253 – Lt. Thomas Gallagher

In March 1916, Tom Gallagher moved from Lamar, Missouri to Junction City, Kansas. He was the shoe department manager at Cole Brothers’ Dry Goods Store, replacing his brother Henry. Henry moved back to Lamar, becoming manager at Coles’ store there.

The Junction City Daily Union – March 9, 1916

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163 – Coming Home

With orders for home, the 137th Regiment boarded trains at Sampigny on March 7. They arrived in the Le Mans area three days later. The companies were dispersed to surrounding towns and villages, Company M to Monfort-les-Gesnois. Far from the desolate battlefields, the men enjoyed a couple weeks of “the best accommodations since [their] arrival in France,” whether in billets or private homes.

Easter Aboard the Manchuria
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162 – Over There

Larned Chronoscope – May 9, 1918

On May 9, 1918, soldiers of the 137th Infantry disembarked their ships and set foot on French soil at Le Havre.

The 137th served a few weeks with the British in Northern France and then by three days of forced marches and three days train travel moved to the eastern end of the Western Front, near Gerardmer, from where it went into the line with French troops on German soil near Switzerland on June 18, 1918.

A History of the 137th Infantry, An All-Kansas Regiment
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