50th Artillery - Coast Artillery Corps - Regimental History Website

“We Need You!” The Coast Artillery Corps on the Western Front, 1917-1918

By Dr. Robert Thompson

Wagoner Seth Burns Cook of Battery B, from Mesa, Arizona.  (Please see Seth's page under Battery B)

                                                                      “Le Matin”. Troisier Edition

The Le Matin was a french newspaper created in 1883 in Paris. During the WWI it was published at a rate of 1 million of copies everyday.The edition below was published on the 12th day of November 1918, the day after the armistice was signed . The example below was brought back by SR Bierman.


Topics covered in this newspaper include:


  1. L’Alsace and la Lorraine now belong to France.
  2. Belgium and a part of the Germany are now occuped and belong to the Allies and the USA.
  3. There is also an article about the death of the KRONPRINZ (killed by his soldiers). 


 Translation with assistance of Jean-Yves LAVAUD

Pvt. 1st Class

Samuel Robert Bierman

Headquarters Company

50th Artillery, CAC

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Headquarters Company, 50th CAC      Fort Dix, New Jersey      February 1919

images courtesy of NARA/fold3.com 

Wagoner Seth Burns Cook  served as a member of Battery B during his service with the 50th Artillery.  Seth was born in West Virginia married Alza Luvenia Cook and had one daughter, Glayds.  Seth moved from West Virginia to North Dakota to Alaska and then finally to Arizona where he retired as  Farm Foreman

Help Identify the soldiers in the above "yardlong" photo.

50th Artillery, CAC


This website is dedicated to the men of the 50th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps, US Army


The 50th CAC sailed from Newport News, Virginia at 3pm on October 7, 1918 aboard the SS America "Italian Transport" and arrived in Brest France on the 21st.   


Upon their arrival, the Regiment camped at Pontanezen Barracks Base Station #5, located in Brest, France.  On October 30, 1918 the Regiment moved to Camp Montoir-de-Bretagne (Loire-Interierure), near Saint-Nazaire at the mouth of the Loire.  The 50th then moved back to the Pontanezen Barracks on November 26 & 27, 1918 and remained there until returning stateside. 


Of special note is the regiment's designation as an honor guard for President Woodrow Wilson, during his 13 December 1918 visit to France.  The unit was recognized by the Commander-in-Chief for its "exceptional tact and perfection." in the execution of duties. 


"You will be glad to know that General Pershing was quite well impressed by the things at Brest."  Major General Helmick


Finally on the 30th of January the Regiment was given their final overseas orders to return back to the United States. All but Battery C departed France on January 31st aboard the USS Charleston.  Battery C left France on February 1st aboard the USS Seattle.  Both ships arrived back in the United States on February 13th at Hoboken, New Jersey. Upon disembarking, the Regiment billeted at several Forts in New York and New Jersey before being demobilized.


This site is dedicated to Private First Class Samuel Robert Bierman and all the men of the 50th, who proudly served their country.


For More information on the 50th CAC or to contribute information, please contact us at ca@civicancestry.com