A look at what happened in August in Georgia National Guard history:

This issue we take a look at the month of August from years 1916-1919 and the account of the service of 18 year old Robert Gober Burton.  The information is from the Burton collection donated to the Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard. The young guardsman Burton joined Co. "H" (Walton Guards), 2nd Regiment of Infantry and after serving on the Mexican Border was transferred to the Co. "A", 151st Machine Gun Battalion which went overseas with the 42nd Division. Before turning 21, he fought in several major battles of WWI and returned home after being part of the occupation force in Germany .

August 26, 1916 - Camp Harris, Macon, GA : He reports to his parents that inspection is once a week and of an 8 mile hike he writes, "I came back with the best of them". He is now a corporeal, receiving $6.50 more a month.

August 1917 - Camp Harris, Macon, GA: The Guard is now back from the border and Burton writes that the regiment is being reorganized under the new law. Some of the 2nd Battalion will become a machine gun battalion and that all the NCO's including himself were transferred to it as privates. They will leave soon for NY to ready for debarkation overseas.

August 31, 1917 - Camp Harris: He writes that he received orders to leave tomorrow for Long Island. He thinks that every loyal American should come to their country's aid and in addition that France is in need and has always been our friend. Burton notes America must help, otherwise the allies cause is lost.

August 2, 1918 - France: On Knights of Columbus War Activities stationery, he writes his mother that he was wounded in combat. Reassuring her that it is not serious, he briefly describes what happened. As he advanced his squad over the top, something picked him up and sat him down about 3' feet away. Feeling no pain, he advanced his squad another 150 yards. At that point the felt a sharp pain in his right arm and investigated. He found a bullet hole and then found that the Bible in his jacket pocket had stopped the bullet from doing any further physical damage.

August 13, 1918 - France: The following sentences are from a letter of commendation to the officers and men of the 42d Division - "A year has elapsed since the formation of your organization. It is therefore fitting to consider what you have accomplished as a combat division... Your first elements entered the trenches in Lorraine...you served on that front for 110 days...you served longer than any other American division continuously in the trenches...you were withdrawn from Lorraine and moved immediately to the Champagne front where you during the critical days of July 14th to July 18th, you had the honor of being the only American division to fight in General Gourrand's Army which so gloriously obeyed his order, "We will stand or die" and by its iron defense crushed the German offensive..." .