Just days after my great grandfather, Lyman Holmes Rich, returned from serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northwest States Mission, the United States of America declared war on Germany and entered WWI. After a few months on his father’s ranch in Paris, Idaho, Lyman decided his place was in the service of his country.
Not waiting to be drafted, Lyman traveled to Salt Lake City and enlisted in the 145th Field Artillery at Fort Douglas. He was sent to Camp Kearney, just outside of San Diego, California where his unit trained and trained and trained for almost a year before they received orders to travel to Camp Mills in New York to prepare to move overseas. The soldiers were loaded onto a former Canadian mail ship, sailed for England with a naval convoy and after a few days in Liverpool, were transported to Le Havre, France.
While the fighting raged in the northwest, Lyman’s unit was sent south, near Bordeaux, to train with French guns and artillery. They completed their six week course on November 9, 1918 and were ordered to the Western Front to assist in the assault on the city of Metz. The armistice that ended the fighting was signed two days later.
Many were disappointed that they had spent so much time honing their skills and never had a chance to use them. I believe their mothers, wives and families felt differently. Of the 1400 men serving in the 145th, thirteen were lost to influenza, the rest returned home.
The 145th Field Artillery put away their guns and began working at the docks near Bordeaux, unloading supplies from the United States and preparing for and assisting troops, those from the army hospital near Bordeaux and those from the front, embarking home. On December 24th, the 145th began their return, docking in New York on January 4, 1919.
The soldiers spent two weeks in New Jersey being “re-Americanized”. They were deloused, all their clothing steamed to kill any germs that might have tagged along and cleared of illness. After a year and a half in the army, Lyman was discharged in Logan, Utah.
Three quarters of the men serving in the 145th were from Utah and in spite of a pandemic, they were met by large crowds. Though they never fought a battle, Chaplain B.H. Roberts defined their service, “The heroism of the soldier consists in the fact that he offers his life to his country, with full interest to meet whatever fate may befall him….He does his part when in response to his country’s call for service he says, “Here am I, send me.”
Like He who first offered to stand in our defense, we gratefully honor those who have stood in our defense at home and abroad in any capacity.