The Good Ones

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Ralph Joseph Kamps was born on November 13th, 1894. He would graduate from Notre Dame High school and would go on to work at a hardware store and also as a stenographer. Eventually, the Great War would break out and like many Kamps took the call of duty. He was shipped out on February 18th, 1918, and would fight with 128th infantry in various battles including the Meuse Argonne offensive. Gas related injuries he suffered during the war made him more susceptible to diseases. He died on June 5th, 1926 at the age of 31 due to influenza.

Images

Camp Douglass, Wisconsin. This is where Kamps was first sent for training before departing to Camp McArthur in Waco Texas.

The tomb stone of Ralph Joseph Kamps. He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery Janesville, Rock County, Wisconsin, USA.

This is the insignia of the 128th infantry. The shield is blue for Infantry. The pale, dividing the shield into thirds, alludes to three of the major offensive engagements in which the organization as an element of the 32d Division participated in World War I. The 128th earned the nickname, also their motto, "Les Terribles" due to their ferocity in combat.

The 128th infantry at camp McArthur, in Waco Texas. After this the 128th would be deployed in France and participate in various conflicts.

U.S Marines during the offensive. This is the battle where Kamps would suffer from the effects of mustard gas which led to his death years later.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Why does death choose the promised? In life, It's cliche to say that the good, the brave, the noble, all die young and that is especially evident with Ralph Joseph Kamps. Kamps was born on November 13th, 1894 in Antigo, Wisconsin. The son of John and Elizabeth Kamps, Ralph was a graduate of Notre Dame High School worked in a hardware store, and also as a stenographer. in short, he an everyday man who lived a life like else. Arguably, the biggest event of his life occurred at the same time as many others during his early adulthood. The outbreak of the first world war would call various men like Kamps to serve their country and save democracy as Woodrow Wilson and many others would put it.

As World War 1 began many took the call and filled out draft cards. Enlisting at 22, Kamps trained to take on the Kaiser at Camp Douglas in Wisconsin and would later move on to Camp MacArthur in Waco, Texas. After roughly a year of training, Kamps was sent overseas to France with the 128th Infantry on February 18th, 1918. The 128th participated in various campaigns throughout the closing of the war including, Alsace, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, and Meuse-Argonne. In a war of repeating nightmares, battles consisting of mud, blood, and cacophonies of twisted metal, Meuse-Argonne was one of the most gruesome endeavors. At Meuse-Argonne, Kamps would find himself severely gassed and would lead him to further complications in the years ahead. Nevertheless, he had survived the war and returned home to Chippewa, Wisconsin on May 9th, 1919.

Following the war, Kamps would spend some time in Waukesha Wisconsin, and eventually go on to meet his wife, Mary M. Flanigan. After their meeting, the two would move to Janesville, Wisconsin but their young lives together were cut short. Five years after their marriage Kamps was facing the consequences of the war. The long reach of death had finally caught up and eclipsed Kamps on June 5th, 1926 at the young age of 31. Complications following an attack of influenza would be what eventually lead to the passing of Kamps. He could have lived a long life but an echo of a horrendous war would eventually silence him in the end. And just like that. He was gone. Kamps was someone who had everything promised to him in life. He had a good job, a wife, a large family (although he had no children), and he was young and in the prime of his life. The story of Kamps is similar to the story of many soldiers of the Great War. A story of young men, with potential in life, tragically cut short due to the war to end all wars. It can only be hoped that men like Kamps, these good, brave, and noble, are not forgotten. It's this undeniable truth that makes the story of Ralph Joseph Kamps significant.

Sources

The Chippewa Daily Herald; Publication Date: 9 Jun 1926; Publication Place: Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, United States of America; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/417015707/?article=ed4a1845-594a-489a-ba2c-c20250907ab9&focus=0.43612456,0.29390985,0.566

“HOME: DMA.” Home - Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs. Accessed March 13, 2021. https://dma.wi.gov/.

Lengel, Edward G. 2010. “MEUSE-ARGONNE.” American Heritage 60 (2): 30–39. http://search.ebscohost.com.pioproxy.carrollu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,cpid&custid=s6222004&db=aph&AN=51508585&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

"Ralph Joseph Kamps." Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/174853947/person/152270436468/story

“Ralph J. Kamps.” Find a Grave. Accessed March 13, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/.

"Ralph Jospeh Kamp’s Draft Card." Military Records Collection Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum. Waukesha, Wisconsin.

"Ralph Jospeh Kamps." MyHeritage. https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-40001-1089908760/ralph-kamps-in-familysearch-family-tree.