"Buck Private" McCollum
Bucklee Publishing, 1939
If you are as unfamiliar as I was about The Lost Battalion until I came across the movie, here is an excerpt from the memorial address of Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Whittlesey:
Page 6
We of the 308th have come to pay a last tribute to the memory of our loved comrade and friend Charles Whittlesey.
I speak for the heart of the regiment when I say that we all are mindful of his outstanding character, mindful first of that attribute given to few men, the absolute lack of fear, seen and known by many of us before that day when he sprang into world-wide fame. Ordered to advance thru (sic) the densest part of the thicket of the great forest of the Argonne to take a certain fixed objective and hold it, he succeeded, and alone with his battalion reached the designated point far in advance of the troops on his right or left. The enemy soon surrounded his position, and then began those numerous attacks lasting four days and nights. Over one hundred hours passed without food of any kind and with but little water. With the majority of his command killed or wounded, surrounded by the dead and dying, with no succor or help for the wounded and yet when the call for the surrender came, how instantly he refused it, and took in at once the only bit of white showing - the white on the ground panel for signaling to the Air Service; thus saying "They shall not pass" and no Hun passed save from the Here to the Hereafter. No man as a soldier can stand higher in the history of the republic and no man is more entitled to the nation's gratitude.
I mentioned there is a movie, and it is a very well done movie in my opinion. I wish I had come across this book first, not because there are conflicts between this book and the movie, but that the movie would have been an even richer experience.
This book is a mixture of poems, information, and photographs which can be best summed up by the author in part of the preface:
As one who served in the First World War, I have recounted here only what one pair of eyes saw in the split-second action of this thing called war, and the long tedious hours of preparation for war. I give you here an insight into the emotions of the American doughboy of twenty years ago. It is not an attempt to write a saga of the the American soldier, yet this volume has found its way into more than a million American homes. It has been printed again and again, and is reprinted now by popular demand, that you may have a comparative picture of the soldier of yesterday and of today.
You see that date of my copy's print; a bit prescient I'd say.
As to the quality of the poetry I will not rate it. It is sure better than what I can do. I will state that they are true and powerful rhymes which may be a bit clunky here, and quite witty there. I did enjoy when the poem was written in accent. The doodles, for lack of a better word, I think are really good. The combination of doodles, rhyme, and truth really got me in That Night At La Harazee. Just gut wrenching. The only poem I will include in this post is towards the end of the book, Mr. McCollum writing about himself.
Page 135
The Buck
I'm a lucky son-of-a-gun,
I'm the guy that had the fun,
My clothes were never spick and span,
Just "Plain Buck" - "The Fightin' Man."
I should worry if my feet were bare,
Or cooties made their nest in my hair,
Captain cussed me every day,
Went right along in my own plain way.
I fought the battle of "Old Vin Roo,"
Was in on the drive on "Army Stew,"
No hampered Looeys broke my heart,
Just stalled along and did my part.
Whenever the boys felt homesick and blue,
They'd call on my for a story or two,
I made them laugh with my song and dance,
Put some sunshine in "Rainy Ol' France."
I never craved for rank or fame,
Always took things just as they came,
Earned a title that will always stick,
"Plain Ol' Buck,"..."Champion Gold Brick."
There are a number of reprints. Make sure you get one with illustrations by Franklin Sly and Tolman R. Reamer. Then make some popcorn and catch the movie. The book clears up some parts I thought were a bit hokey but were nearly straight from the book.
Link is to a print with both the author and illustrators.