Log Cabin Memorial - Veterans 314th Infantry Regiment A.E.F.

September 21, 1917

(click for full-size image)

The Boys Who Marched Away - September 21, 1917

(out of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania)

Frank Ferris (#10 in the photo above) became a member of the 314th Infantry, Supply Company, primarily as a Wagoner

Peter F. Malloy (#34 in the photo above) became a member of the 314th Infantry, Company M

September 1917 - Arrived at Camp Meade (now Fort Meade)

November 26, 1917

New York Times - Football Game at Camp Meade between 313th Infantry and 314th Infantry (314th wins!)

December 1917

December 1917 - Troops from Camp Meade Cantonment March Before the Secretary of War
(Click to see web page)
New York Times Draft Armys first review

Or click here to see the entire 2 page article from the New York Times dated December 30, 1917

1917

Camp Meade Over Here Preparing for Over There

Colonel Thomas W. Darrah and Officers of the 314th Infantry

Early 1918

Peter F. Malloy (314th Infantry, Company M) [left of photo] and Peter F. Corcoran [right of photo]
on leave from Camp Meade, early 1918, in front of St. Stephens Church, on Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA.

(click here to view the full-size photo

1918

1918 - Actual Photo of the Log Cabin at Camp Meade.
The Officer is believed to be Thomas H. Stilwell, of the Regimental Staff.

Click here to view the full-size 600 DPI scan (11.7 MegaBytes - 4890 pixels x 3450 pixels)

1918

Camp Meade - Songs of the Army - 1918
Army Service Schools Press
Fort Leavenworth Kansas

July 1918

July 1918 - Completed training and sailed to France aboard the USS Leviathan

September 26, 1918

The Taking of Montfaucon by James M. Cain

by permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated. i
Copyright 1929 by American Mercury, Inc. First published in 'The American Mercury'.

Novelist James M. Cain, author of The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity, was a member of Headquarters Troop, 79th Division. Through his account, the reader can easily imagine how it must have been during the opening days of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Cain tries to deliver his message during the night of September 26, 1918 but fails. While the outcome of the battle is an American success, Cain is disappointed with his failure. On part of Cain's journey, Ross Shepler- Horseshoer 79th HQ Troop, accompanies Cain and would earn an award for Gallantry in Action and Meritorious Services for his part.

314th Infantry Regiment AEF - Montfaucon Ruins

September 26, 1918
to
November 11, 1918

To quote from page 4 of the deeply researched and highly recommended book
"To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918" by Edward G. Lengel:

"Fought over a period of forty-seven days, from September 26 to November 11, 1918, the Meuse-Argonne
sucked in 1.2 million American soldiers, leaving 26,277 of them dead and 95,786 wounded.

Almost all of these casualties came in a period of about three weeks of heavy fighting,
and they amounted to about half of the total American casualties for the war.

Twenty-two American infantry ddivisions participated in the battle, along with 840 airplanes and 324 tanks.
About twenty-four hundred artillery pieces fired over four million shells, more than the Union army fired
during the entire five years of the American Civil War.

No single battle in American military history, before or since, even approaches the Meuse-Argonne in size and cost,
and it was without question the country's most critical military contribution to the Allied cause in the First World War."

December 25, 1918

Click here to read more about the December 1918 - 79th Division Christmas card from Major General Kuhn
(the first Christmas after the end of the war the previous month, so much to be thankful for)

1918

Frank S. Miller - Company C (four page letter home)

March 1, 1919

March 1, 1919 - The Lorraine Banquet - Machine Gun Company, Rosenes France

314th Infantry Regiment - Lorraine Banguet - 1919

May 26, 1919

May 26 1919 - Arrived at Hoboken, New Jersey

May 29, 1919

79th Division Welcome Home Poster - Evening Public Ledger Newspaper - May 29, 1919

End of May, 1919

End of May 1919 - Discharged at Camp Dix, New Jersey

June 8, 1919

June 8, 1919 (Sunday) - New York Times article
HISTORY OF THE 79TH; Division Captured, Among Other Posts,
Crown Prince's Bomb-Proof Cellar Observatory at Montfaucon Over the Top!
Hospitals Bombarded. Crown Prince's Lookout. Regiment Reinforced.

[Transcribed text of the New York Times June 8, 1919 article above]

1921

1921 - "Under The Lorraine Cross: An Account of the Experiences of Infantryman
who Fought with The Lorraine Cross Division In France during the World War" by Arthur H. Joel

314th Infantry A.E.F. - Under The Lorraine Cross:
An Account of the Experiences of
Infantryman<BR> who Fought with
The Lorraine Cross Division
In France during the World War
by Arthur H. Joel

August 20, 1922

Newspaper Article: Camp Meade Log Cabin Moved to Valley Forge
dated August 20, 1922

