Bryant Bullen

Bryant Bullen was born Feb 24, 1890 in Richmond to Herschel Sr. and Mary Josephine Whittle Bullen. Bryant was a veteran of World War I.

History

"He spent his youngmanhood in Richmond on his father's farm, and there attended the public schools and received a common school education. He later attended the Utah State Agricultural College, where he took his bachelor's degree in 1914.

"When the United States entered the World War he enlisted, and in May of 1917 he went to the Presidio at San Francisco, California, where he graduated from the Officers Training Camp in September of the same year, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry. From there he was sent to Camp Lewis, Washington, where he was commissioned First Lieutenant of Artillery, assigned to the Motor Transport Corps, and sent over seas December 24, 1917. He returned to the United States June 27, 1919, seven months after the singing of the armistice, and recieved his honorable discharge August 22, 1919. During his eighteen months in France he saw active military service in the Muese-Argonne Defensive Sector."

The job of the Motor Transport Corps (M.T.C) was to replace horses and to use vehicles to travel and carry supplies. They toured throughout France setting up Reception, Service, Overhaul, and Reconstruction parks for their vehicles. Bryant writes:

"At this writing we have just returned to the station. ...We were compelled to move in and get out during the night, without lights, of course. Fritz dearly loved to drop a bomb on moving troops of ammunition trains. With roads full of shell holes, bridges likely to be shot away, roads newly remade, a line of loaded trucks presents some pretty problems.

"I had a lieutenant and 127 enlisted men and over one hundred trucks in my charge. About the third day out, the men began to get sleepy an tired and the trucks began to need attention. Then the trouble began. But we kept on the move and finished our run in good time.

"I enjoyed the trip in spite of the troubles. In fact they made it interesting. I am ready for another any time. Our slogan over here is 'Hell, Heaven, or Hoboken by Christman.' Hell possibley, or maybe Heaven, but I am afraid we must wait a little longer for Hoboken.2

"During the last few days I have seen much of France. It surley is wonderfully beautiful, a country worth fighting for. the roads and drive-ways are magnificent, especially in the rural districts. Every national road, and there are many of them, has a row of shade trees on either side which make the highways look like boulevards."3

Epilogue