Floyd H. Neff was a
member of the
82nd Infantry Division during World War One. He was assigned to
the the 307 Field
Signal Battalion. The pictures on this page show his original uniform
and equipment. Please click on the
pictures for a better view.
Below is a history of Mr. Neff's unit
during WWI.
The 307th
Field Signal Battalion was constituted
in the National Army in 1917 at Camp
Gordon, Georgia. The battalion had an
enlisted strength of 471 men. The signal
unit was divided into outpost, wire and
radio companies, supply and headquarters
detachments.
Following an intense
training period, the battalion set sail
on 18 May 1918 on the British ship
“Virginian” for Liverpool, England with
a final destination of Laltaviw, France.
For the first time in their short
history, the battalion was moving into
harm’s way to provide tactical
communications.
Once in France, the
battalion moved to Toul. Their orders
were to relieve the 101st
Field Signal Battalion. It was here that
the signaleers received their baptism of
fire. German artillery constantly
harassed the battalion with gas and high
explosive shelling. On 10 August, 1918
the 307th was ordered to the
northern sector of Nancy, France, where
it relieved the 1st Field
Signal Battalion of the 2d
Infantry Division.
German air raids were
frequent while the battalion was in
sector. During one attack, all vehicles
from the division forward were put out
of commission by the concussion of a
large aerial bomb that exploded 200 feet
from the battalion’s telephone wires
that were strung on standard telephone
poles. The division came out of the
front lines and withdrew into the area
north on Nancy. On 22 September, the
division, along with the signal
battalion, was given orders to proceed
to the Argonne Forest. The battalion was
held in reserve for a few days in
preparation of the second great attack
of the American Army that was possibly
one of the deciding factors of the
outcome of World War I.
The signaleers of the 307th
often worked 39 to 40 hours without
rest, laying communications lines and
maintaining them under shellfire of high
explosives and gas. The signalmen of the
Outpost Company went along with the
Infantry setting up instant
communications every time an objective
was reached. Uncommon valor was very
common.
On 31 October 1918, the
division was relieved from the front 11
days before the armistice was signed.
Prior to departure, General John J.
Pershing reviewed the 307th Field Signal
Battalion. The unit departed for America
on 06 May 1919 and was demobilized at
Camp Harrison, Virginia, on 22 May 1919.
On 24 June 1921, the 307th
Field Signal Battalion was reconstituted
as the 82d Signal Company and alotted to
the Organized Reserves of the 82d
Infantry Division.
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