SW Washington Servicemen
World War 1

This book was published after the "Centralia Murder" on Armistice Day. (I intend to add the account from the book and give references to other books on the subject.)

...Although Lewis County was represented in almost every company in the West, Co. M, 161st Inf. will always be especially dear to the people of Lewis county for the reason that it was composed wholly of Lewis County boys, and volunteers at that, until the United States entered the war, when about one hundred draft men from California were added to bring it up to war strength.
...Co. M was organized early in 1910 with E. F. Kirklin, A Spanish war veteran, as Captain. Dr. David Livingstone as 1st Lieutenant and Wm. Scales as 2nd Lieutenant.
...When a move was made to organize a militia, all agreed that it was a fine idea and one which reflected a great deal of credit on the city. Probably most of us were thinking of the grandeur which would be ours on future Fourth of Julys and Memorial Days.
...The world appeared to be wagging along peacefully enough, and war seemed the most remote thing in the world. Of course now and then there was a little flurry over Mexico, but that had come to be an every day occurrence and no one anticipated any real trouble. That these boys of ours would be called to battle on the fields of Europe would have seemed a crazy, fantastic, dream--certainly no sane person would have imagined such a thing.
...The company was mustered in 10 Feb 1910, as raw a bunch of recruits as one could well imagine. Capt. Kirklin resigned shortly after this and Dr. David Livingstone received his commission as Captain and took command.
...Suddenly dark clouds began to loom in Europe, but still America had no thought of war and the country seemed at peace excepting for the incessant nagging worry over Mexico. This finally resulted in the "Punitive Expedition" of which Co. M was a part.
...They left Centralia on 4 Jul 1916 , and as they marched to the station, a wave of pride thrilled through us, for there is something about the thud of marching feet and the beat of drums, that brings a "cheer in the throat and a blur in the eye."
...These were not boys! These were men--fighting men! And suddenly we began to realize that in just such boys as these lay the nation's security.
...In October, 1916 Co. M returned from the border in prime condition--and it developed that the border expedition was a mere tryout for the great struggle to come.
...In April, 1917, after many anxious days, the United States lined up on the side of right and declared her intention to 'see it through.'
...Co. M was sent to Camp Lewis for a little intensive training before leaving for France, and on 12 Dec 1917, they sailed from New York. They landed at Brest and were stationed at Pontanazen barracks on M. P. duty. They remained here from January until May when they were order to Selles-slur-Cher to train for the front. From here they went to St. Aignon where the company was broken up. Some were sent to replacement camps, some to officers training schools and others to the battle line. There were a good many Co. M boys with the Army of Occupation and after the Armistice was declared, these boys began to long for home and it surely was a great relief when the news came that the boys would soon be coming.
...Along early in the year 1919, they began to drift in, and although Company M did not come home as a unit, it was not long before they were all home. No, not all--some were left on the fields of France. Gallant young boys, who counted it not too much to give their splendid young lives in the cause of Freedom.
...It makes one blush for shame to think that while these boys were making the final supreme sacrifice, there were those who were too niggardly to give or lend of their dollars. Every community had some of these, so Lewis County is not alone in her shame, but while these will enjoy the country which our boys died to save, and it may appear at times as if Justice is fled, there is a principle in operation which is as relentless and as unwavering as the tide, and it is to this princple, relentless and undying, that we commit the slacker.