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Unit stamps on my 1909 Bolo - Who were they?


2AD_Vet
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HI folks, I was cleaning up my M1909 bolo (SA 1912) that a friend gave me and as I cleaned the wood handles, I noticed it was stamped on both sides with stamped Unit info.

 

I would love to know what unit this represents and any known actions of note they may have been in.

 

 

On the Right side is says: 2D. BA. F. A. (may be an E instead of an F, Can't really tell)

On the Left side is says BAT. C

 

Any Ideas?

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thanks! I thought is was for the 2nd battle group perhaps. any info available on that units history?

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  • 11 months later...

I did some digging on this knife's markings a bit and found some interesting facts so I thought I would share.....

 

Markings = 2D. PA. F. A. Bat C

 

UNIT DESIGNATION

2d PA. Field Artillery, 7th Inf. Division (1916)

2d Battalion, 108th Field Artillery Battalion, 53rd Arttilery Brigade, an element of the 28th Infantry Division (1917)

2nd Field Artillery, Pennsylvania National Guard (1919-1920)

Ww1 HISTORY

In early 1879, Pennsylvania combined several divisions of National Guard units into a single Guard division. The division became known as the Pennsylvania Division. In June 1916, the division was designated the 7th Division, part of the reorganization of the National Guard. It was mustered and was sent to the Mexican Border at El Paso, Texas. On September 1, 1917, the division was again redesignated as the 28th Division under the War Department. The division was yet again redesignated during World War II as the 28th Infantry Division when the military grew to have Armored, Airborne and Mountain divisions within its rank structure. Todays 28th Infantry Division is also the only division to have nine days for its birthday. Its official birthday is from 12-20 March 1879. It is the oldest division in the entire U. S. Army by nearly 38 years.

In 1916 the regiment was again activated for service on the Mexican border as part of the Mexican Punitive Expedition after Pancho Villa's raid. The regiment served in Texas the entire period. On October 23, 1916, while still in Texas, the regiment was converted from an infantry unit to a field artillery and trained on 4.7 inch howitzers. The regiment was now called the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, PNG. The regiment trained in its new role as artillerymen until the end of the crisis in February 1917.

The unit did not have long to practice their new skills when their country called them again. This time, for service in France during World War I. The unit was activated on July 24, 1917, and later was redesignated as the 108th Field Artillery Regiment. It was sent to Camp Hancock, GA in the late summer of 1917. It was part of the 53rd Field Artillery Brigade, which was part of the 28th Division. After training in Georgia for several months and receiving new recruits to bring it up to combat strength, the unit was transferred to Camp Utpton in April 1918. On May 1819, the 108th with the rest of the 53rd FA Brigade set sail for England and arrived overseas on May 31, 1918, in Liverpool and from there it went to Le Havre, France. After a brief stay in Le Havre, the regiment went to train on the French artillery pieces at Fort de Meucon. The 108th was equipped with, and trained heavily on, French 155 mm M1917 Schnieder howitzers. After extensive training with the French, the 108th and the rest of the 53rd FA Brigade rejoined the 28th Division on August 8, 1918, during fighting around Fismettes. Fismettes was taken and then lost, then retaken during late August, until the Germans retreated across the Aisne River in early September. On September 8, 1918, the whole 28th Division was relieved by the French 62nd Division and the 28th Division began to move toward Clermont-en-Argonne. During the night from September 1920, 1918 the division re-entered the front line relieving the French 73rd and 120th Divisions in preparation for the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On September 26, 1918, the division launched its attack as part of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The 55th Brigade captured the town of Varennes and soon after, the 108th had set up firing positions in the town and was firing in support of the divisions advance. The 108th fired missions in support of the 82nd Division after the 28th Division was withdrawn from the front. They were soon detached from the 28th Division and sent north to Belgium and fought with the 91st Division in the Ypres sector. They did not rejoin the 28th Division until the spring of 1919 in LeMans, France just prior to their departure. They earned five campaign streamers for actions in which they participated.

After it demobilized the unit began to reorganize over the period from 1919 to 1920 and became known as the 2nd Field Artillery, Pennsylvania National Guard. On April 21, 1921, it became known as the 108th Field Artillery, Corps Troops. In late 1926, after several years of discussion on its design, the regiment was approved the Coat of Arms and Distinctive Unit Insignia currently worn by members.

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