Documents relevant to the WWI experience of Company L soldiers exist in National and other Archives, local historical societies, private collections . . . and often with their descendant’s. These documents include military orders, military Operations Reports, transportation records, books, WWI Draft Registrations Forms, personal papers and official government correspondence. Naturalization forms also may be relevant:
An 1862 law allowed honorably discharged Army veterans of any war to petition for naturalization . . . . an act of May 9, 1918 allowed aliens serving in the U.S. armed forces during “the present war” to file a petition for naturalization without making a declaration of intent or proving 5 years residence.
This page contains Company Muster Rolls, Rosters, Morning Reports, and Chaplain Reports relating to Company L soldiers.
Company L Roster of soldiers
Company “L” consisted of 4 platoons and a headquarters platoon, each lead by officers. Company L arrived in France with 238 enlisted soldiers, and 3 officers. This Company “L” Roster totaled 207 enlisted personnel. It was compiled post-Armistice in May 1919 while stationed in Luxembourg: 1st Platoon 41 men; 2nd Platoon 45 men; 3rd Platoon 43 men; 4th Platoon 50 men; Headquarters Platoon 28 men. VIEW the Company “L” ROSTER
RosterCompany-L-132ndINF-ANNOTATED
Company Muster Rolls and Monthly Rosters
Muster Rolls and Monthly Rosters are monthly reports of soldiers assigned to Company L. They contain name and rank, and may contain enlistment dates, service numbers, and remarks. They were called Muster Rolls then Monthly Rosters, and often Personnel Reports were included.
Errors may occur as the Muster Rolls and Rosters were transcribed into the Company L Database status, and comments, for the individual soldiers. Errors also have occurred in the source documents due to human error. Additional Muster Rolls may exist and further research is ongoing.
The Company L Muster Rolls and Rosters are also available on the FamilySearch.org website:
85713803|RG-64|World War I Rosters of enlisted men, 131st-132nd Inf Regt, Reel 14.225, Roll 374, 1916 – 1939 on images 1782 thru 1893 and may be accessed via this LINK.
The images are on Film DGS: 106282344
The links are PDF’s that will open in a new browser window or tab.
Camp Logan, Texas:
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132ndINF-October-1917
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132ndINF-November-December-1917
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132ndINF-January-February 1918
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132nd INF March-April-1918
A.E.F. France:
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132nd-INF-May-June 1918
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132nd-INF-July-1918 –
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132nd-INF-Aug-1918. –
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132nd-INF-Sep-1918 –
Muster-Roll-Co-L-132nd-INF-Oct-1918 –
Roster-Co-L-132nd-INF-Nov-1918
Luxembourg:
RosterCompany-L-132ndINF-2-Dec-1918 Platoons: Created by the Company Clerk
Roster-Co-L-132nd-INF-Dec-1918
Roster-Co-L-132nd-INF-Jan-1919
Roster-Co-L-132nd-INF-Feb-1919
Roster-Co-L-132nd-INF-March-1919
Luxembourg – Germany – France:
Roster-Co-L-132nd-INF-April-1919
Camp Grant, Illinois:
Roster-Co-L-132nd-INF-May-1919
Company Morning Reports
Company Morning Reports contain actions the Company engaged in daily. They include everything of interest relating to the discipline, efficiency or service. Morning reports for Company L are often hand written and often difficult to read. Some include typewritten information. The Company Morning Reports are the basis for the Muster Reports and Personnel Reports and include additional details concerning the Men of Company L. The September 1917 Morning Report is a good example.
Other Morning Reports linked below are excerpts that omit the recap of personnel ranks and numbers and provide the narrative pages. The examples below are excerpts from the Morning Report from November 10th, 1918 following a battle and noting injuries and deaths; top image is the handwritten report, and below it is the typewritten Personnel Report that was created and made part of the Morning Report.
Background Information: Company L left Deeuxnouds, France, Nov 10, 1918 at 1250 hours (12:50 a.m.) and took over the front line trenches at St. Mihiel, France, Nov 10, at 1555 hours (3:55 p.m), They left the trenches Nov 11th at 0530 hours.
