Dozens of World War 1 veterans who served at Deming’s Camp Cody a half-century ago convened here last weekend to mark the 50th anniversary of the 136th Infantry Division.
Originally, the 136th was made up of national guard units from Minnesota and surrounding states. The 800 members of the 136th Infantry Veterans’ Association, now are scattered from coast-to-coast, but a large part of them still live in Minnesota.
Although early arrivals had some pre-union activities, the reunion actually got underway Saturday night with an informal dinner at the White House Cafe, sponsored by the Luna County Historical Society.
Formal registration began at 10 o’clock Sunday morning at La Fonda Restaurant, and was followed by luncheon and short program. A business meeting was conducted that afternoon, and then the group re-assembled at the site of the old World War I camp to watch Mayor A. D. Graveline install a plaque in dedication to the soldiers who were stationed there.
Although veterans of the 136th have been getting together for annual reunions since 1922, the reunion here resulted in at least on unusual meeting. Albert Myrvold, who now lives in Conrad, Montana, and Harold Olsen of Socorro, New Mexico, met for the first time since they left Camp Cody in June 1918.
Myrvold, a native of Norway joined the army during World War I. Myrvoid stayed in the army following the war because he wanted to see Hawaii. He is now a retired farmer. – Deming Headlight Newspaper – February 1967
The final weeks at Camp Cody were devoted largely to the instruction of the selective service men who had arrived during the course of the summer. The culmination of the entire training period may be said to have been reached in two field maneuvers on a large scale, in which all the troops of the division participated. Actual war conditions were simulated as closely as possible and the results attained proved extremely satisfactory. In addition, special exercises were held in anticipation of departure for service abroad in the near future. Each infantry organization went through two en-training and de-training exercises, under conditions approaching those in France as nearly as possible. A train was made up resembling the standard French military train, upon which each organization was required to load all animals and all property that would be carried in a move by rail in the theater of operations. One battalion, including men, animals, vehicles, and property, was completely loaded in seven and one-half minutes.
Finally their came a day of subdued excitement at division headquarters. A telegram in code was received and sent to the division intelligence officer for deciphering. Those who were ” in the know ” could scarcely conceal their elation. The long-awaited moving orders had at last arrived. Field Orders No. 1 dated August 14, 1918, and marked ” secret,” were issued from division headquarters, stating that ” the Division will proceed to Concentration camp at Port of Embarkation for completion of equipment and for training and organization prior to shipment over-seas.” The en-training, which occupied several days, proceeded smoothly and with the regularity of clockwork; the long trains were backed into the camp, where the loading took place. As they departed, every car window was jammed with men who were bidding Camp Cody anything but a tearful farewell. The immediate destination proved to be Camp Dix, New Jersey, where training was continued for several weeks more prior to embarkation. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928
Iowa Troops At Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico. 1917
The following item, taken from a letter written home, appeared in a Minnesota paper: ” A guard at Camp Cody was killed by a Mexican a few nights ago. The soldier was knifed in the back. The Mexican was captured an hour later.” Then there was the tale of the German spy who was shot while climbing up the water tank, with the fell purpose of poisoning the camp water supply. Both of his coat pockets were found to be filled with strychnine! But the prize bit of imaginative literature was produced by a man in Company A of the 136th Infantry. It was in the form of a letter printed in a Minnesota home paper during the winter and was copied in part by the Reveille with enthusiastic comment. Perhaps an excerpt will be of interest: and its bite causes a running sore and if this is not attended to soon it will develop into cancer. We also have a big black spider as large as the palm of your hand and its bite is deadly poisonous.
It may be said on behalf of this correspondent, however, that there was a basis of truth for some of his imaginative flights. And if the publicity they received through the columns of camp newspapers afforded a moment of relaxation to his comrades, who shall say that his efforts were in vain?
