California State Military
Department
Organized in April, 1917, with W. M. Brown, Captain, and P. Callaghan, First Lieutenant. Members of this company deserve much credit for doing patrol duty in October at time of incendiary fires in three sawmills. Without a doubt these fires were caused by I. W. W. (International Workers of the World) and their sympathizers.
From Irma W. Laird's, "The Modoc Country" pg. 40
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- "The 5th Company, California Military Reserves, was organized in Alturas on May 1, 1917. The members were honorably discharged by direction of Governor William D. Stephens after the close of World War I. William S. (Billy) Brown, who had seen service in the Philippines, was its captain. Others who had served in the army were O. D. Morgan, W. K. Hutten and W. W. Ahl. Two others, E. C. Bonner and S. A. Billick had served in the California National Guard.
Its mascot, John R. Bonner, was too young for actual service, but after election as mascot, at his request, he was allowed to drill with the company from its inception to discharge.
In addition to those mentioned, others in the guard were M. G. Belli, C. S. Baldwin, C. A. Ballard, Robert Billick, J. P. Callaghan, A. R. Close, Charles M. Carter, H. M. center, H. P. Carr, W. T. Clark, R. A. Crook, S. E. Elledge, E. E. Elliot, L. M. Estes, G. F. Fong, H. M. Foss, R.A. French, F. S. Gould, F. L. Gesford, J. J, Gloster, C. T. Godfrey, Charles Herring, A. L. Ingraham, F. B. Ingraham, D. H. James, George M. Kemble, F. L. Keser, F. W. Kauffman, J. R. Laird, Walter Mathews, W. J. Meyer, Glenn D. Moore, J. C. Morley, Henry Pengelly, Anthony Rose, L. G. Renshaw, A. Rachford, D. Rachford, LeRoy Smith, Leland S. Smith, Bert E. Smith, Mark C. Smith, W. A. Sherlock, W. S. Scott, H. Stephens, John Stiles, Al R. Taylor, P. A. Woodward, T. F. Wilbur, and L. C. Westfall.- A large number of the above still reside in Alturas, others have moved from the city and some have gone to a just reward. Taken as a whole, we are sure Alturas had a guard company to be proud of in 1917
- "The 5th Company, California Military Reserves, was organized in Alturas on May 1, 1917. The members were honorably discharged by direction of Governor William D. Stephens after the close of World War I. William S. (Billy) Brown, who had seen service in the Philippines, was its captain. Others who had served in the army were O. D. Morgan, W. K. Hutten and W. W. Ahl. Two others, E. C. Bonner and S. A. Billick had served in the California National Guard.