Presidents at War: Harry Truman and the First World War
I plan to write a couple of posts about Harry Truman during this series. The second will be about a very significant and consequential decision that Truman made as a wartime president. But first, let's discuss Truman's service as a soldier in war.
Truman saw combat service in the First World War, but years before that, he had applied for an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, which was his childhood dream. He was turned down because of his poor eyesight. He then enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard in 1905, serving until 1911 in a Kansas City-based artillery battery. At his induction, his eyesight had been an unacceptable 20/50 in the right eye and 20/400 in the left. The second time he took the test, he passed by cheating. He had secretly memorized the eye chart.
When the United States became a participant in World War I, Truman rejoined the Guard, even though he didn't have to. As the sole male in the family he was exempt from conscription. Much to his surprise, the men in his unit elected Truman as an officer, making him first lieutenant of a battery. Before deployment to France, Truman was sent to Camp Doniphan, Fort Sill, near Lawton, Oklahoma, for training. He ran the camp canteen with Edward Jacobson, a clothing store clerk he knew from Kansas City. At Fort Sill Truman met Lieutenant James M. Pendergast, nephew of Thomas Joseph (Tom) Pendergast, a Kansas City political boss. It was a meeting that would significantly impact Truman's later political career.
Truman was promoted to captain and in July 1918 he became the battery commander of an artillery regiment in France. His new unit, Battery D, 129th Field Artillery, 60th Brigade, 35th Infantry Division, was known for its discipline problems, and Truman initially had difficulty gaining control of his the soldiers under his command. During a sudden attack by the Germans in the Vosges Mountains, soldiers began to flee. Using uncharacteristic profanity, Truman encouraged his men to stay and fight. According to Truman biographer David McCullough, the men were so surprised to hear Truman use profane language that they immediately obeyed.
On September 26, 1918, at the opening of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Truman's unit joined in a massive assault barrage, advancing with difficulty over rough terrain to follow the infantry. When they were west of Cheppy they set up an observation post. A decision by Truman to act against orders probably saved American lives. Through his binoculars on September 27, he saw an enemy artillery battery setting up across a river in a position allowing them to fire upon the neighboring 28th Division. Truman's orders limited him to targets facing the 35th Division, but he ignored this order and patiently waited until the Germans had walked their horses far away from their guns before he opened fire and scattered the enemy. Truman was criticized for this by his commander, Colonel Karl D. Klemm, but he was not formally disciplined for it.
During the Meuse-Argonne fighting, Truman and his men provided support for George S. Patton's tank brigade. On November 11, 1918, Truman's artillery unit fired some of the last shots of World War I towards German positions in Hermeville before the armistice took effect at 11 am. Under Truman's command in France, the battery did not lose a single man, and his men presented Truman with a large "loving cup" after their return to the United States.
Prior to the war, Truman had been unsuccessful in several business ventures, and would not have been a likely candidate for political office. Truman's war record and his connection with James Prendergast brought him to the attention of the "Prendergast machine", setting him on the road towards his political victories and eventual road to the White House.
Truman saw combat service in the First World War, but years before that, he had applied for an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, which was his childhood dream. He was turned down because of his poor eyesight. He then enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard in 1905, serving until 1911 in a Kansas City-based artillery battery. At his induction, his eyesight had been an unacceptable 20/50 in the right eye and 20/400 in the left. The second time he took the test, he passed by cheating. He had secretly memorized the eye chart.
When the United States became a participant in World War I, Truman rejoined the Guard, even though he didn't have to. As the sole male in the family he was exempt from conscription. Much to his surprise, the men in his unit elected Truman as an officer, making him first lieutenant of a battery. Before deployment to France, Truman was sent to Camp Doniphan, Fort Sill, near Lawton, Oklahoma, for training. He ran the camp canteen with Edward Jacobson, a clothing store clerk he knew from Kansas City. At Fort Sill Truman met Lieutenant James M. Pendergast, nephew of Thomas Joseph (Tom) Pendergast, a Kansas City political boss. It was a meeting that would significantly impact Truman's later political career.
Truman was promoted to captain and in July 1918 he became the battery commander of an artillery regiment in France. His new unit, Battery D, 129th Field Artillery, 60th Brigade, 35th Infantry Division, was known for its discipline problems, and Truman initially had difficulty gaining control of his the soldiers under his command. During a sudden attack by the Germans in the Vosges Mountains, soldiers began to flee. Using uncharacteristic profanity, Truman encouraged his men to stay and fight. According to Truman biographer David McCullough, the men were so surprised to hear Truman use profane language that they immediately obeyed.
On September 26, 1918, at the opening of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Truman's unit joined in a massive assault barrage, advancing with difficulty over rough terrain to follow the infantry. When they were west of Cheppy they set up an observation post. A decision by Truman to act against orders probably saved American lives. Through his binoculars on September 27, he saw an enemy artillery battery setting up across a river in a position allowing them to fire upon the neighboring 28th Division. Truman's orders limited him to targets facing the 35th Division, but he ignored this order and patiently waited until the Germans had walked their horses far away from their guns before he opened fire and scattered the enemy. Truman was criticized for this by his commander, Colonel Karl D. Klemm, but he was not formally disciplined for it.
During the Meuse-Argonne fighting, Truman and his men provided support for George S. Patton's tank brigade. On November 11, 1918, Truman's artillery unit fired some of the last shots of World War I towards German positions in Hermeville before the armistice took effect at 11 am. Under Truman's command in France, the battery did not lose a single man, and his men presented Truman with a large "loving cup" after their return to the United States.
Prior to the war, Truman had been unsuccessful in several business ventures, and would not have been a likely candidate for political office. Truman's war record and his connection with James Prendergast brought him to the attention of the "Prendergast machine", setting him on the road towards his political victories and eventual road to the White House.