History of the 150TH Machine Gun Battalion

This page is dedicated in honor of Private First Class Joseph Lorenz.

PFC Lorenz was a native of Ohio who enlisted in Company F, 2D Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in June of 1917. He served in France with Company C, 150TH MG Bn., was wounded in combat at the Ourcq River, and later died as a result of his wounds on 21 November 1918. Today he rests with his Comrades at Suresnes American Military Cemetery near Paris. One of his descendants contributed valuable information for this page.

On 16 Aug. 1917, Companies E, F and G, 2D Wisconsin
Infantry Regiment, were officially detached from the 2nd Wisconsin and became
the 150TH Machine Gun Battalion [Companies A, formerly Co. G, 2D
Wis. (Appleton); B, formerly Co. E, 2D Wis. (Fond du Lac); and C,
formerly Co. F, 2D Wis. (Oshkosh)], 83D Infantry Brigade
of the 42D ‘Rainbow’ Division. The HQs Company was formed largely
from Soldiers from Co. M, 2D Wis. (Oconto). Each machine gun company
had an authorized strength of one captain, two first lieutenants and three
second lieutenants, all mounted on horses, and 172 enlisted men. The Battalion
Commander was Major W. B. Hall, of Oconto, previously one of the battalion
commanders in the 2nd Wisconsin. The Company Commanders were; Co. A, CPT Lothar G. Graef;
Co. B, CPT Adelbert R. Brunet; Co. C, CPT Gustave C. Schwandt.

The
4
2D
‘Rainbow’ Division was organized by combining National Guard units from 26
states and the District of Columbia. The National Guard units from the other
states included: Louisiana Cavalry; 3
D Battalion, 4TH Pennsylvania Infantry; 69TH
New York Infantry; 4TH Ohio Infantry; Companies B, C and F, Georgia
Infantry; 4TH Alabama Infantry; 3
D Iowa Infantry; 1ST
Illinois Field Artillery; 1ST Minnesota Field Artillery; 3
D and 4TH
Companies, Maryland, C. A. C., forming 117TH Trench Mortar Battery;
1ST Separate Battalion, South Carolina Engineers; 1ST
Separate Battalion, California Engineers; Missouri Field Battalion, Signal
Troops; Virginia C. A. C. (Military Police); Engineers’ Train, North Carolina;
Ammunition Train, Kansas; Supply Train, Texas; 1ST Ambulance
Company, Michigan; 1ST Ambulance Company, New Jersey; 1ST
Ambulance Company, Tennessee; 1ST Ambulance Company, Oklahoma; 1ST
Field Hospital Company, District of Columbia; 1ST Field Hospital
Company, Nebraska; 1ST Field Hospital Company, Colorado; 1ST
Field Hospital Company, Oregon. The ‘Rainbow’ Division would be assembled at
Camp Mills, Mineola, Long Island (New York) under the command of Major General
William A. Mann.

On 3
Sept. 1917
the 150TH MG Battalion departed Camp Douglas,
Wisconsin bound for Camp Mills to assemble with the rest of the 42
D Division. The Battalion was
carried on two trains, the first section pulled out at 3:50 p.m. with the
Battalion HQ’s and Company C, an hour later Companies A and B departed on the
second train. The only stop was at Meadville, Pa., the
soldiers detrained and took a twenty-minute hike while the trains ice and water
were replenished.

On 5 Sept. the 150TH MG Battalion arrived at Camp Mills.
The first section arrived at 11:20 a.m. and the second section at 4:15 p.m.

On 13 Sept. the last unit (160TH Infantry from Iowa) of
the 42D Division arrived at Camp Mills making the formation of that
Division complete. A different source suggested that the 1ST
Michigan Ambulance Company was the last unit to arrive, also on 13 Sept.

On 18 Oct. 1917 the 150TH MG Battalion pulled out of New
York Harbor, bound for France. The convoy carried 28,000 men and was escorted
by the battleship U.S.S. Seattle and two torpedo boat destroyers.

On 7 Nov. 1917 news reached Wisconsin that the ‘Rainbow’ Division had
reached France. The exact date of their arrival was not specified in the
newspaper (due to wartime restrictions); it was probably between 30 Oct. and 1
Nov.

On 26 Mar. 1918 a fourth company, Company D, was added to the 150TH
Machine Gun Battalion. Company A, 149TH
Machine Gun Battalion, also of the 42D ‘Rainbow’ Division, was
transferred and redesignated to become Company D, 150TH
MG Bn. Company D was originally Company I, 4TH Pennsylvania
Infantry, from Reading, Pennsylvania.

