World War I diary of Archie Duncan Shannon.

Archie Shannon was a farmer who served in Company G of the 1st Pioneer Infantry in World War I. Shannon was born in Limestone County, Alabama on November 19, 1891, and at the time of his draft registration on June 5, 1917, he lived in Ardmore, Tennessee. Shannon reported for military duty on September 18, 1917 and entered training at Camp Pike, Arkansas.

This diary covers Shannon's experiences in the U.S. Army from July 1, 1918 to July 7, 1919. He describes his journey to France and details everyday life as a soldier, especially the discomforts of life on the front in both the Marne and Verdun sectors. Shannon discusses bathing and sleeping arrangements, gas masks, air raids, and the terrible sights of war-torn France while repairing roads and burying dead soldiers. Shannon includes descriptions of his involvement in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, noting the continuous shelling, gas attacks, and miserable weather conditions. He also describes his company's reaction to the Armistice, writing, "Many happy hearts in our company everyone seems to take life anew."

Shannon spent the rest of his World War I service in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, and he returned to the United States on July 7, 1919. A list of soldier names and hometowns is recorded in the back of the diary. Shannon died on May 20, 1969 and is buried in Gatlin Cemetery in Ardmore, Alabama.

1918

1919

Argonne (Forest)

Marne (France)

Rhine River Valley

Archie Shannon World War I Diary

University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives, Huntsville, Alabama

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