Bernard C. Dultmeier

World War I

Bernard Dultmeier (known as Clem) was born on July 31, 1891, on a farm between Templeton and Roselle. His parents were Henry and Katherine Dultmeier who were both German Immigrants. They had moved to Carroll County during March, 1880. The family moved to Paola, KS shortly before 1910 but returned to the Templeton area four years later.

Clem registered for the draft in 1917 and listed his occupation as a blacksmith and his address as Perry, IA. However, when he was inducted into the US Army on February 24, 1918, his address was listed as Templeton. He was assigned serial number 2154562. He was sent to Camp Dodge near Des Moines for training. He was originally assigned to Company E, 350th Infantry Regiment of the 88th Infantry Division. The 88th Division had been formed at Camp Dodge starting in 1917. During its formation, troops were continually transferred to other units.

Clem was one of those transferred as he was sent to join Company H, 325th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Infantry Division. This unit was training at Camp Gordon, GA near Atlanta. By mid-April, the 82nd Division was transported to Camp Upton, NY on Long Island. On April 25, 1918, the 325th Infantry boarded the “Khyber” in New York harbor. They arrived in France in mid-May and were sent to the Toul area for additional training. By mid-August, they were involved in action near St. Mihiel to repel a breach in the line. By September 20, the 325th was withdrawn and was preparing for the Meuse-Argonne offensive.

The unit went back on the front lines on October 9. The next day, the regiment attacked to seize the Cornay Ridge and then continued the attack across the Aire River. They remained engaged through the declaration of the Armistice on November 11, 1918. Clem’s unit was involved in occupation duty after the end of hostilities. By May 2, 1919, the regiment had moved to Bordeaux, France to board the “Antonio Lopez” for the voyage back to the United States.

The 325th Infantry arrived in New York, NY on May 18, 1919, and was returned to Camp Upton for processing. The following day, the 325th Infantry Regiment was demobilized. Clem was discharged on May 26, 1919, and returned to Carroll County. In the 1920 census, he was listed as a resident of Manning and employed as a rural mail carrier. By 1925, he had moved to Kansas where other members of his family lived. He remained engaged in farming near Paola, KS for the rest of his life. There is no evidence he ever married. He died on April 9, 1943 near Paola at age 51. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Baileyville, Kansas.