Peter and Frank - Coming Home

Grandpa Peter Linn spent about 9 months in Europe, most of it in France, during World War I. And his brother Frank Linn spent 5 months in Europe. Thankfully, it was time for them to come home.

Peter Linn left St. Naizaire France on May 19, 1919, on the Ryndam which landed in Hoboken, New Jersey. After that, the soldiers were assigned to Camp Merritt. Peter was discharged on August 4, 1919. Back to Iowa, back to his parents and farming, and back to his girlfriend, soon to be wife, Maude Edith Olofson, but not as easy as it seems. At the end of this story, you will see what made Peter's return anything but easy.

Line 110, Peter Linn on Ryndam, landing in Hoboken and then to Camp Merritt

Frank's journey home was a bit different. His unit was scheduled to leave from Brest, France on February 13, 1919, to Hoboken and then to Camp Dix, but you can see from the transport list below that Frank's name is crossed off the list of soldiers with the following notation: Sent to Camp Hospital #33 in France, January 31, 1919. And so, while the rest of his unit sailed home, Frank was in the hospital. I don't know why, but my guess is that it was influenza which was rampant at that time among soldiers. What was Camp Hospital #33?

The hospital was located at Camp Pontanezen at Brest, France, which was a staging ground for soldiers returning to the United States. This is what I've learned about the hospital:

Camp Hospital No. 33 was established January 15, 1918, at Camp Pontanezen, Department Finistere, base section No. 5, by a detachment of 5 medical officers and 40 enlisted men. When first opened, the hospital was located in an old French concrete building, which formerly had been used as barracks. Many difficulties were experienced at this time in the care of the sick, as hospital supplies were very difficult to obtain. Medical equipment consisted of the contents of medical and surgical chests. Except for candles, there were no lighting facilities. On February 1, 1918, in addition to the old stone barracks then occupied by the hospital, a fairly modern three-story, fireproof building was taken over. Later, when increased hospital facilities were necessary, 8 Adrian-type barracks were erected, to accommodate 35 patients each, and four 300-foot barracks. Twenty-four additional wards, kitchens, supply rooms, dispensary, officers' and nurses' quarters were constructed in this area. Also, large huts were erected both on the inside and outside areas by the American Red Cross.

Camp Hospital No. 33 served the entire port of Brest. Although it treated more patients than did the majority of the base hospitals in France and served the largest camp in the American Expeditionary Forces, it never was rated as a base hospital.

Due to the absence of any sewerage system and to the climatic conditions, the problem of sanitation was a serious one and became more complicated as the number of patients in hospital increased. Latrines of the can type were used, the cans being emptied by French contractors, who proved to be very unsatisfactory. The difficulty in rendering these latrines flyproof and sanitary was practically insurmountable; the use of an incineration plant was impracticable, due to the scarcity of wood and straw.

During the period from January 15, 1918, to June 30, 1919, this institution admitted 28,233 medical and surgical cases. The majority of its patients were medical, which up to June 30, 1919, included 4,814 cases of mumps, 3,521 of influenza, and 2,205 of pneumonia. [Note: These 3 diseases added up to 10,540 of the patients or 1/3 of those who were in the hospital during the time Frank would have been treated there.]

Based on the "History, Camp Hospital No. 33, A. E. F., Camp Pontanezen, by the commanding officer of that hospital. The history is on file in the Historical Division, S. G. O., Washington, D.C.



Frank wasn't in the hospital long as he sailed to New York on March 1. 1919. From there, he was sent to Camp Merritt where he was discharged. 

Frank Linn was not on this ship and was placed in Camp Hospital #33. Line #122.

Frank was placed on a ship bound for New York and then to Camp Merritt where he was released on March 14, 1919:

Frank is listed first, on line #15 traveling with another unit.

Everyone was happy to have these two local boys home again. Frank's name appeared in the Dayton Review, March 20, 1919, page 9:

It appears that Frank's short stay in the hospital made all the difference in his health.

Grandpa Peter Linn's story of coming home is a bit different. We all know that he had severe stomach ulcers his entire adult life, which probably started with his time in France. The following article from the Stratford Courier, August 21, 1919, page 1, shows how he struggled with his health as he came home from the war:

As descendants of these two men, we are so very proud of their service to our country in World War I. I hope that I've done them and their service justice. My apologies to my readers who understand military history and terms better than I do. If you find an error or feel as if something needs clarification, please comment on the blog for others to see.