"History of My War Experience" by David G. Bosserman -August 03, 1918 - November 11, 1918
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For Medal State of Missouri Adjutant General
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[page 1] David G. Bosserman 1st Lt. Saint Train 3d Div A.E.F. History of my War Experience. My first six months in the Army, was spent at the Base Hospital, Camp Travis, Texas, treating the various infectious diseases, especially meningitis, with serum by spinal puncture daily, with grateful results,--preparing those who could be made strong enough for the stress of war, and helping to rule out those with heart, lung, mental, and other constitutional diseases, which made them unfit for service. From here, our Casual Medical Replacement Unit of ten doctors and Sixty enlisted men were sent Overseas, leaving New York on the Great Northern, August 3rd, 1918 and landing at Hrest, August 11, 1918, on the Allied shore. Two weeks in the Pontanazen
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[page 2] We bivouaced at a sign hung on a low remaining wall of a one-time quaint, quiet and industrious French village,--
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[page 3] 76th Artillery were directed to follow up the 5th Division, so we followed up to the 11th hour of the 11th day. The next stop we were in a German rest camp--wooden barracks, where we were able to repair the bath house from its riddling of bullets, so that while we shot at the enemy, and under fire from their great shells, we accomplished the bathing of our outfit, and having obtained fresh underclothing, relieved the battalion from the vermin, for a time. We were continually under shell fire, but every three days moved up about five kilometers, having few casualities, until the night of November 10th, in the Forest of Woever, where we had one of the most severe shellings, with only three or four casualties, no deaths, tho one shell killed five horses. In our advance, we went through the villages of Madelaine Farm, Cunel, Clery le Petite, Clery-le Grande, Dun-Sur-Meuse, (where we crossed the river on a pontoon bridge under shell fire, Murveaux, and to Louppy, where we were when Armistice was signed. A few more days of becoming accustomed to, no more noise, more rest, no more planes annoying us, no more casualties, congratulating each other on a probable victory, and total cessation of war--we had no authentic news of the real happening at first--we were ordered detoured thru Verdun, Moudenville, Conflans, Briey. Here we stayed several days, receiving new supplies of every sort, then to Mondorf, Luxemburg, where we even painted the guns, added more supplies, preparing in every detail, for the victorious march in to the Rhine. Here, I was transferred to the Field Hospital Division, and assisted in caring for the Influenza and Pneumonia, and the injuries and sore feet, incident to the long march. We had our hospital in the largest best buildings, Police stations, churches and schools or hotels. We passed thru Wasserbillig, Treves, Morbach, Buchenbeuren, Kastelaun, St. Goar, to Salzig, a bathing resort, where we put up our Field Hospital in the finest hotel of this resort, no finer on the Rhine. Considerable of Influenza, pneumonia, with quite a few deaths, accidents of the march, etc., were cared for here; and when the
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worst was over, I was relieved from here and sent back to France, and later to my home, where wife and baby were patiently, but so anxiously, waiting. Formerly 1st Lieut. M.C., Now, Capt. M.R.C., U.S.A. Dr. D.C. Bosserman, 5755 Easton Avenue, St. Louis, MO.
Details
| Title | "History of My War Experience" by David G. Bosserman -August 03, 1918 - November 11, 1918 |
| Creator | Bosserman, David G. |
| Source | Bosserman, David G. "History of My War Experiece." 03 August 1918 - 11 November 1918. World War I Collection. A1771. Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | The account of Dr. David G. Bosserman's time in France includes the "History of my war Experience." |
| Subject LCSH | Saint-Mihiel, Battle of, Saint-Mihiel, France, 1918; Argonne; World War, 1914-1918--Medical care; Armistice; Influenza |
| Subject Local | World War I; WWI; Campaigns/Battles - Common names [Meuse-Argonne Offensive] |
| Site Accession Number | A1771 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | August 03, 1918- November 11, 1918 |
| Language | English |