On January 8th the Oregon Military Museum dedicated their 1918 W.W.I Liberty Truck to a special guest of honor, World War One Veteran Howard Ramsey. Mr. Ramsey is 107 years old now and in very good health considering his age! Mr. Ramsey served in the Oregon Naval Militia from January 1916 to August 1916. He volunteered to serve his country during W.W.I in June 1918 and was assigned to a Motor Transport Center in France where he drove Liberty trucks and other similar trucks mainly transporting water to the troops at the front. Mr. Ramsey served as a Corporal with the 302nd Water Tank Train and also chauffeured officers. After the November 1918 Armistice, he was reassigned to transport war dead from temporary graves at the front to permanent cemeteries.
About 40 people showed up to share this great honor of witnessing Mr. Ramsey experience something he had done almost 90 years ago! That is sitting in the drivers seat of a restored W.W.I Liberty Truck. Hearing the sound of the engine and feeling that old wooden steering wheel in his hands once again. This brought back some fond memories for Mr. Ramsey.
Mr. Ramsey lost his wife in 1982 and lived in his home until he was 104 years old. He drove a car up to the age of 100! He is now living in a care facility in Portland.
W.W.I Veteran Howard Ramsey in the drivers seat of the Oregon Military Museum’s W.W.I Liberty Truck. Sitting next to Mr. Ramsey are Sgt. Mark Stevens OMM Detachment on the right, Tracy Buckley OMM Curator and Steve Greenberg OMM volunteer on the left. Standing behind are members of the OMM Detachment: rt. To left. Bob “50” Frasco, PFC Dave Wilson and Ricky Roselle.
Photo submitted by Richard Elwood Larson
)) and have found a dozen or so remaining buildings or foundations from the camp as well as training trenches dug into back yards. No local books have ever been written or even newspaper articles done since 1958. I am trying to pull enough research together to publish at least a short history with before and after photos of the area. What I'm getting to is that we need to get as much information as we can from the ones who lived through it while we can. Just wish there were some 30th soldiers left to interview. The last one I knew died in 1989 and I did get him to sign my grandfather's divisional history book before he died. Like Jeff suggested, get him to autograph it...I will be treasured and appreciated for generations. 
