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

Michigan had six 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 of 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 # 36 & 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 and Gunnery Sargent Robert G. Robinson were the only two service members to be  awarded the Medal of Honor from Michigan during the war.

For more information on Michigan in World War 1 visit the Michigan World War 1 Centennial Homepage: www.worldwar1centennial.org/michigan