Camp Meade Log Cabin Moved to Valley Forge
Former Officers' Quarters and Assembly Room of 314th Infantry Transferred Despite Opposition
On a knoll overlooking the Schuylkill at Valley Forge is a log cabin that was originally built to provide an officers' club and assembly room quarters for the 314th Infantry, 79th Division, while that unit was still under training at Camp Meade. Bringing the cabin from Camp Meade to Valley Forge was no easy matter as every one in authority, from the President of the United States down, seemed to oppose the transfer.
However, the Pennsylvania Historical Society approved of it from the outset. After all, this cabin has a much wider significance than its builders, many of whom were killed in action. ever thought it would have, because it will speaks to future generations of the resourcefulness of the American soldier. To realize this it is necessary to know something about the cabin's history.
It was built "without material," as the saying goes. All the hardware came from salvaged automobiles and abandoned farm machinery. The spikes were hammered out of horseshoes. Every log and every stone has been moved from Camp Meade, and the cabin will be finished and ready for dedication as a restored structure on September 26, 1922.
Major Thomas H. Stilwell had charge of the construction in the first place, and now he is chairman of the reconstruction committee. Thus he will be in position to keep the reconstructed building true to its original in every detail. In this task he is being assisted by some of the original builders, among them being Sergeant Oscar H. Kraft, of Scranton Pa., and Arthur P. Snooks, Of Richfield, Pa., both of whom did the iron work, and Corporal John Rowe, of Shamokin, Pa., who was the foreman carpenter back in the Camp Meade days, but his assistant, Corporal Russell Baker, also of Shamokin, was one of the large number in this regiment killed in action. Sergeant Major L. S. Krajeski is one of the surviving builders.
However, the placing of the structure at Valley Forge is not to commemorate those Who built it, but the regiment's 364 dead. As far as can be learned it is the only monument of its kind in America in commemoration of service men.
It takes up a place not far from Dr. Burk's chapel, and measures 30 by 50 feet, with an alcove and fireplace, 8 by 20 feet. Every one of the 364 names will be perpetuated in bronze, and thus the cabin will be prepared for its further purpose of serving as a museum. Various trophies of the late war will be on view and added to from time to time.
Survivors of the 314th have formed an association, simply known as "Veterans," with the name of the regiment. It stands alone as an organization, the membership being confined to this one regiment, which was used as a lead-off in the Argonne fighting, in front of Mont Faucon, and the date of dedication, September 26, is the anniversary date of the 314th's first going over the top. It is celebrated each year with a reunion and banquet. This year the dedication of the cabin will be the important feature of the reunion.
Hard work is still ahead to make the log cabin all that is expected of it in the way of becoming an attraction for all visitors to Valley Forge.
John G. Smedley, treasurer of the "Veterans" of the 314th Infantry, has his headquarters at No. 518 Lafayette Building, this city, and is looking for the kind of help most needed now, for the building itself has been put up, but the expense of maintenance and equipment still needs attention. The president of the Veterans' Association is Raymond V. Nicholson.
The 314th's overseas commander was Colonel William H. Oury, still in active service with the 14th Infantry at Panama. He was one of the few colonels to get the D. S. M.

September 30, 1922

September 30, 1922 314th Cabin Dedication

314th Infantry Regiment AEF - 1922 Log Cabin Memorial Dedication

1922 Veterans of the 314th Infantry A.E.F. Annual Reunion #4 in Valley Forge, PA

1929

The Taking of Montfaucon by James M. Cain

by permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated. i
Copyright 1929 by American Mercury, Inc. First published in 'The American Mercury'.

Novelist James M. Cain, author of The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity, was a member of Headquarters Troop, 79th Division. Through his account, the reader can easily imagine how it must have been during the opening days of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Cain tries to deliver his message during the night of September 26, 1918 but fails. While the outcome of the battle is an American success, Cain is disappointed with his failure. On part of Cain's journey, Ross Shepler- Horseshoer 79th HQ Troop, accompanies Cain and would earn an award for Gallantry in Action and Meritorious Services for his part.

1936

1936 Veterans of the 314th Infantry A.E.F. Annual Reunion #18 in Harrisburg, PA

1946 Reunion Medal Souvenir

September 23-25, 1949

1949 Veterans of the 314th Infantry A.E.F. Annual Reunion #31 in Williamsport, PA
Souvenir Fountain Pen

314th Infantry Regiment AEF - Souvenir Fountain Pen (black) From Annual Reunion #31 in Williamsport, PA - pen closed

314th Infantry Regiment AEF - Souvenir Fountain Pen (black) From Annual Reunion #31 in Williamsport, PA - pen open

The pen is a Penman brand lever-fill fountain pen made by K. L. & M. Co. some time between 1940-44.

Available in both black (above) and brown (below):

314th Infantry Regiment AEF - Souvenir Fountain Pen (brown) From Annual Reunion #31 in Williamsport, PA - pen open

1952

1952 Membership Card -- Notable for the effort the soldiers of the 314th expended to meet each and every year

314th Infantry Regiment AEF - 1952 Membership Card - back

1959

1968

1968 Veterans of the 314th Infantry A.E.F. Annual Reunion #50 in Philadelphia, PA

Benjamin Franklin Hotel, Philadelphia PA, September 26-27-28, 1968

These two pages from the program of the 50th "Golden" Reunion in 1968 were provided by Roy Rentz:

314th Infantry Regiment 1968 50th Reunion Program page 1

314th Infantry Regiment 1968 50th Reunion Program page 2

Veterans of the 314th Infantry October 22 1968 envelope for the 50th (fiftieth) Annual Reunion - 1968

Veterans of the 314th Infantry Regiment AEF - 1968 Golden 50th Anniversary

Frank Ferris is seated, second from right.

1971

The 1971 314th News

1972

50th Anniversary Rededication of the Log Cabin Memorial
to the Veterans of the 314th Infantry, A.E.F., Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Sunday September 24, 1972

These page below was provided by Roy Rentz.

Veterans of the 314th Infantry Regiment AEF - 50th Anniversary - Rededication of the Log Cabin Memorial at Valley Forge

2003

2003 Memorial Day Service - Descendants and Friends of the 314th infantry

2005