As mentioned in yesterday's post my grandfather Orville James was a veteran of World War I. So was his brother Paul, who was two years older than Orville. Paul served in the 342 Machine Gun Battalion of the 178th Infantry Brigade, 89th Infantry Division. He was a private.

The 89th Division was comprised mainly of Midwesterners--Missourians, Kansans, Iowans. The division was sent overseas to France in June 1918 and was involved in the St. Mihiel and Meusse-Argonne Campaigns. The famous American general, Leonard Wood, was the initial division commander and at different times during the war. According to the official history of the 89th Division, the 342nd Machine Gun Battalion primarily served a supporting role for the infantry battalions that made up the brigades. After the fighting was finished the division assumed a policing role. The 342nd MG Bn ended up in Pfalzel, Germany, near the city of Trier. When I was stationed in Germany we visited Trier a few times and it is interesting to think I may have walked some of the same streets my great-uncle did almost 75 years before me.

If you are interested in learning more about the 89th Division in World War I, here are two links:

http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/89thdivision/89th-history.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/89th_Division_%28United_States%29

Above is another photo of Orville in his officer's uniform. Below is a photo of Orville and his brother Paul.