Company L Group Photos

There are two Company L group photos that were taken before deployment to Europe (France). Two other post-war photos have been found.  One taken at a 1930 meeting, and the other during WWII. 

The group photo of 173 soldiers was taken December 1917 at Camp Logan, Texas.  The group photo of 69 soldiers location and date has not been determined but prior to deployment to Europe.   There are significant differences in the photos.  The 69 soldier photo has no identification plaque and they are seated on benches; the 173 soldier photo  has a Camp Logan, Texas 1917 plaque has them seated on the ground.   The larger group represents Company L with most of its assigned soldiers.  Company L deployed on ship with 3 officers and 238 soldiers. But not all of Company L soldiers deployed; some remained behind.  Because Company L did not deploy to France until May 1918 other soldiers were probably assigned to the Company after the 173 man photo was taken.   Copies of the photos are planned to be made available for purchase.  

The identification of all Company L soldiers in the photo is our goal. 
If you have any questions or need assistance to enlarge images contact the webmaster

There will be different photo sizes available for purchase.  Costs not currently available.  In addition to the photo, a PDF version of the numbered photo shown below will be provided at no additional cost.  As soldiers are identified a roster of the names as identified to ‘Men of ‘ by their descendants will be updated.  When all soldiers have been identified, or identification has been determined to be ‘unknown’, a number-name roster (PDF file) will be made available.  If you would like to be notified when the Company L photo’s are available for purchase please use the contact form below to be put on the notification list.

This is the ‘Full Complement’ Company L photo.  The original is three feet in length.  Other members may exist who were not in the photo. This image was taken from the one in possession of Lee Reuter’s family.   Segments of the photo should allow facial recognition.   NOTES: Numbers will be added to the photo segments. See segment number-name indexes.

Segment 1
Segment 2
Segment 3
Segment 4
Segment 5

     Segment 1 Index         Segment 2 Index           Segment 3 Index           Segment 4 Index          Segment 5 Index

The Company L group photo below probably represents the establishment of Company L, from the Illinois National Guard Second Infantry and initial draftees and probably was taken at Camp Grant, Illinois.   It may have comprised of the initial ‘Men of L’ Company members. It has 69 soldiers and its date and location have not been verified.  Other members may exist who were not in the photo. Photo from collection of Ronald Miller.

The image of the smaller Company L group photo, below, shows the numbering system for creating a photo name index.   Select photo for larger image that will open in a new browser tab or window.  When you identify your ancestor please let us know so we may update the name index.

Name index of Company L Group of 69 Photo

# Name # Name # Name # Name
1   19   37   55  
2   20   38 Jacob Siwek 56  
3   21   39   57  
4   22   40   58  
5   23   41   59  
6   24   42   60 Wesley FOSTER
(Possible)
7   25   43   61  
8   26   44   62  
9   27   45   63  
10   28   46   64 Gustav C. PALLIN
11   29   47   65  
12   30   48   66  
13   31 Lee REUTER 49 Earl Miller (Possible) 67  
14   32 Louis KOVITZ 50   68  
15   33   51   69  
16   34   52      
17 Frank C MARES (Possible) 35   53      
18   36   54 Harry SHANKMAN    


The above photo was taken May, 1930 at a Company L meeting held at the LaSalle Hotel, Chicago.  The man on the far top left is Lee Reuter, Company L’s wartime Clerk . . . and the post-war Men of L organization’s clerk. If you can identify any of the veterans please contact us. The photo links to a PDF which may be enlarged. 

The above group photo was taken some time during WWII.  The photo links to a PDF which may be enlarged.  Note that Civil Defense (CD) armbands were worn by members; they indicated they were ‘Zone Captains’.   “The Office of Civilian Defense was established in Washington, DC in 1941 to organize the civilian population of the United States into support of the World War II war effort. The goal of local offices was, according to a government flyer, “to enroll volunteers and to place them in jobs or training in line with their capacities” and to “provide a central place in which all accredited training courses for volunteers may be listed and to arranged for such additional courses as may be necessary.” By January, 1942, Chicago had been divided into Civilian Defense Districts and districts into blocks. Each block was headed by a block captain, whose duties were to enroll volunteers for service as air wardens, auxiliary firemen and police, drivers, nurses, messengers, etc.” https://www.chipublib.org/fa-office-of-civilian-defense-records/

Example of Zone Captain identification card (Not a Company L member).