs, the
medics' famous panacea, were thrown around freely. There were three
doctors in one corner ready for action. Two of them were puncturing the
right arms with needles and with a little push of a plunger our body was
given some extra fluid so that we might be able to combat that great
army disease of former years, typhoid fever. The other doctor was
cutting a few nitches in the boys' left arms so that the smallpox
vaccine could do its duty. Fainting was in order on that day, as well as
on the following three Saturdays, when the puncturing process was
repeated, and no member of the company was slighted.
The mothers of Kansas City made army life, while we were at Camp Hoel,
as pleasant as possible. On different days we received a basket dinner,
a watermelon feast and an ice cream and cake festival from them. Those
days were the frequent topics of conversation during the boys' stay in
France and will never be forgotten. Shows were always at hand in Kansas
City and on certain afternoons theatre parties were formed by the
members of the company.
September 27th was the fatal day for Kansas Ambulance Company No. 2 in
Kansas City, Kansas. On that day camp was broken and the company was
formed. We left our camp and marched to the train behind the famous
Kilties Scotch Band, which led us down Minnesota Avenue through the
great crowds that had gathered along the street to cheer us on our way.
We boarded the train at Third and Washington Boulevard, where the boys
bid their dear ones "goodbye."