From Big Boy: A Diary of World War I by Quiren M. Groessl

Question

March 11, 1918
This morning the Companies were ordered to fall in just as on every morning. Instead of
being marched out to the drill field, we were given some very disheartening news. We
were told that there would be no more Company drilling. The entire Battalion had been
made a replacement Battalion and most of the men would be sent to the first Division as
replacements for the 28th Infantry Regiment, which had to be rebuilt to full strength to
make up for the losses it had suffered in action.
At the time, each of us felt that we were begin done a grave injustice. We had drilled and
worked hard together to make our outfit the very best we knew how. We believe were a
smooth operating unit and should remain together as a unit. Of course we had nothing to
say or do about it. The orders had come from the “top brass.”
A few weeks later all of us realized the wisdom and full import of the Companies being
broken up and assigned to many other Companies of the First Division. The losses of any
one Company could be terrific and had we remained together as a company, our
communities back home would have been having dozens of casualties reported in a single
day.
From "Big Boy": A diary of World War I by Quiren M. Groessl, via the Veterans History
Project of the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Answer 1

The excerpt from Quiren M. Groessl's diary, "Big Boy: A Diary of World War I," captures a poignant moment in the lives of soldiers during the First World War. On March 11, 1918, Groessl reflects on the disheartening news that his company, after working hard and training together, would be broken up and its members reassigned as replacements to the 28th Infantry Regiment. Initially, the decision evokes feelings of injustice and frustration among the soldiers, who take pride in their cohesion and collective identity as a unit.

However, as time passes, they come to understand the rationale behind the decision. Groessl acknowledges that by redistributing the men, the military was attempting to mitigate the severe loss of life that could result from a single company's casualties, which would have a devastating impact on their home communities. This realization speaks to the harsh realities of war, the importance of unity, and the sacrifices made by soldiers at both personal and communal levels.

The diary entry illustrates the complexity of military life during wartime—how orders from superiors could clash with the emotional bonds formed among soldiers—and serves as a testament to the resilience and adaptability required in such dire circumstances.