Frank J. Stevens

World War I

Frank Stevens was born on August 6, 1894 near Templeton to Henry and Franziska (Puttmann) Stevens. Both his parents had been born in Iowa and moved to Carroll County in 1875. Henry Stevens died on May 19, 1918 just as Frank was preparing to enter the service.

Frank was another of the many Templeton boys to be inducted into the US Army on July 26, 1918. He was assigned serial number 4006981. He was transported with the large number of Carroll County boys to Camp Gordon near Atlanta, Georgia. He underwent his initial training there and was a member of the “September Automatic Replacement Draft #12.” These units were to be sent to Europe and then allocated to various units that needed replacements. His unit was transported to Camp Merritt, NJ during September, 1918 to prepare for transit to Europe.

On September 26, 1918, Frank and his unit boarded the troop ship “Northern Pacific” in Hoboken, NJ and set sail across the Atlantic arriving at Brest, France in early October. He was then assigned to Company F, 326th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Infantry Division. This was many years before this division became the 82nd Airborne Division.

The 326th Regiment had been involved in the fighting for a couple of months by the time Frank joined them. October saw the 326th involved in the Meuse-Argonne offensive that effectively ended the war. Frank likely joined the regiment as they were fighting to take the village of St. Juvin in northern France. By mid-month, the 326th had crossed the Aire River. However, a few days later, the German 210th Infantry counter-attacked. After heavy fighting, the German attack was repulsed. By late October, the German resistance had begun to recede and the 82nd Division was relieved. The Division assembled in the Argonne Forest near Champ Mahaut and, on November 2, proceeded to La Chalade and Les Islettes.

The 82nd Division was moving for additional training when the Armistice ended the war on November 11, 1918. Frank and his unit arrived at the 10th Training Area near Prauthoy on November 16. They then became part of the Army of Occupation for the next several months. By May, the 326th Infantry was preparing to return to the US. They sailed from Pauillac, France near Bordeaux aboard the “Eurana” on May 24, 1919. The ship arrived in Hoboken, NJ on June 6, 1919 and the soldiers were again processed through Camp Merritt, NJ. Frank was discharged on June 16, 1919.

Frank returned to Templeton and his farming activities. On April 20, 1920, he was married to Louise Kroeger in Templeton. The couple farmed until 1954 when they moved into Templeton. Frank died at home on May 7, 1973 at age 78.