Andrew L. Vogel of Bay City, Mich., entered military service on May 6, 1918. He became a member of the newly formed U.S. Tank Corps and was sent to Camp Colt in Gettysburg, Penn., for basic training. Camp Colt was the U.S. Army’s primary tank training center during World War I, and future U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded the camp until November 1918.
Camp Colt
While at Camp Colt, Vogel learned about the new concept of armored warfare. He took technical and tactical courses on the operation and use of tanks. He also trained on the Hotchkiss machine gun and the 6-pounder cannon. At this time, the U.S. Tank Corps did not have a single tank in its arsenal, so most soldiers never actually saw a tank until going overseas. His training at Camp Colt was completed Aug. 13, 1918, and he set sail for England.
Training and Armistice
Vogel arrived in England on Aug. 26, 1918, and then traveled to a British tank training facility. He spent most of September and October training with actual tanks and then crossed the English Channel and entered France. While there, he continued his training as he prepared to enter actual armored warfare. Fortunately, the armistice was signed on Nov. 11, 1918, ending WWI before Vogel had the opportunity to enter actual combat conditions. During the First World War, only about 20,000 officers and men served in the U.S. Tank Corps, making this branch of the U.S. military one of the rarest to produce artifacts.
Our Collection
The Michigan Traveling Military Museum is pleased to have and display Pfc. Andrew L. Vogel’s original uniform, camouflaged helmet, dog tags and original military paperwork. It is a fitting tribute to a proud veteran of World War I. It is interesting to note that after WWI ended, the U.S. military pretty much ignored tank warfare. Funding for tank research and training was cut to the bone. Our military did not see any real tactical benefit to tanks until seeing the growth and power of Germany’s armored divisions in the late 1930s.