On 15 Jul. 1918, PFC William L. Brockman was KIA and was posthumously
bestowed with the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism near Auberive, France, on that day. Assigned
to Co.
A, 150TH MG BN, he was from Appleton, WI. You can read
his citation here.

On 15 Jul. 1918, PVT Willis P. Snyder performed deeds near Reims,
France, for which he was subsequently bestowed with the Distinguished Service
Cross and the Croix de Guerre. Assigned to Co. D, 150TH MG BN, he
was from Reading, PA. You can read his citations here.

PVT
Snyder later described the day’s events in his own words: “We were pretty far out in front of the rest of the bunch. Our two
guns were well placed, so as to command the two communication trenches. We
hadn’t been told the first line trenches had been abandoned but thought the
French were still there. By morning we were all nearly crazy with the awful
bombardment. It was broad daylight when they came and there seemed to be
thousands of them coming through the bushes. At first we thought they were
‘Frogs,’ for most of them wore French uniforms. Suddenly Corporal Smith, who
commanded our gun, said: ‘My God! they’re Boche.’ He jumped on the gun and fired perhaps two belts
when he was hit in the brain and dropped. I took the gun and fired like mad. I
couldn’t very well miss them, they were so close. I remember Karausta come running up to me, telling me that Epler and Burkey had been killed
and the other gun taken, then all of a sudden the Boche
were on top of me. I lit out at them and they at me. A
coupled of them were tearing at my pack. They tell me
I tried to pull Karausta’s body along but I don’t
remember anything more until I was back in the reserve trenches.”

On 28 Jul. 1918, PVT Tony Cramp was KIA and was posthumously bestowed
with the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism near Villers-sur-Fere,
France, on that day. Assigned to Co. B, 150TH MG BN, he was from
Fond du Lac, WI. You can read his citation here.

On 28 Jul. 1918, CPL Elmer C. Grabinski was
KIA and was posthumously bestowed with the Distinguished Service Cross for his
heroism between Sergy and Villers-sur-Fere, France,
on that day. Assigned to Co. B, 150TH MG BN, he was born in Miller,
SC, and entered the service from Fond du Lac, WI. You can read his citation here.

On 28 Jul. 1918, SGT Anthony N. Halfmann was
KIA and was posthumously bestowed with the Distinguished Service Cross for his
heroism near Villers-sur-Fere, France, on that day.
Assigned to Co. B, 150TH MG BN, he was from Fond du Lac, WI. You can
read his citation here.

150TH Machine Gun Battalion Battle Participation

From Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Belgium and Italy - 1917-1918.

Luneville sector, Lorraine, France, 21 February-23 March, 1918.
Baccarat sector, Lorraine, France, 31 March-21 June, 1918.
Esperance-Souain sector, Champagne, France, 4 July-14 July, 1918.
Champagne-Marne defensive, France, 15 July-17 July, 1918.
Aisne-Marne offensive, France, 25 July-3 August, 1918.
St. Mihiel offensive, France, 12 September-16 September, 1918.
Essey and Pannes sector, Woevre, France, 17 September-30 September 1918.
Meuse-Argonne offensive, France, 12 October-31 October, 1918.
Meuse-Argonne offensive, France, 5 November-10 November, 1918.

150TH Machine Gun Battalion Roll of Honor

(The Soldiers who died)

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150TH Machine Gun Battalion

Roll of Honor

(The Soldiers who
died)

This list is not complete.

PVT
Charles Arnold

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D.; severely wounded 16 Oct. 1918, died shortly later.

PFC
Waldo Balthazor

19,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; served on all fronts with ‘Rainbow’ Div.; DW 26 Oct. 1918.

PVT
Leon E. Bennett

24,
Waukesha, Wis.; overseas; DD (influenza) 12 Oct. 1918.

PVT
John W. Boehler

21,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; WNG; Mexican Border; served on all fronts with 42
D Div.; DW 29 Oct. 1918.

MEC
Alvin Bohlman

21,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Defensive Sector; DW 28 March 1918.

PVT
John E. Bonacher

Co.
D.

CPL
Floyd Bowers

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D; KIA 27 July 1918.

PFC
Nelson A. Bowers

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D; D (drowned) 25 July 1918.

PVT
Arthur W. Boyd

Oshkosh,
Wis.; Co. C; KIA 12 Sept. 1918 in St. Mihiel Sector

PFC
Walter Briel

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D; KIA 27 July 1918.

PVT
William L. Brockman

24,
Married, Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; WNG; Auberive,
Champagne, Marne, Defensive Sector; KIA 15 July 1918.

PVT
Charles Brown

25,
Middle Inlet, Wis.; Overseas; DD (pneumonia) 29 March 1918.

