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The Military Story of Ralph John of McIntosh, South Dakota

Courtesy
Image - Ralph John Draft Card.jpeg
Courtesy
Ralph John Draft Card

Ralph Edmund John was born on January 19, 1890 at Hiawatha, Brown County, Kansas.

On May 24, 1918, he was inducted at McIntosh, South Dakota, and sent to Camp Lewis, Washington, for training. He served in the 41st Company, 11th Battalion, 166th Depot Brigade. The Depot Brigades received and organized recruits, provided them with uniforms, equipment, and initial military training, and then sent them to France to fight on the front lines.

On July 10, 1918, Pvt. John was transferred to Company G, 158th Infantry and arrived in France Aug. 9, 1918. On Sept. 20, 1918, Pvt. Ralph John was transferred to Company A, 308th Infantry. During his service with this unit, he became part of what became known as the “Lost Battalion.” In an offensive led by Major Charles White Whittlesey, six companies of the 308th Infantry Regiment, and units from the 307th Infantry Regiment, and the 306th Machine gun Battalion – about 550 men in all – were cut off and surrounded by Germans in the Argonne Forest with little food or water, limited ammunition and no reinforcements. They were under frequent artillery bombardment, including “friendly fire” from American artillery units. The only communication with the outside came through the use of carrier pigeons. By the time they were rescued about 200 were killed in action and another 150 were missing in action. 194 walked out physically unscathed on Oct. 8, 1918.

Pvt. John’s action had not ended – on Oct. 15, 1918, he was the victim of a gas attack and wounded in action and was a casualty in the hospital. He was shipped back to the U.S., arriving Dec. 30, 1918 and discharged from Company D, Convalescent Detachment, Camp Dodge, Iowa, Jan. 23, 1919.

Engagements: Offensive: Meuse-Argonne. Defensive Sector: Foret-d'Argonne (Lorraine). Discharged at Camp Dodge, Iowa, on Jan. 23, 1919, as a Private.

Ralph John returned to South Dakota and September 7, 1919 he married Bessie Armstrong at Glencross, Dewey County, South Dakota. Ralph and Bessie had seven children. He died March 30, 1974 in Salem, Oregon.

Private Ralph John was featured as part of the PBS documentary The Great War.