The 355th Infantry was constituted on 5 August 1917 in the National Army and assigned to the 89th Division,[1] which was organized under the provisions of the draft law of May 1917. The unit was organized 27 August 1917 at Camp Funston, Kansas. The enlisted men mostly came from the state of Nebraska, junior officers generally from Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado, and the senior officers from the Regular Army. The soldiers drilled ceaselessly over the next eight months despite a lack of adequate equipment, dreadful living conditions, and outbreaks of disease in the camps.
On 21 May 1918, the regiment left Camp Funston for New York and was encamped at Camp Mills, Long Island on 24-25 May. On 3 June the regiment entrained from Camp Mills and boarded the transport RMS Adriatic in Hoboken, New Jersey. They left for England and arrived at Liverpool in the early morning of 16 June. After a brief stay at Camp Woodley they marched to Southampton and boarded a small steamer for Le Havre, France on 24 June.
The soldiers conducted final training activities before boarding motor buses, a US Army first, and moved to the front near Beaumont on 4 August. The 1st battalion of the regiment was the first unit from the division to occupy any of the active front and on the night of 7-8 August was subjected to a severe gas shell bombardment. The unit continued on the front lines conducting raids, patrolling the enemy wire, capturing prisoners, and gathering information for the upcoming St. Mihiel offensive.
On the morning of 12 September, after a fierce artillery barrage, the regiment advanced 20 kilometers capturing the villages of Euvezin, Boullionville, Beney, and Xammes along with a large number of prisoners and much war material. The unit stayed on the line until 8 October when it was relieved by elements of the 37th Division. They were given a much needed rest, received replacements, and were moved to the Argonne sector in preparation for another push.
On 1 November a new offensive was begun with the regiment held in reserve. After two days of intense fighting the unit took up positions on the front lines to continue the advance taking Barricourt, Beaufort, Laneuville, Luzy, and Cesse before the armistice was signed on 11 November ending hostilities.
On 24 November the regiment crossed the Meuse, Rhine, and Saar rivers to assume occupation duties in the German town of Saarburg. The regiment entered into a strenuous training period and at the final period of training received the highest rating for organizations in the division. On 23 April 1919, General John J. Pershing and Secretary of War Newton D. Baker conducted a final review of the regiment near Trier before the unit was ordered back to the United States.
Movement began on 9 May and the regiment arrived at Brest and embarked on the SS Leviathan, then the largest ship afloat. The SS Leviathan entered New York Harbor on 22 May and the unit headed for Camp Funston where the regiment was demobilized between 1 – 3 June. |
Name Bert Nelson
Gender Male
Departure Date 15 May 1919
Departure Place Brest, France
Arrival Date 22 May 1919
Arrival Place Hoboken, New Jersey
Residence Place New Effington, South Dakota
Spouse Saddie S Nelson
Ship LEVIATHAN
Military Unit SUPPLY COMPANY 355TH INFANTRY
Rank Wagoner
Service Number 2,845,059
Notes SUPPLY COMPANY 355TH INFANTRY
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1891 - 1969 (78 years)
Census
