I was born in Carrington, North Dakota on July 22, 1895. I grew up through the Carrington grade school and graduated from high school in the spring of 1914. That fall I entered the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks.
In the spring of 1916 the North Dakota Guard was called into service to help stabilize the Mexican border and to train for the possibility of -a world war. With parental consent, I immediately took the train to Bismarck and enlisted in the 1st North Dakota Infantry at Old Fort Lincoln, a few miles south of the city of Bismarck. I was assigned to the Medical Detachment in the unit from Lisbon, North Dakota.
The regiment entrained for the Mexican border on July 22, 1916, and made camp in Mercedes, Texas, where we went into training for the next eight months. It was a rugged and trying experience which put the regiment into front line fighting condition. We were mustered out of service at Fort Spelling, Minnesota in February, 1917.
I returned to the University for the midwinter semester, but was recalled to service on April 11 and was assigned to Company A of Bismarck in guarding the bridge over the Missouri River. By the end of the year the 1st North Dakota Infantry had landed in England on Christmas Eve and I was sent over to France two days later. I remained in France until after World War I was over and returned to Carrington in July of 1919. I again returned to the University and graduated in June of 1920.
During the ensuing years I became a partner in the Putnam and Sons Lumber Company. I helped organize Company F and was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on January 17, 1923, and worked myself up to Captain of the Company on February 18, 1926. I remained the Company Commander for the next 14 years.
It was about this time in my life that I married Mabelle L. Cook, a teacher of the 2nd grade in the Carrington school. We resided in Carrington, where our two daughters were born, until I was appointed Superintendent of the State Highway Patrol in July, 1935. Under my administration, we inaugurated the first Driver's License Law in the State of North Dakota. Shortly thereafter, we organized the first School Crossing Patrol in every school in the state that requested our assistance. I remained with the Highway Patrol until the Guard was again called to active duty for World War II in February, 1941, and we were sent to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, for training. Prior to this time, while the North Dakota Guard was in training in Minnesota in July, 1940, the Regular Army gave an examination for Lt. Colonel. I passed the examination and was promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel on October 8, 1940.
I was assigned as Battalion Commander of the 1st Battalion, 164th Infantry. A few months later, I was ordered to join the 34th Division Staff as the Chemical Warfare Officer. This appointment broke my ties with the 164th Infantry as they were ordered to the West Coast and I to the Embarkation Point in New York.
The 34th Division trained in Northern Ireland and later participated in the invasion of North Africa. It was quite a coincidence that I embarked on Christmas Eve, 1942, for the African invasion from the same dock in Liverpool that I had disembarked at an arrival in England on Christmas Eve, 1917. Twenty-five years to the day! After the campaign in Africa we participated in the invasion of Italy and fought up the Italian boot to the top. When we took Pisa I was granted a leave and returned to Naples to await a ship for the United States. On arriving home, I completed several assignments for the Chemical Warfare Service as Tactical Inspector of Troops and remained in that capacity until the war was over. I was released from active duty at the Pentagon and immediately found employment with the Veterans Administration. I remained with that organization for the next 15 years retiring in 1960. Since the war we have resided in Richmond, Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia. We now live in Alexandria.
My oldest daughter, Mary Lea, grew up in Carrington and graduated from Carrington High School Class of 1945. Her husband, Hugh Munro Adamson, is a retired Foreign Service Officer. They also live in Alexandria as does their son, Tod Munro Adamson. My daughter, Eleanor Ann, graduated from high school in Alexandria and received her B.A. Degree from George Washington University in 1966. She is employed by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington D.C. She and her daughter, Leslie Rea Snyder, live in Arlington, Virginia.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 35B