of the division, were given the opportunity to volunteer for duty overseas. In the rush to reach the combat theater, some officers resigned their commissions so they would be qualified for duty overseas before the war was over. These replacements reached France in June, 1918. 20 per cent of the enlisted personnel of the 153rd (old 1st Arkansas) and 154th (composed of part of the old 2nd and 3rd Arkansas) Infantry, the 142nd (part of the old 2nd Arkansas) Field Artillery, and the 141st (part of the old 2nd Arkansas) Machine Gun Battalion, had been allowed to volunteer for early deployment. The movement consisted of only 20 percent of each organization, and the officers did not accompany their troops but remained at Camp Beauregard with the other 80 per cent still in training. At Camp Beauregard the division was brought to full strength by the arrival of troops from Camp Zachary Taylor (men from the states of Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky.) Shortly thereafter, Private Robert Springer was the first state guardsman to give his life in France. In a letter home a guardsman from the old Company "I" of the 1st Arkansas National Guard, described the fighting and sent a coat lapel which belonged to the best soldier for the Crown Prince. He stated that the German soldiers were best at running. About the same time letters were being received in Arkansas from soldiers of the old 1st and 3rd Arkansas National Guard Regiments. At the time of its departure from the United States, the 39th Division was composed of 22 per cent Arkansas National Guard, 40 per cent National Army draftees, and 10 per cent shortage from authorized strength. On August 1, 1918, the division entrained for the port of embarkation and sailed for overseas service on August 6, 1918. 39th Division Ships to France The 39th Division, less its artillery units, left Camp Beauregard August 1, 1918, and sailed for overseas service August 6, 1918. The first unit of the 39th Division arrived in France on August 12, 1918, and the last unit arrived on September 12, 1918. It was then sent to the St. Florent area, southwest of Bourges, where it was designated as a replacement division. In November 1918, it moved to St. Aignan. There several of the units were transferred to combat divisions. The Division was never a front line division; therefore, it never advanced