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Bay City's World War I veterans march up Center Avenue in perfect order, commanded by a sword-wielding officer.

WHEN JOHNNY Came Marching Home to Bay City, 1919

Battery Park, Soldier's Rest Were Focal Points for Celebrations

December 16, 2015       Leave a Comment
By: Dave Rogers

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World War I a century ago was a wrenching experience for the community, not to say the soldiers and sailors who went to fight and die on foreign fields or seas.

According to Maxwell Forton of Michigan State University, "the conflict exploded the world into the modern era, where industrialized warfare clashed with outdated military doctrine creating tragic consequences. In all some 8,500,000 soldiers would die in the conflict that pitted the Allied Powers (France, Russia, America, and the United Kingdom) against the might of the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire)."

The soldiers from Bay City did not come back from overseas until May 24, 1919 although the war officially ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

When they finally began arriving here, excitement among city residents was only matched, perhaps, by that at the end of the Civil War more than half a century before, in 1865.

Lt. Col. Augustus H. Gansser of Bay City commanded two troop trains bearing the men of the 125th Infantry. Col. Gansser wired from St. Thomas that the trains coming through Canada would arrive at the Michigan Central station in Detroit shortly after midnight.

The German-born Gansser, active in the local Peninsulars military group, had been a captain in the Spanish-American War and was correspondent for several Michigan newspapers, becoming well known by virtue of that duty. He served heroically in Cuba and was among the 21 survivors of 86 members of Company D, 34th Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and came back emaciated.

The Bay City Times reported: "Despite the late hour a great crowd was at the station to meet the men, most of whom remained in their coaches over night, however."

Greeting headquarters were established at hotels and clubs where out of town delegations could meet the "home boys" among the veterans and were given places among the Boy Scout and police patrolled line of march. Those towns included Adrian, Alpena, Ann Arbor, Big Rapids, Bay City, Calumet and Houghton, Cheboygan, Coldwater, East Jordan, Farmington, Ionia, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Menominee, Monroe, Muskegon, Marquette, Plymouth, Port Huron, Owosso, Ypsilanti, Grand Rapids, Hillsdale, Grayling, Saginaw, Pontiac, Flint, Lansing, Battle creek and Sault Ste. Marie.

While awaiting medals from Washington, the veterans were fed at Belle Isle Park. Detroit declared a holiday as the state honored veterans who paraded past the reviewing stand in Grand Circus Park. The men then were shipped off for Camp Custer in Battle Creek for demobilization.

Celebrations that erupted honored the recently returned veterans of the Great War (World War I) and also included members of the Grand Army of the Republic (veterans of the Civil War), veterans of the border action against Pancho Villa in 1916 and the Spanish American War of 1898.

In Bay City perhaps the greatest celebration in the city's history took place 10 June 1919 with Lt. Col. Gansser at marshal. The day began with a salute at sunrise by the Michigan State troops in Wenonah Park. For the 10 a.m. parade, the fire department, G.A.R., the Michigan State troops, officers of the Army and Navy and the 33rd Regiment Band formed at Battery Park, Center and Jefferson avenues.

The Industrial Works Band, Company I and all soldiers of the Bay City Ambulance Co. 128 in charge of sergeants Keegan, Frasik and Sweeney formed on the north side of Center at Madison. Other groups marching included the Immanuel Band, Fisherville Band, Knights Templar, Odd Fellows, Eagles, Ladies' Marine Band, Knights of St. George, Boy Scouts with Bugle and Drum Corps and Mail Carriers.

When the parade reached Wenonah Park, a new American flag was raised by members of the Anne Frisby Fitzhugh chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.

The parade route went on Washington north to Third, west across the Third Street Bridge to Henry Street and then returned back across the bridge to Water and disbanded in Wenonah Park.

Besides band concerts in Wenonah Park, continuous dancing on waxed asphalt pavement for men in uniform and their ladies went on on Adams Street between Third and Fifth. Dinner was served all uniformed personnel at the Elks Club and the Board of Commerce Club, both located at the corner of Center and Jefferson.

The Red Cross operated five booths in Battery and Wenonah parks and at Center and Water, dispensing free soft drinks, ice cream, sandwiches, fired cakes, bananas and cigarettes to men in uniform.

Two focal points for the crowds cheering the veterans, Battery Park and Soldier's Rest at Pine Ridge Cemetery, have been mainly forgotten in the ensuing decades, although the community recently has been mustering the will and resources to restore them to former glory.

This is occurring amid the recognition that military veterans of all conflicts deserve the full support of a grateful community in every way possible.

Veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Desert Storm and Iraq-Afghanistan have been embraced by their local folks in all parts of the nation.

But there has perhaps never been such and explosion of emotion as that occurring within weeks of the return of the troops from Europe after the Great War.

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Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

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