Corporal Lee Reuter’s personal war journal describing daily life at Camp Logan, Texas. Transcribed by his daughter, Barbara Metzger, and used by permission with minor editing for clarity.
Extracts:
Corporal Lee Reuter’s personal war journal. After the war – Doncourt to Gonderingen: From 18 November 1918 to 1 January 1919.
Transcribed by his daughter, Barbara Metzger, and used by permission.
Extracts:
– Our eats were good. Doughnuts, Roast beef, mashed spuds, gravy, and coffee. A real meal.
– I was afraid a siege of the Flu had hit the outfit for the boys were all getting sick and had the symptoms.
– Before the march ended I was all in. I felt rather horrible. My shoes were worn out and I felt every stone in the road. My feet were awfully sore and I truly did not expect to make it to wherever we were going.
– Here we were again billeted in a barn. . . . Lots of straw. Renken in with us . Not a particular good sleep – 3 in a bed.
– The hill tops in Germany were snow covered. Louie and I hiked around the town then over the river and thru Wies and Nennig. Some of the people smiled and spoke. Others made faces and we could feel the hate. The little ones were equally divided, some walked up to us. Others spit at us. One group shook their fists at one of our planes and were wishing him to fall and break his neck.
– We were billeted in a foul smelling house high up on the hill across from an old prison built in 1021 AD.
-Our moving was due to unsanitary billets. We were now all in houses. I was placed with 6 in a small, unclean room, which had stove, table and chairs.
– I wished I could rid myself of cooties for it was most unpleasant to have them always crawling on you. Especially crawling and biting when you cannot get at them because of so many persons around. But it was a part of life so —— Turned in tired and hoped not to move in the morning.
– Brought in my dinner to let Mrs. Schaus try it. It was half cooked spuds, dry beef steak and bum coffee. At 1 PM I had dinner with this family. After a big feed of roast pork and its side dishes, I began on roast veal and applesauce, apple pie, coffee, etc. The afternoon passed and I supped with the Company, then with these people. They continue to put themselves out for me.
Read Corporal Reuter’s wartime journal: 17 page transcription PDF War_Journal_Corporal_Lee_Reuter
Postscript from Corporal Reuter’s daughter.
Dad lived well in Gonderange and came to care deeply for the Schaus family. He kept contact with them by letter until the outbreak of WW II and then located them late in 1945. Eugen (Eugene), the oldest son, became an engineer and in the 1950s on lived in Brussels.
Arthur was the younger son. He became a lawyer and was very active in Luxembourg politics. The daughter Irma married and had two sons.
Fast forward to 1974 — I had taken a Easter Vacation trip to Germany – Austria – Switzerland with about 14 of my German students. The bus we had for this trip was chartered from Luxembourg. Got talking to the driver one afternoon and ask if he knew the Schaus family. Of course he did. The bus company we were using was owned and operated by Irma’s husband. Our driver, of course, knew all about the family as he lived just a town or two away. It truly is a small, small word.
Photograph of Corporal Lee Reuter at the May 27th, 1919 Chicago parade in Grant Park with his two sisters <Select photo to view larger image>. Julia is on the right in this photo. Note the outline of the arm patches that were handed out that day. Note the Pack the soldiers carried, including the rifle. — on the ground. Louise, on the left in this photo, has Lee’s “souvenir belt” with all the buttons and badges he collected slung around her shoulder. Julia, has that belt in her possession. MEMORY OF: Barbara Metzger, Lee’s daughter.
Company L Homecoming Parade was a family affair
There were two Carroll’s in Co L. Joseph and John. Corporal Joseph was the older and had been in the regular army. Wonder if he reenlisted to be with his brother Private John? John was in the 1st Platoon and Joe in the 4th. Joe pops up in various lists in my dad’s journal when they are all at Camp Logan as he was always lending him money. (I think my dad was a minor loan shark in those days). MEMORY OF: Barbara Metzger, daughter of Corporal Lee Reuter
132nd Infantry memories from a soldier in Company C. His recollections at age 81 help paint a picture of life in the 132nd from Camp Grant, Illinois to the battlefields and then mustering out in 1919. PDF will open in a new browser window or tab. Used by permission. WWI Memoires
Journal entry extract: CPL Lee Reuter
Oct 24, 1918 . . . . At Dommatin, a destroyed village, we made breakfast and dinner. Then we went that nite with the kitchens . . . slept in a dug out 5x5x5 . 3 feet deep in a very thick woods. A few hours over very very hilly roads lead us to a camp. Once owned by the Jerries. The huts were simply like palaces when compared with where I live with Beem, Dad Hahn, Werner and Dick.– in a house with 4 bunks, 1 double bed, 1 stove, tables, chairs etc. Dugout in the rear. The whole hill is covered with houses and barracks and some are surely comfortable. They had elect(ic) lights, showers, kitchens, dining halls, a dance hall, bowling alley, concert stand, “Kantine” etc. of which we are making such use as we can tho lights, showers and kantine —rest of entry is unreadable due to age of paper. SUBMITTED by: Barbara Metzger, daughter of Corporal Lee Reuter
The German house below is an example of houses discussed above.
The elaborate home the Germans constructed shows that they had no intention of leaving the territory. Sixty-Sixth Brigade, Thirty-Third Divison. Deuxembord (?spelling), Meuse, France, November 6, 1918
The original Men of L last issued 1972 newsletter; excerpts:
Lee Reuter was the author of the Men of L newsletters. He wrote in the last distributed Men of L newsletter on February 2, 1972 apologizing for why he had been out of touch and explaining about his stroke in December 1970. Lee Reuter died October 1972. These comments reflect the camaraderie the men still shared 50 plus years after WWI ended.
“All of this news is 2 years old.”
Oscar Owens was living in Mesa AZ in Feb 1970. He had a slight heart attack and was to be 81 in May.
“We report the death of Fred Koenig on Aug 10, 1970.”
Hans Hanson wrote Jan 20, 1970 wife died, wanted to know how Mollet, Gieseke and Passe were.
Lundy wrote Jan 29, 1970 that he was fine, going fishing three times a year.
Fred Ehler has had a heart attack recently and I have not heard lately how he is
Obermiller wrote in 1970 that he has been house bound for 5 years.
Herb Mathis wrote Feb 1970 that he is in fair health.
Frank Lynch died in early 1970 of a heart attack.
Sam Malatt was in CA in Jan 1970
Colonel Art Larson reported the death of Art Keating late in 1968.
Chick Bissel was still traveling with his trailer between Oregon and California.
Oscar Owens died Oct 22, 1970 (this was reported by his daughter)
Roy Whiteman still alive.
Comrade Timborious wrote all was well.
Bob Malone sent a $100.00 check to Men of L in Jan 1972
William Vickers died in Feb 1970 — note from his wife.
Captain Wise sent his Christmas letter with a picture of him and his wife in front of their country home.
Paul Healy sends regard to all.
R.J. Kuratko hopes we have one more reunion.
Ed Frueh is well, sons are married, and he has 16 grandchildren.
George Trost died Aug 6, 1970
G.E. Farnum sent a card. He has not been well. He saw Tom Tibbits who has leg trouble.
Pietrowicz and Ardaugh dropped in on me (Lee Reuter). Both are into biking. Consider themselves “6 day bike champs.”
Ernie Anderson writes he thinks of you all.
Comrade Thompson’s son wrote his dad, Roger K had died on May 30 1971
Sam Bernstein wants one more reunion.
Fred Elsner is confined to his home with a bad leg.