Turning the Hearts of the Children to Their Fathers
In 1926 the 222nd
Field Artillery Battalion, Battery D ,
Utah National Guard was
organized. Prior to this time the local
National Guard was a Calvary Unit
This new battalion consisted of
young men, some of them not yet married. The photo above represents just a few
of the children who were born much later and who are very proud of their fathers
because of their many accomplishments
The photo they are holding
is Battery D, 222nd .FA. It was taken
at the annual summer encampment
held at Jordan
Narrows every summer. Their commander was Lee R.
Christensen Sr. The accompanying
photo was reproduced from one that is
displayed at Utah National Guard Headquarters in Draper. The donor of the picture is Lee R.
Christensen Jr., who now lives in
Washington
State . Lee had it reproduced, framed and sent as a
contribution to the Mt. Pleasant Relic Home. He, himself joined the group in
1937, just shy of his 16th birthday.
He has told us that it was standard practice back then to join during
your sophomore year in high school. Lee
tells us that Elmer Fillis and Billy Hansen joined at the age of 14.
The brass label on the photo says
this group of young men were an Honor
Battalion and here is why. They earned
Silver Cup for appearance, discipline, sanitation, quality of mess, speed and
accuracy in firing works, control of instruments, close order drill, customs and
ceremonies of the service. In 1927 this
group was also honored for having best program at the camp and for the greatest
percentage of attendance. First Sergeant
A. W. Peterson was awarded a cash prize for general efficiency during the
encampment and Earl Beck was awarded a
small loving cup for boxing. Captain L.
R. Christensen was highly commended for the splendid showing of Battery D.
The men mustered into the charter
group were: Officers, L. R. Christensen,
Chesley P. Seely, James F. Jordon.
Enlisted men were: Morris C.
Pallard, Waldo M. Barton, Evan A. Beck,
Alden V. Borg, Milo Brewer, Arthur W. Brewer, Ray C. Brotherson, Ernest G.
Brunger, Guy L. Candland, Grant Coates, Alvin H. Christensen, Harold Q.
Christensen, Earl G. Christensen, Andy J. Draper, Robert L. Ericksen, Harold E.
Frandsen, Othello P. Hansen, William Hansen, Harold Glen Johansen, Peter Jordan,
Theron L. Jorgensen, Cannon Jorgensen, Drannen Kolstrom, Farrel Larsen, Ervin
(Chris) Larsen, Joseph Larsen, Evan McArthur, Perry F. McArthur, Kent Nielsen,
Edgar E. Olsen, Seymour J. Olsen, Mont Olsen, William M. Orrock, Axel W.
Peterson, Ferry W. Peterson, Ray Prinera, Francis J. Rackman, Que E. Rasmussen,
James Howard Rasmussen, Paul F. Reynolds, Peter W. Reynolds, John H. Rosenberg,
Hyrum Carlton Seely, Harry Simpson, Gordon Staker, Alden C. Syndergaard, Fern
Truscott, William Radford Wagstaff, Daniel LeRoy Wall, and William M.
Williams.
A quote from the Mt.
Pleasant Pyramid, our local newspaper, in 1927 states “Battery D is trying hard
to be your protection and your pride in times of trouble. It expects you to give it support and
encouragement in times of peace. …..
With scarcely an exception fathers and employers of these boys said to them, ‘We
will make the sacrifice, you go to camp’. “Battery D extends to those fathers and those employers
its sincerest thanks.” And from a 1933
Pyramid we quote, “During the past eight years’ competition for the regimental
merit cup, Battery D has won the coveted honor five times, the last three years
in succession.
Our
Mt. Pleasant Community can be very proud of these
men for generations to come. Mt.
Pleasant Pioneer Historical Association and Relic Home appreciate Lee R.
Christensen’s very meaningful contribution.
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