The Slow Process of Mobilization

The July 20 draft had drawn the numbers of 52 men in the Crown Point draft district, which included Ainsworth and Hobart. Of those 52, none was from Ainsworth; six were from Hobart.* Their next step was to present themselves for medical examination in Crown Point on August 3 and 4. If they passed that exam and either did not qualify for or did not request any exemption, they would go home and await the orders that would call them to the local draft board to be put on a train to their cantonment.

The Indiana National Guard was mobilized on August 5, its members becoming part of the regular army, with privates to receive $30 a month in pay, plus board. The Gazette, which had kept its promise to include Clarence and Harold Goodrich on its Roll of Honor, now listed them as "Infantry" instead of "Guardsman."



Otto Sizelove, also a former guardsman, had been a barber in civilian life, employed in Frank Wilder's barber shop; now he was the company barber. Like George Severance, Jr., Otto had served on the Mexican border earlier. As for George, he was now in "Aviation."

All the former guardsmen in Company F remained in Gary awaiting orders to entrain for Fort Harrison at Indianapolis. Later they expected to be shipped to a training camp in Mississippi.

In the little village of Deep River, locals planned an ice cream social for August 17 to raise funds for the Red Cross.

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*Harry McClaran, Oakley R. Jones; Willard W. Stevens, Donald I. Frace, George Schavey, and George Caldwell.


Sources:
♦ "Additional Local News." Hobart Gazette 3 Aug. 1917.
♦ "Crown Point Draft Division Notified to Appear Aug. 3 and 4." Hobart News 2 Aug. 1917.
♦ "Draft Army Called." Hobart Gazette 17 Aug. 1917.
♦ "Hobart Men Called for Examination." Hobart Gazette 3 Aug. 1917.
♦ "Local and Personal." Hobart News 9 Aug. 1917.
♦ "No More Indiana Guards." Hobart Gazette 10 Aug. 1917.