PVT
Pearson L. Brown

Campbellsport,
Wis.; WNG; DD (acidosis, after being gassed) 29 March 1918.

PVT
William M. Brown

27,
Shiocton, Wis.; WNG; Auberive; KIA 15 July 1918.

SGT
Elmer W. Bullis

45,
Married, Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; Champagne, Marne, Aisne-Marne, Defensive Sector;
DW 3 Aug. 1918.

PVT
Tony Cramp

35,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Co. B; KIA 28 July 1918 near Villers-sur-Fere,
France. Posthumously decorated for distinguished service.

PVT
Desire J. DeGrave

22,
Oconto, Wis.; Co. C; KIA 27 July 1918.

PVT
Charles Devins

26,
Beloit, Wis.; Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Defensive Sector; KIA 28 July
1918.

SGT
Albert C. Dreier

28,
North Fond du Lac, Wis.; WNG, Mexican Border; Argonne; KIA 15 Oct. 1918.

PVT
Alvin P. Epler

Mohnton,
Pa.; Co. D; KIA 15 July 1918.

PVT
Paul Fauck

25,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; Overseas; D (accident) 3 June 1918.

PFC
Milton H. Folk

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D, DD.

CPL
William F. Gehring

Hanover,
Pa.; Co. A, 149th MGBN; KIA 8 Mar. 1918.

PVT
Elmer C. Grabinski

29,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Co. B; KIA 28 July 1918
between
Sergy and Villers-sur-Fere, France
. Posthumously decorated
for distinguished service.

Stable
SGT Kurt Graf

27,
Black Wolf, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; Aisne-Marne, Defensive Sector; KIA 28 July
1918.

PVT
Henry Gratton

32,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Overseas; DD (pneumonia after being gassed) 1 Apr. 1918.

CPL
Guy R. Gross

24,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; WNG; Luneville Sector, Baccarat,
Esperance, Champagne, Marne, St. Mihiel, Argonne-Meuse; KIA 15 Oct. 1918.

PVT
William Hageman

22,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; Auberive; DW 17 July 1918.

SGT
Anthony N. Halfman

25,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Co. B; WNG; Toul, Champagne,
Ourcq, Villiers sur Fere;
KIA 28 July 1918 near Villers-sur-Fere, France.
Posthumously decorated for distinguished service.

PFC
Floyd Heckman

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D, DD.

SGT
William B. Heiss

20,
Appleton, Wis.; Auberive, Fere
en Tardenois; KIA 30  July
1918.

PVT
Roy Hickman

Co.
D; KIA 15 July 1918 (gassed).

PVT
Adolph Hissinger

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D; KIA 27 July 1918.

PVT
John M. Houston

Co.
D; KIA 15 July 1918.

SGT
Herman O. Jahnke

25,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; Auberive, Fere en Tardenois, St. Mihiel;
DD (pneumonia) 11 Oct. 1918.

PVT
August G. Jeske

26,
Milwaukee, Wis.; St. Mihiel, USS Bonzancy, Dept. of
Ardennes; KIA 14 Oct. 1918.

SGT
Everette O. Johnston

27,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; Fere en Tardenois
Sector; KIA 29 July 1918.

PVT
Achileffs Karausta

Tyrone,
Pa.; Co. D; KIA 15 July 1918.

PVT
Harry A. Keltz

Latrobe,
Pa.; Co. D.

PVT
Arthur Koehne

22,
Kaukauna, Wis.; Co. A; Auberive, Fere en Tardenois, St. Mihiel;
KIA 14 Oct. 1918.

PVT
Arthur Kositzke

Appleton,
Wis.; KIA 16 July 1918.

PVT
Robert Kotouch

Greensburg,
Pa.; Co. A, 149TH MGBN; KIA at 1030 hours on 8 Mar. 1918 by a
shell fragment.

Cook
William J. Lang

31,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; WNG; battle before Auberive;
KIA 22 July 1918.

PVT
Albert O. Lange

25,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; WNG; Mexican Border; served on all fronts with 42
D Div.; W 22 March; KIA 15
Oct. 1918.

PVT
Herwitt Leonard

Co.
D; KIA at about 0800 hours on 14 Oct. 1918.

PFC
Joseph Lorenz

23,
Oshkosh, Wis.; WNG; Co. C; DW 21 Nov. 1918.

SGT
Paul H. Ludwig

Reading,
Pa.; Co. A, 149TH MGBN; KIA 8 Mar. 1918.

PVT
Nicholas Mand

28,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; KIA 2 Aug. 1918.

SGT
James M. Mangan

27,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Lorraine, Champagne, Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, Verdun;
DW 15 Oct. 1918.

PVT
Guy Martorella

Co.
D.

