Otto Wiegert

Otto Wiegert

Co. E       3rd Ill. Nat. Guard

       Excerpts from the July 3, 1916 issue of The Elgin Daily Courier
     The Fourteen, who failed to pass the strict physical examination Friday and Saturday and were dropped from the company roll, stood beside the trains, shaking hands with their more fortunate comrades and wishing them good luck.   Tears came to their eyes as the troop trains gradually disappeared in the darkness.
No Serious Defects Among Rejected.
     There were no real serious defects found.   A missing tooth, just the least trouble with the hearing and a slight defect in the sight was sufficient to bar.   The fat that Colonel Charles H. Green of Aurora, the head of the Third regiment; was left behind on account of a defective eye, was some solace to the privates left behind, altho every man in the regiment regretted the loss of their colonel.
     Those failing to pass the test were: Charles Bergesbauer, Robert E. Gould, Herman Horn, Walter Kenneke, Claude Kellogg, Harold Perry, Benjamin Rouley, Harry Sorenson, John Welch, Otto Wiegert, Harold Mapes, Henry Huske, Walter Dugas, and Harold Lind.
     Walter Dugas and Harold Lind probably felt being left behind keener than any of the rest of the boys, as they were granted a second examination and had been lead to believe they would be passed.   They were unpleasantly surprised when the list reached Captain Peck Sunday morning and they found their names included in the "not passed."
     The thought of coming back to Elgin weighed heavily on the minds of the little group rejected.   I can see no reason why they should feel any shame, however, as they have proved their gameness and every one would be on his way to Mexico now, if he could possibly get there.   In fact, it is harder on the boys who have to come back than it is on the boys who are on their way.   Let every one in Elgin shake their hands and thank them!