It was in June 1918, in France, during World War I, when the men of Battery D of the 129th Artillery Regiment received word that they had been called to muster for an important announcement. They were introduced to a new leader. This new commander of the artillery battery was a newly promoted captain and a volunteer. The group of men who made up the battery were unimpressed with the new guy from the start. “He looked more like a college professor than he did a captain of artillery,“ one noncommissioned officer remarked later. And that was an accurate description. The man, age 34, wore wire rimmed glasses. He stood awkwardly, obviously wasn’t terribly athletic, and when he addressed the troops that first time that they were mustered under his command, not a few of them noticed that his knees shook while he spoke. After he addressed the group and dismissed them, several of the artillery men responded with a Bronx cheer.
Later that day, several men decided to test the will of this neophyte captain. They staged a fake riot in one of the barracks to see what they could get away with, to see how he would respond. And his response was nothing that they predicted. The next morning, without a word, a notice was posted on that barracks bulletin board. It listed the demotion of the noncommissioned officers and a list of chores to be completed as discipline for the entire group.
Addressing the other noncommissioned officers from the other barracks, the captain reminded them that he wasn’t there to get along with anyone. And if they were unable to maintain discipline in the ranks, he would find another assignment for them. The older and wiser non-coms in the group looked at each other and nodded. This guy was going to be OK, they decided. Discipline was restored because of the new-found respect that they had for the new guy.
On the other hand, the new captain also quickly developed a reputation for rewarding those soldiers who excelled. His men grew to like him as well as respect him. He was cool in his decision making and treated everyone fairly. Still, the unit had yet to be tested under fire. And it was here that the captain himself worried about his ability to withstand what the enemy had to offer when the shells were coming in on him. He wrote a letter to his fiancé, saying that he hoped that his legs would help him stand firm, even when they were wanting to take him away from the danger. And that first test of battle came a month after he was made captain. After selling a German position, the Germans returned fire to the Americans. Several of the group abandoned their artillery pieces and began making for the rear. The captain began yelling at them– – something he had not done before. Apparently, he called them every day in the book, challenging their manhood, and even referring to their mothers in inappropriate ways. His anger worked. The men came creeping back to their stations at the guns, and they returned fire on the Germans. The captain was later commended for his coolness under fire in for rallying his men under duress.
When the war ended, the men of the battery took up a collection. They had a silver cup made, which they presented to the captain as they were discharged from service. On one side, the cup said, “Presented by the Members of Battery D in appreciation of his justice, ability and leadership.”
And on the other side, the cup said, “Presented to Captain Harry S. Truman.“
The Rest of the Story 