Part two of two.
Isaac Davis was the youngest son of Daniel and [Laura] Ann (Wayman) Davis.
Isaac Davis was 37 when he enlisted on May 28, 1917, in Company B, Iowa Infantry, later 168th Infantry, famed Rainbow Division.
He had previously served in the Spanish-American War. His family had moved to the Woodburn area in 1901, where they engaged in farming and stock raising under the firm name Daniel Davis and Sons.
Sept and Oct, Camp Mills. I got some Kodak pictures today and will send them in this letter. May (sister) seems to think we've got a big job ahead of us but I do not believe we'll see the front line trenches. We have all wool clothing now and are fully equipped.
Somewhere in France, December 1917. Was out on rifle range one afternoon and made the best score of any one in our platoon. These rifles do not kick as bad as the old springfields. Rec'd a letter from Fred (brother) today asking about my insurance. The 2000 policy is to be paid in Feb. Keep it paid up till I get home. My war risk is paid out of my wages each month.
Undated fragment. We got our gas masks two of them and a steel helmet this week. I am in a hand grenade squad now but will try to get into a rifle squad.
Jan. 6, 1918. I got 48 hrs of Military Police duty i.e. we are on a post 6 hrs and off 18 hrs. Several of our men are in the hospital with the mumps. All of our boys seem to think that Ia is the best country they have seen yet.
Jan. 28. Most of the Xmas packages sent to our boys come here. I got a piece of cake and some gum from my Sammy backer. Unless the war ends soon we may get closer to the front pretty soon. That does not worry us here we sleep just as good as in the states.
Isaac died in battle in Lorraine, France, March 6, 1918. His duty was to stand where he could warn them of the enemy’s approach and could give the signal when seeing the dread cloud of poison gas.
He was called to leave his post of danger several times and seek shelter but refused. Isaac was killed by a high powered shell. He was buried in Baccarat, France, with the service read by Chaplain Robb, the fighting chaplain.
Three years later his body was returned to Woodburn for burial. Services were held in the Woodburn school yard, honored again by Chaplain Robb. The American Legion Post in Osceola was originally named Isaac Davis Post Number 69 in his honor, as the first WWI Clarke County casualty.
The family farming partnership was dissolved shortly after Isaac’s death. His father, a Civil War veteran, and mother, rest beside Isaac in the Davis plot at the Woodburn cemetery.