Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

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Doughboys & Camp Greene Mecklenburg County, NC 1917-1918

Doughboys and Camp Greene: Image Galleries

Personal cameras were very rare during World War I. According to a newspaper account from The Charlotte Observer on January 28, 1934, professional photographers flocked to Charlotte during World War I. They set up shop in stores, tents and even a residence to capture the pictures of the era.

Images of Camp Greene are grouped under four headings:

Images - documents, menus, newspaper clippings, and objects  that were part of camp life.

Cooks, Camp Greene, NC

These men cooked their way into the hearts of the soldiers stationed at Camp Greene. They suffered the heat of the kitchen and had little or no cooking experience before joining the army. Some were stenographers, traveling salesmen, clerks, an ex-sailor, a bartender, mechanics, lumbermen and a man 'who made Laske's Clippings famous all over New England.' Top row, left to right: Wright, VanTassell, Sgt. Laske, Lennix, Scherbarth and Pinkham. Second Row, left to right: Tannreuther, Barnes, Butler, Western and Bingham. Bottom Row: Westgate and Bauers.

Soldiers relaxing, Camp Greene, NC

Camp Greene soldiers relax probably at the soldier's rifle range near the Catawba River. Note children in the back left of photo and the barefooted soldier in the front. Children were not allowed on the base without a pass. This fact, plus the background scenery, help identify the photo as an event that took place off the premises of Camp Greene.

Nurses' Dining Hall

The caption for this photo of the new nurses' dining hall is ' all the home comforts surround those who Hooverize here.'

Library interior, Camp Greene

Miss Marie Fox Wait, the librarian, is seated at her desk. Before her is the base of flowers which she replaces each morning with the same enthusiasm that she greets each newcomer to the library. Three robed soldiers are on the far left. Standing near the door is Lt.Col.George Renn, commanding officer of the U. S. Army base hospital, Camp Greene. At his side is Sgt. Cameron, in charge of the post canteen, which is in the same building. Lt. Col. Renn said " A part of the fine spirit of the U. S. Army base hospital in Camp Greene is due to the presence of the library here.