of Freeland, Pa. The
band remained in camp over the week-end, during which time a
number of concerts were rendered. The band was highly praised for its
interest and patriotism.

All the men originally assigned to Battery D were not to remain with
the organization throughout their military life. On October 15th,
1917, Battery D lost about half of its members in a quota of 500 of
the regiment who were transferred to Camp Gordon, Georgia. On November
5th, two hundred more were transferred from the regiment and on
February 5th, seventy-two left to join the Fifth Artillery Brigade at
Camp Leon Springs, Texas.

The latter part of May Battery D received a share of 931 recruits sent
to the regiment from the 14th Training Battalion of the 154th Depot
Brigade at Camp Meade. On July 2nd and 3rd, one hundred and fifty more
came to the regiment from the Depot Brigade; 540 from Camp Dix, N. J.,
and Camp Upton, N. Y.; fifty from the aviation fields of the South;
and a quota from the Quartermaster Corps in Florida.

Many of these did not remain long with the battery. In the latter part
of June and the beginning of July the battery was reduced to nearly
one-half and the March replacement draft to Camp Merritt took
thirty-two picked men from the regiment. This ended the transfers.
While in progress, the transfers rendered the regiment like unto a
Depot Brigade. Over four thousand men passed through the regiment,
five hundred of the number passing through Battery D.

CHAPTER V.

LEARNING TO BE A SOLDIER.

"Dress it up!"

And--

"Make it snappy!"

"One, two, three, four."

"Now you've got it!"

"That's good. Hold it!"

"Hep."

Battery D had lots of "pep" during the days of Camp Meade regime.

First Sergeant William C. Thompson, of Forest, Mississippi, kept
things lively for the first few months with his little whistle,
followed by the command, "Outside!"

Merrill C. Liebensberger, of Hazleton, Penna., served as the first
supply sergeant of the battery. David B. Koenig, also of Hazleton,
Penna., ranking first as corporal and later as sergeant, was kept busy
with office work, acting in the capacity of battery clerk. Lloyd E.
Brown, of East Richmond, Indiana, served as the first instrument
sergeant of the battery. John M. Harman, of Hazleton, Penna., was the
first signal-sergeant to be appointed.

It might be remarked in passing that Messrs. Thompson, Liebensberger,
and Harman were destined for leadership rank