During the summer of 1918, most residents of Ocean County were closely following the war on the Western Front. The year before, the majority of those drafted locally had been sent to Camp Dix and became part of the 78th Division, 311th Regiment. In May 1918 they had made the dangerous crossing to England without incident, and after a brief stay it was time to cross the English Channel.

Capt. Allison Colonna remembered, “The next morning the battalion was formed at 6 A.M.