Sharing our Veteran's Stories: George Bouril
- Nov 11, 2016
- 3 min read
“I would not exchange my experience for anything even if I am averse to going through it again" declared Corp. George Bouril in an article in Manitowoc Herald News on February 10, 1919. George was a veteran of World War I, serving with the United States Army in the 32nd Red Arrow Division overseas in Europe.
Born in Norman, Wisconsin in 1895, George moved to Manitowoc as a child. At the age of 22, he left Manitowoc with Company H for Camp Douglas in Chicago and sailed with the company from New York in February, 1918. Upon arrival in England, a large detail from Company H remained at Winchester where they were placed in charge of the American rest camps while comrades were sent to France to go in training in the Lorraine district before being sent to the front line trenches.
In July 1818, Corp. Bouril was at the Battle of Château-Thierry, one of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) under General John J.Pershing. During the conflict, Corp. Bouril was shot in both legs. Corp. Bouril was in the hospital for many weeks and mistakenly reported "killed in action" by a war department list.
In an article announcing his homecoming in the Manitowoc Herald News on February 10, 1919, it was described that Bouril was “with his command in the Argonne Woods where the American troops fought the last battle of the war. Bouril was gassed and was sent back to the hospital and later to Paris where he was after the armistice was signed and when President Wilson arrived at the French Capital. The local boy witnessed the magnificent reception given to President Wilson, King George, King Victor Emanuel and others of the allied rulers and saw that it was an experience rivalled by none in his life. The excitement and joy of the French people when the armistice was signed beggar description says Corp. Bouril who declares that the American boys were given every honor and hailed as deliverers.”
George returned home to Manitowoc in 1919. The Manitowoc Herald News reported that Bouril was the second person from Company H “to come back ‘through the flames’.” As the newspaper went on to report, “Co. H. boys, many of whom had been in the hospitals in France, may be expected to arrive daily now according to Corp. Bouril who said today that few of the old company boys had finished the service in the line with the command, a majority having sustained wounds, been gassed or put out of commission in the service.”
Upon homecoming, George said “I would care to go through it again."
"We were finely treated everywhere and everything possible, under the circumstances, was done for us. The Red Cross and kindred organizations surely performed a wonderful work for the soldiers and none of the boys would permit a word of criticism of them. The life, until you become accustomed to it, was naturally hard but you forgot your hardships in the determination that America must win and that determination was the most marked feature in the American lines. The excitement also helped you forget the hard knocks and your absence from home and kept you on tiptoe all the time.”
George passed away on March 9, 1983. Military graveside rites were given by the American Legion Drews-Bleser Post 88 of Manitowoc.
As Veteran’s Day crosses our calendar, the day gives us a great opportunity to learn. This Veterans Day, we should all ask questions of each other – did you serve in the military? If so, what was your service, what was your rank, what did you do, what was your funniest experience? If not, was it by choice, out of protest, something that never occurred to you? Did you serve in another way? The answers to these questions matter deeply to all of us. Veterans Day is a time to reflect, but it is also a time to help veterans like George Bouril share his story.
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