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| | PVT. ANTHONY J. GENNRICH
Serial No. 2,986,159
904 Palmer Ave., Detroit, Mich.
Private Gennrich joined our Battery, being transferred from the 310th Ammunition Train, in September, 1918, at Camp Coetquidan, one of seventy men who joined the regiment prior to leaving for the front. Like the rest of this group, they received very little training and really did not have time to make themselves familiar with the old men of Battery B or command until after hostilities ceased. Private Gennrich, a member of the Combat Train, was called upon to act as Gas Guard at all of our gun positions.
At Tautecourt Farm he performed the dangerous task of bringing ammunition to the guns.
He was a hard, willing worker, of medium stature, and of a sanguine temperament and cheerful.
After the war he and Private Cleary became buddies.
To the editor Private Gennrich has written some of his experiences, as follows:
“At first, when I came into the army, I thought I was forced to he a soldier. It did not take long to make me one, as I soon learned that it became second nature, but it took me some time to appreciate being a buck private.
“Thomas Cleary is my bunk partner. He is a fine fellow and we get along nicely, but there is one thing I will not forget which happened since chumming up with him. He shared with me some of his specially trained cooties and they do keep a guy busy. He kept a good share for himself by the way he moves around in the bunk. Lots of folks won’t believe me when I say that these cooties are trained like soldiers, for while I was sleeping they would even hold Guard Mount.
“There was one thing I did like and that was at the front. I could sleep all I wanted to. You can imagine no retreat or reveille. It was a grand and glorious feeling to get along with so little to eat and just sleep. I talked in my sleep. I walked in my sleep, and sometimes ate the fringe from what would be a good feed if there was more of it.” |