32nd Artillery Brigade, C.A.C.

The 32nd Brigade was first organized at Key West Barracks, FL in January of 1918. They moved in March of 1918 to Camp Merritt, NJ in preparation to sailing for the War Zone. On 18 March 1918 they sailed from Port of Embarkation, Hoboken, NJ. with 6 officers and 51 enlisted men aboard the Finland.

On February 4, 1918, Captain O. T. Pogue, CAC, commanded Headquarters Company, 32d Brigade. The Brigade was then composed of the 59th, 60th and 65th Regiments. These Regiments while later trained in France did see action at the Front. The 59th Regiment would be assigned to the 8-inch Howitzer, the 60th Regiment would be assigned to the 155mm GPF Gun and the 65th Regiment would be assigned to the 9.2-inch Howitzer.

While in France the 32d Brigade was stationed at Operations and Training Center No. 2 located at Limoges, France. The firing range that was used by regiments training at O&T Center No. 2 was at La Courtine, France.

In France the 32d Brigade was made up of the 58th (8-inch Howitzers), 59th (8-inch Howitzers) and 65th (9.2-inch Howitzers) Regiments. All 3 of these Regiments were trained and did see action at the Front. The 32d Brigade was the commanding unit of these 3 Regiments and did not have weapons of its own.

The 32d Brigade was returned to the States on 31 December of 1918 and was demobilized at Camp Hill, VA

The Muster of the 32nd Artillery Brigade

Below are narrations of men who were in the 32nd Artillery Brigade, C.A.C. during WWI. If you know of someone and have facts and stories please contact me and I will add them here with thier fellow soldiers so that what they did "Over There" will be remembered for all time.

Pvt. 1cl Calixte Edward Poirier, HQ Co, Service No. 583261

Calixte Edward Poirier was born in the late fall of 1893 in Biddeford, Maine. He is likely the son of French Canadians who had come to Maine to make a home and a family. On April 4, 1917, two days before the United States declared war with Germany, Calixte Edward Poirier enlisted into the Maine National Guard in his hometown of Biddeford. He listed his name as Edward C. Poirier on the military documents, likely due to the fact it just made things easier in the army, Edward being a more common name than Calixte.

Pvt. Poirier was first assigned to the 7th Company, Coast Defenses Portland, Maine Coast Artillery National Guard then stationed at Ft. Preble, Maine. Poirier was with the 7th Company until transferred to the 9th Company then stationed at Ft. Levett, Maine and remained there until August 13, 1917. At that time he was transferred to the Headquarters Company of the 54th Artillery, CA.C.

Pvt. Poirier sailed March 16, 1918 with parts of the 54th Artillery on board the HMS Baltic where they arrived in Le Havre, France on April 6, 1918. Pvt. Poirier remained with HQ Co. 54th Artillery until he was again transferred on July 20, 1918 to the Headquarters Company of the 32nd Artillery Brigade. He served 9 days with the 32nd Artillery Brigade and on July 29 he was transferred to the Headquarters Company of the 65th Artillery Regiment, C.A.C.

With the HQ Company 65th Artillery Poirier saw action at the front in the St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne actions and in the Defensive Sectors. Poirier was advanced to Private First Class while with the 65th Artillery on October 4, 1918. Nineteen days later on October 23, 1918 PFC Poirier was again transferred back to the HQ Co. of the 32nd Artillery Brigade where he would remain until after the armistice was signed. He returned to the States with the 32nd Artillery Brigade on December 31, 1918. The 32nd was demobilized at Camp Hill, Virginia, PFC Poirier being separated from the 32nd Artillery on January 7, 1919. He was placed into the 4th Company of the 151st Depot Brigade at Camp Devens in Massachusetts until his final Honorable Discharge from the Army on January 15, 1919.

This page was created 8 January, 2004 and last modified on: 12/23/09

If you have research comments or additional information on this page e-mail them to: Joe Hartwell

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