During the First World War, Michigan contributed over 135,000 servicemen and women and had over 5,000 casualties but Michigan’s biggest contribution to the war effort was not its servicemen and women but its engineering and manufacturing capability.

Michigan had four volunteer units they were Base Hospitals #17 (Harper Hospital now part of Detroit Medical Center) & #36 (Detroit College of Medicine & Surgery now Wayne State University Medical School) the 16th Regiment of Engineers (Railway) plus the 125th, 126th infantry and 119th Field Artillery Regiments (National Guard) which were part of the 32nd Division.

Construction of Camp Custer started July 1, 1917, and was completed in 5 months. It is located outside o Battle Creek, MI. It was a regional training center for the National Army (Draftees) from the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Other training facilities were, the Michigan State Fairgrounds (Base Hospital # 16 & 16th Regiment of Engineers (Railway)), Fort Wayne, Selfridge Field, Camp Grayling (Michigan National Guard), and the River Rouge Naval Training Station.

Lt. Harold A. Furlong was awarded the only Congressional Medal of Honor from Michigan during the war.

For more information on Michigan in World War I visit: https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/michigan-in-ww1-home-page.html