My uncle Ernest Julius Alfred Erickson's Army Registration Certificate from Baker County, Oregon, dated June 5, 1917. The back of the card has Ernest Julius and his brother Frank Severin Erickson's draft numbers. Ernest Julius 1748 and Frank's number 1749.

As Ernest Julius wrote in his diary on July 21st, 1917: "Number 1748 was in the first 20 and that is mine, Frank’s number 1749 did not come out, so I am alone in that deal."

Both Ernest and Frank would serve with the American Expeditionary Force in France, Ernest with the 361st Infantry and Frank with the 308th Infantry. Both would be involved in "The Meuse Argonne Offensive" that would begin in September of 1918.

A small curl of Ernest Julius's hair wrapped in thread was placed in the envelope where I found the Registration card. I thought it appropriate to attach to the card.

Here are excerpts from my uncle Ernest Julius's Oregon Diary that he began on January 22nd, 1917 as he was departing from the Wilton, North Dakota train station heading west to meet up with his brother Frank. The two sought adventure and were interested in finding land to buy and settle.

The April 7th, 1917 diary entry is a good start, a significant day in the lives of the two brothers and it reflects Ernest's thinking at the time, a sense of being directionless and the pursuit of an elusive something to altar his life. Unfortunately that day it was the Army he chose for that transformation and set on a course that was surely headed to the darkness of the unknown.

Saturday April 7th, 1917
War was declared with Germany yesterday. Camping is the life.

Tuesday June 5th,1917
Went and signed up for Uncle Sam today, so if he wants me I’m ready to go.

Wednesday July 18th, 1917
Got to La Grande today, rain is first I have seen for over a month, not so warm now.

Thursday July 19th, 1917
Still here waiting for the drawing which is coming about Saturday.

Friday July 20th, 1917
Well tomorrow is the day we will see how the things will come out.

Saturday July 21st, 1917
Number 1748 was in the first 20 and that is mine, Frank’s did not show up.

Sunday July 22nd through Monday July 23rd, 1917
Frank’s number 1749 did not come out, so I am alone in that deal.
Got to Pendleton today to go out in the harvest fields.

Tuesday July 24th through Friday July 27th 1917
Am here in Pendleton waiting to see if I am in the first draft so I can go to work and if I am not in the first. Getting tired to lay around doing nothing, but it can’t be helped. Just now this is the finest town I have seen here.

Saturday July 28th, 1917
Nothing has developed yet will stay around and see.

Sunday July 29th through Tuesday July 31st, 1917
Still here at Pendleton waiting for my number to see if I am in the first draft or not, so can’t go to work unless I find out.

Wednesday August 1st through Thursday August 2nd, 1917
Getting tired of laying around here any longer but will have to for a time any ways.

Friday August 3rd, 1917
Frank got notice to appear for examination, so I am leaving for Baker tonight at 1:30am.

Saturday August 4th, 1917
Got examined today and think I will pass O.K…..3 out of 5 fell through the physical.

Sunday August 5th through Monday August 6th, 1917
Passed the examination here yesterday alright and it sure took a load off my mind now I know just what to do, but I didn’t before.

Tuesday August 7th, 1917
I sure would rather pass than not for there is so many that can’t go.

Wednesday August 8th through Saturday August 11th, 1917
Started to work for White Pine Lumber Company today and will work here until I am called into the Army which I understand will not be till the first of September. We’re not told anything, as the newspapers come out with many different reports.

Sunday August 12th, 1917
Have to call 60 men more as there were only 18 that passed and there is so many claiming exemptions.

Monday August 13th through Thursday August 16th, 1917
Have been working these days but have been a pretty sick boy, at least I think I am, but maybe not so darned weak Thursday that the lumber feels almost too heavy for me to lift.

Friday August 17th, 1917
Had to lay off today as I am getting worse right along.

Saturday August 18th, 1917
Had the doctor come by today, pretty sick believe me.

Sunday August 19th, 1917
Feeling a little better today, but this evening a little worse again.

Monday August 20th, 1917
Laid off this forenoon but went to work again this PM, feeling fine again.

Tuesday August 21st through Saturday August 25th, 1917
Have been working steady this day, got a notice from the exemption board to be ready to leave on 24 hour notice when notified. So everything is now settled out. I am sure glad nothing to worry me anymore and I feel that I am pretty lucky to be able to go into Army. I will probably come out a different man, would like to change my ways.Sunday August 19th, 1917

Sunday August 26th through Saturday September 1st, 1917
Have been working steady this week. I heard that they are only going to take 2 men from Baker County so I won’t get a chance to go in the first Quota. But hope it won’t be long before they might call. Had some letters from home and see that my brother, Sebran (Andy) enlisted as a motor driver. He passed his physical so I guess there won’t be any chance to see him for some time.Sunday August 19th, 1917

Saturday September 2nd through Saturday September 7th, 1917
Well another week passed and nothing new, same thing over and over again. This seems to me to be an awful dead place, but I guess it is my own fault as I am not very much of a miser at any case. Frank and I are thinking of taking a hunting trip very soon and it all depends on when I am called for duty. I sure would like to get out for a deer hunt this fall as I am in a grand hunting country.

"My uncle Ernest Julius Erickson (far right) and two buddies stand along the trenches of their training area at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington in late 1917. Ernest was a member of the American Expeditionary Force's 361st Infantry and trained at Camp Lewis until he and his company were sent to England and then onto France in the Spring of 1918.

Ernest Julius Erickson would soon find himself along with his Company C in the midst of the Battle of the Argonne Forest, in what was referred to as "The Meuse - Argonne Offensive."

The offensive was fought from September 26th 1918, until the Armistice on the the 11th of November 1918, a total of 47 days. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest in United States military history, involving 1.2 million American soldiers and was one of a series of Allied attacks known as the Hundred Days Offensive, which brought an end to the war.

The battle cost 28,000 German lives and 26,277 American lives, making it the largest and bloodiest operation of World War I for the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), which was commanded by General John J. Pershing.

Fort Lewis (named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) consisted of 87,000 acres of prairie land cut from the glacier-flattened Nisqually Plain, it was the premier military installation in the northwest and was the most requested duty station in the army.

Fort Lewis began as Camp Lewis in 1917 when the citizens of Pierce County voted to bond themselves for $2 million to buy 68,721 acres of land. They donated the land to the federal government for military use. The only stipulation was that the tract be used as a permanent army post. Unfortunate for the Nisqually Indians, a portion of the land was taken from the tribe's reservation.

Captain David L. Stone and his staff arrived at the camp site on May 26th, 1917 to begin construction. In 90 days, Stone had supervised the construction of a "city" of 757 buildings and 422 other structures, all lighted and heated for 60,000 men.

My uncle Ernest Julius Erickson was one of the first recruits to move into the new barracks on September 5th, 1917 to begin his military training.

The following two years saw tremendous activity at Camp Lewis as men mobilized and trained for war service. Thousands of the nation's young men became familiar with Camp Lewis, Tacoma and the state of Washington.

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