PVT
Walter H. Mathieu

20,
Kewaskum, Wis.; WNG; DD (pneumonia); 18 July 1918.

PVT
Stanley E. Mitman

Co.
D.

PVT
Otto Neuendorf

31,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; served on all fronts with 42
D Div. till death; KIA 28 July
1918.

PVT
Carl Norenberg

32,
Married, Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; WNG; Auberive; KIA
15 July 1918.

SGT
Frank Obersteiner

22,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; W 15 July; KIA 22 Oct. 1918.

PVT
Ross Overdorf

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D; KIA 27 July 1918.

SGT
Robert C. Pattison

Carlisle,
England; Co. D; wounded 14 Oct. 1918, later died.

SGT
William Pechman

26,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; Champagne, Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel,
Meuse-Argonne; DW 24 Oct. 1918.

PFC
Frank Phillips

29,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; KIA 29 July 1918.

PVT
Harvey V. Pierre

19,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; trenches, Auberive; KIA 15
July 1918.

PVT
Samuel Plis

Co.
D; KIA 27 July 1918.

SGT
Richard Procknow

21,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; KIA 30 July 1918.

PVT
Walter S. Reynolds

Beaver
Falls, Pa.; Co. A, 149TH MGBN; DOW 12 Feb. 1918 (accidentally
wounded by a ricochet during machine gun training on 11 Feb.).

PFC
Guy L. Rice

25,
Gleason, Wis.; Army of Occupation; Overseas; DD (tuberculosis) 31 July 1919.

PVT
Charles L. Roehl

34,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; WNG; U.S.; DD (pneumonia) 3 Apr. 1918.

PVT
Herbert J. Ryan

19,
Brillion, Wis.; WNG; Fere en Tardenois;
KIA 5 Nov. 1918.

PVT
William G. Schaffelke

24,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; WNG; KIA 15 July 1918.

PVT
(Cook) Bryant D. Silvey

Co.
D; KIA 12 Sept. 1918. “Cook Silvey, who had begged
to come along and see some real action, was shot through the right lung and
died.”

PVT
William Sisco

Fond
du Lac, Wis.; WNG; KIA 1 Oct. 1918.

PVT
Harold Smith

20,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; DW 29 July 1918.

CPL
Harvey Smith

Co.
D; KIA 15 July 1918.

PVT
Otto Spaedtke

19,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; DW 30 July 1918.

PVT
Edward C. Steckbauer

24,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; KIA 30 July 1918.

PFC
Harvey Stich

22,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; Champagne, Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, Argonne-Meuse;
DD (pneumonia) 27 Dec. 1918.

PFC
Louis Suess

29,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; KIA 30 July 1918.

PVT
Robert Thill

20,
Oakfield, Wis.; WNG; DD (pneumonia, after being gassed) 29 March 1918.

CPL
Walter Thorne

21,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; KIA 30 July 1918.

PVT
George William Walsh

25,
Gillett, Wis.; KIA 16 Oct. 1918.

CPL
John C. Washbush

22,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Luneville, Baccarat, Esperance,
Champagne, Marne, St. Mihiel; KIA 29 July 1918.

CPL
Roy W. Watson

36,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; DW 22 July 1918.

PVT
Alfred J. Weber

30,
Schleisingerville, Wis.; Overseas; DD (pneumonia);
16 Dec. 1918.

PFC
Edward J. Weinfurter

23,
Appleton, Wis.; Co. A; all fronts, including Fere
en Tardenois; W 18 July 1918; DW.

MEC
Raymond C. Weiss

Fond
du Lac, Wis.; Co. A; served on all fronts but Toul
Sector with 42
D
Div.; KIA 5 Nov. 1918.

Clerk
Albert Welling

27,
Fond du Lac, Wis.; Lorraine, Champagne, Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, Verdun,
Ardennes; DW 16 Oct. 1918.

PFC
Edward C. Wyro

22,
Kaukauna, Wis.; KIA 14 Oct. 1918.

CPL
Herbert Yeich

Reading,
Pa.; Co. D; KIA 29 July 1918.

PVT
Leonard M. Zenz

22,
Stephenson, Wis., WNG; W 21 March; KIA 28 July 1918.

Wagoner
Edward Zindler

26,
Oshkosh, Wis.; Co. C; WNG; Champagne (Suippes); KIA
15 July 1918.


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Bibliography:

The Appleton Evening Crescent. Newspaper articles from 1917.
Battle Participation of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Belgium and Italy – 1917-1918. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1920.
Gregory, John G. Wisconsin’s Gold Star List. Madison: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1925.
Nolan, J. Bennett. Our Boys in the Great War. Reading: Historical Society of Berks Counts, n.d.