View the Morning Report instructions by selecting the image below:
Company Morning Reports should be reviewed if your ancestor has a Status or Comments page indicating a month and/or date they were in ‘Hospital’, ‘Sick’, ‘GSW (Gun Shot Wound)’ ,or other indicator that additional details might exist.
1917:
September – Morning-Report-Co-L-132nd-INF-Sep-1917.
October. – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1917-October
November – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1917-November
December – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1917-December
1918:
January – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-January
February – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-February
March – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-March
April – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-April
May. – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-May
June. – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-June
July – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-July
August – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-August
September – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-September
October – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-October
November – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-November
December – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1918-December
1919:
January – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1919-January
February – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1919-February
March – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1919-March
April – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1919-April
May – Morning-Reports-Co-L-132nd-INF-1919-May
Personnel Reports
Company Personnel Reports are similar to the Company Muster Reports. They usually contain similar information to Company Muster Reports. They are rosters of soldiers assigned. Company Personnel Reports were made part of the Morning Reports. This example below is from November 3rd, 1918 and lists battle casualties.
Chaplain Monthly Reports
Company L was ministered by Chaplain Captain John O’Donnell. Chaplains submitted monthly reports. Some reports have been located in the National Archives and are linked below. They include details of his marriages and baptisms of soldiers. While these reports do not include Company L soldiers, they do provide insight. Additional research in ongoing for locating additional reports containing references to soldiers of the Men of L. See the Database comment page for details of Chaplain O’Donnell’s military and public service.
Reports: Select the link below for a PDF containing all reports:
1917 Camp Logan, Texas: November – December
1918 Camp Logan, Texas: January – February
Chaplain-Reports-1917-Nov-Dec-1918-Jan-Feb
Company L Roster – Illinois Adjutant General’s Report, 1917
Extract (pages 68 & 69) listing soldiers of Company L .
Some soldiers participated in the East St. Louis, Illinois, riot duty.
WWI-ILNG-2nd-Infantry-Chicago-Company-L
Company L in the 1916 – 1917 Punitive Mexican Expedition
– History and Roster –
Many soldiers who served were Federalized for WWI
In June, July and August 1916 many soldiers who served with the Illinois National Guard Second Infantry, Company L, prior to WWI were called to duty for the Mexican Expedition of 1916 – 1917. A force of ten thousand soldiers under the command of General John J. Pershing led the punitive action against Mexican rebel bandit General Francisco ‘Pancho’ Villa. The soldier’s experiences helped America prepare for WWI when they were Federalized and formed as Company L of the 132nd Infantry, 33rd Division.
Mexican-Expedition-ILNG-2nd-INF-Company-L
Illinois National Guard, Second Infantry, Chicago, Company L
service during the East St. Louis Riots of 1916-1917
Prior to being Federalized for WWI in the 132nd Infantry Regiment, many soldiers of Company L were activated in support of the East St. Louis Riots of 1916-1917. Their experiences helped prepare them for WWI combat duty. Letters from Corporal Lee Reuter are insights into those experiences. Letters-East-St-Louis-REUTER-July 1917
Citation for Gallantry – Silver Star Medal
Nineteen Men of Company L were cited for gallantry in action by General Pershing and General Bell. The Silver Star Medal is the United States’ third highest award exclusively for combat valor. The Silver Star was not established as an individual medal until July 19, 1932. At that time, veterans of World War I who had been cited for “gallantry in action” and awarded the “Citation Star” were, based upon specific criteria, authorized to request issuance of the Silver Star Medal in lieu of the earlier ribbon device.
Listing of officers and men of the 132nd Infantry cited for gallantry. Gallantry-132nd_Infantry
Information relating to uniform Chevrons, Buttons, Medals, and Insignia worn. (PDF)
WWI Soldier Chevrons – Buttons – Medals
“VA MASTER INDEX” Card File – Veterans Administration Form 7202a
VA-Master-Index-Card- Codes