Dick William Miller

Born July 29, 1894 to parents William and Lena (Fehling) Miller in Harris, IA where his German parents farmed. He attended rural school in Iowa and in 1907, around the age of 13, his family moved to a farm northwest of White in South Dakota.

His military examination notice is recorded in the Brookings Register on Thursday, July 26, 1917 where his county number was 46, his Federal number was 307 and his 'red ink' draft number was 1178. He went on to join the US Army  officially on September 20, 1917 as a member of Co. A, 340th Machine Gun Battalion. Due to his heritage, he could speak fluent German so he was also used as an interpreter. He was released from duty on June 2, 1919.

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After the war, he returned to farming on his parents farm near White, SD. On March 25, 1940, he married Emma (Comp) Hewitt and became a father to her son Merle. The Miller's were very active in the community. Dick was a charter member of the American Legion and Veteran's of Foreign Wars and Emma served in the Auxiliaries with both organizations along with many other organizations in the White area.

 

Dick passed away on October 12, 1977 and Emma continued to live on the farm for another year before moving into White to the Madsen Apartments. Emma passed away on May 16, 2001. Merle married Verona Hicks and they had 7 children.

 

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340th Machine Gun Battalion

World War I

The best reference is a book entitled

History of 340th Machine Gun Battalion

89th Division

A.E.F.

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Dick W. Miller is referenced on page 100.

 

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89th Infantry Division (including the 340th Machine Gun BN)
 

The 89th Division was officially established by the War Department on 5 August 1917, four months after the American entry into World War I, at Camp Funston, Fort Riley, Kansas. On 27 August, Major General Leonard Wood, formerly the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, assumed command. Organization of the division began during the last week of August, with a cadre of officers and men of the Regular Army, and from officers of the Officers' Reserve Corps and National Army officer graduates of the First Officers Training Camp held at Fort Riley. From September 5-10, the initial draft of 2,200 Selective Service men arrived, and from Sept 19-24, an additional 18,600 arrived. The drafted men came from Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
The 353rd Infantry was organized with men from Kansas, the 354th Infantry with men from southeastern and eastern Missouri, the 355th Infantry with men from Nebraska, and the 356th Infantry with men from northwest Missouri. The 340th Machine Gun Battalion was organized with men from South Dakota, the 341st Machine Gun Battalion principally from men living in the Omaha, Nebraska, area, and the 342nd Machine Gun Battalion got men from Arizona, Colorado, and South Dakota. The 340th Field Artillery was sent men from Arizona, the 341st Field Artillery from Colorado, and the 342nd Field Artillery from southeast Missouri. The 314th Engineer Regiment received men from southeastern and eastern Missouri that were surplus after the organization of the 354th Infantry. The 314th Field Signal Battalion was organized using men of the Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps called to active duty. They were principally from the Chicago area, but the unit also "contained representatives of almost every state;" Company A, the radio company, was made up principally of reservists who worked for the Western Electric Company. Men from Nebraska comprised the 314th Ammunition Train, while the 314th Engineer, Sanitary, and Supply Trains received men from each state sent to Camp Funston.[1]

Systematic training began. Between January and June 1918, arrivals and departures at Camp Funston aggregated 20,000 each, and on April 30, the 89th Division numbered 16,000 men, having been reduced by transfers to the 3rd, 4th, 35th, and other divisions. In May, fresh drafts and transfers completed the division.

The division, now commanded by Major General William M. Wright, was sent overseas in June and July 1918 to join the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in the final stages of World War I, which ended on November 11, 1918, due to the Armistice with Germany. The 89th Division, now under Major General Frank L. Winn, participated in the Battle of St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/89th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)