Contrary to what one might suppose, death in an army camp seems to be even a more solemn thing than in civilian life. Not only is it a reminder of the chief characteristic of war itself, but it seems more personal because of the comradeship existing among the men of a military organization. What could be more sincere than the following simple tribute to an enlisted man by one of his comrades?
Friday, Dec. 7, 1917. Pvt. Lane died of pneumonia (lobar) at 9:15 A.M. Pvt. Lane was a quiet, unassuming man, and a good soldier and his death will be mourned by all.
A portion of the entry for the following day refers to the service in his honor:
Saturday, Dec. 8, 1917. Funeral of Pvt. Edwin Lane held in the afternoon, full military honors due an enlisted man of the Artillery. Body sent to his former home, Anoka, Minn., in custody of his father.
One of the most distressing incidents in the entire history of the 34th Division was the drowning, on July 26, of two members of the French military mission to Camp Cody, Lieutenants Jean Jegou and Fernand Herbert, and a sergeant of the American army. They had gone by automobile to visit friends some miles to the northwest of Camp Cody. During their absence a cloudburst in the mountains caused a torrent of water to rush down one of the arroyos that traversed their path. They did not realize the danger of attempting to cross it until too late and all three were swept to their death. It seemed the irony of fate that two officers who had served through three years of warfare in the fields of France should be drowned in a desert country. Impressive funeral services were held in Deming and the bodies were taken to Arlington National Cemetery, accompanied by a guard of honor composed of officers and enlisted men of the 34th Division. The remains were interred on August 5, diplomatic and military representatives of the allied and neutral nations being present. The sum of ten thousand dollars was subscribed by the officers of the 34th Division for the benefit of the children of Lieutenant Diego. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928
Iowa Troops At Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico, 1917-1918
At the close of the second Liberty Loan campaign, Camp Cody was found to head all national guard and national army camps both in its total subscriptions, amounting to $2,003,800, and in its per capita average of $96.50. The men and officers of the 68th Infantry Brigade claimed the best record, as they subscribed $61,600, or more than thirty per cent of the total. The 136th Infantry held the lead in per capita subscriptions until near the close of the drive, but that honor was finally carried off by the headquarters of the 59th Depot Brigade. In the third loan the 136th Infantry stood highest among the regiments, with a subscription Of $18,300. The totals in this drive were much smaller than in the second, since so much of the income of both men and officers had already been committed. At the conclusion of the war risk insurance drive, at midnight of February 12, 1918, applications had been received for over $242,000,000 worth of insurance. All but 142 men in camp responded, of whom 63 were conscientious objectors.
One wishes it were possible to relate the thousand and one incidents of camp life, some humorous and some sad, that reveal a military organization, not as a great impersonal machine, but as an aggregation of human beings. It is remarkable how quickly men in any situation adjust themselves to their surroundings and take anything that comes as a matter of course. It must be confessed that the average soldier was probably more concerned with the problem ‘of making his tent comfortable and homelike than he was with the fulfillment of any obligation to country or mankind.
If any one trait of human nature may be said to flourish more than another in an army camp, it is that of imagination. The reason is that the life of the soldier, whether lie be officer or enlisted man, is a passive one in so far as his own destiny is concerned. He rarely can make decisions affecting his own future, but must do as he is ordered. This, however, does not prevent his speculating, both with regard to his own destiny and with regard to developments in general. Now the line between speculation and imagination is difficult to draw and the result is the famous army institution known as the ” camp rumor,” which will perhaps be recalled by the initiated under a more colloquial designation. Most frequently it centered about the probable time of departure of the division. One night in December, 1917, the 67th Infantry Brigade was ordered out on a night “hike” to the polo grounds south of Deming. Immediately speculation arose as to the real meaning of this mysterious military move. One school of opinion held that Villa had crossed the border and that the brigade had been ordered to Columbus to protect the village from another raid. Another view was that overseas orders bad been received and that the men were to entrain for the port of embarkation before dawn. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928
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