HISTORY OF COMPANY “D” 3RD REGIMENT
Arriving in camp from all directions of the Sixth Corps Area by rail, water and even on foot, Company “D” assembled on the first of August, and although some of the boys
didn’t get into camp till wee bours in the morning, they all were taken care of and assigned to their tents in the order of their arrival.
The second day of our schedule started with a snap and we then realized that we had wealth of material to make ours the best Company in the Third Regiment. All our candidates
figured that we could make this standard as we had such experienced blue and white men who had training in either the National Guard or the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. It was with this advantage that
Company "D" gained such a start over tbe other Third Regiment companies.
All of Company “D” and many outsiders admired our officers. Captain McClure was the standard and ideal of every man in the Company, because of his soldier-like and easy-going
manners. Lieut. Russell was a great man for athletics and did all the coaching of the teams. On the drill field he liked nothing but business and that with a snap. Lieut. Smith was a prince of a fellow and was
liked by all the men in the Company.
Company "D" put out some great athletes who did all in their power under the coaching of Lieut. Russell. The baseball team went into the finals in the camp
championship contest. Men who did their stuff in track were: Parker, Miner and Bennett. Parker was the shining light for ‘‘D” as he made nine of the eleven points, winning first in the football throw,
first in the football kick, first in the javelin throw. Miner was a member of the winning relay team. Bennett took second in the football kick.
The pistol work of the blue men was fairly successful, as five of the thirteen men qualified, four as sharpshooters, these men being Hagert, Davis, Schilbe, and VanWagoner. The
marksman was Bennett.
Company “D” also furnished great material for the CMTC play—”The Follies of ‘24”. Waffa of this Company was the Assistant Director and also had a fencing act.
Leiphart with his “Song of Paradise” was a great success. Czerkowski, Sorsen and Eithelbuss who sang in the chorus also did very well.
The Company was made up of thirteen blue men, eleven white men and forty-eight advanced red course men. The blue men were kept quite busy as they worked every afternoon until
about four o’clock. The White and Red Course men usually were kept busy with voluntary athletics.
Before the end of camp our two Lieutenants left the Company. We were sorry to see them go. The boys presented each, as well as the Captain, with a fountain pen, as a token of
appreciation. On that occasion we discovered that our officers could talk as well as give commands.
Supply Sergeant Culver was good natured and had a helping hand for every man that needed a little assistance.
Corporal Wood, the company clerk and mail man, who let us come to sign the payroll, was a friend to every man in the Company.
Our history would be incomplete if it did not mention our “best” friends, the army cooks, who did their best to make our period in Camp Custer a successful one. There is no doubt about
it that our chow was the best in the camp. These men were of the regular army: Robertson, Patton, Stewart, Aberneathy, and last but not least was “Scotty” Byott,
the pep of the whole Company. He was like a brother to every member of the company. He always had a cheerful way and all the fellows enjoyed being K. P. when they could work under him.
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