Paul B. Hendrickson was born on October 8, 1896 in Crawford County, Illinois. He attended school in Crawford County until 1905 when the family moved to Newell Township in Vermilion County, Illinois. Hendrickson then graduated Duncan Grammar School on April 28, 1911.

Hendrickson enlisted on April 12, 1917 in Danville, Illinois in the Band, Headquarters Co, 5th Illinois Infantry National Guard, serving in the first enlistment. The regiment started training at Camp Parker in Quincy, Illinois. From April 13 to June 1 the regiment billeted at the Quincy Armory in Quincy, IL. Then they relocated to tents in a park north of Quincy which became Camp Parker. Hendrickson entered the Fifth Illinois National Guard less than a week after war was declared on Germany by the United States on April 6, 1917. 

At Camp Logan, Hendrickson learned techniques for fighting modern trench warfare, including some specialized techniques, such as signaling and mapmaking. While at Camp Logan, Hendrickson was organized into the 129th Infantry and combined with other Illinois regiments into the 33rd Division. The 33rd Division emblem, a yellow cross emblazoned upon a black disc, was created while at Camp Logan. The 33rd Division chose the yellow color partly because of the scarcity of all paint colors, but yellow. 

After training at Camp Logan, the 33rd Division was sent to Europe, landing in Brest, France. Hendrickson was mainly in the Somme-Amiens and Meuse-Argonne sectors, and in the Verdun sector, and played with his regimental band throughout Europe the year following Armistice Day. During this entire period, both in training and in Europe, Hendrickson wrote letters and sent postcards, some with writing and some simply as images. He wrote to his parents, James Perry Hendrickson and Ethe Linda Hendrickson, often both during training and while Hendrickson was in Europe. He also wrote to a few female friends from home, namely Cecil Rife and Maude Anderson. Hendrickson would marry Cecil Rife in 1923. Along with his letters, Hendrickson kept a war diary while abroad.

Training

Hendrickson trained in two major locations, Camp Parker in Quincy, Illinois and Camp Logan in what is now Memorial Park in Houston, Texas. Camp Logan emerged quickly at the edge of a growing Houston, and provided a significant economic boost to the city as more than 50,000 troops were trained there.  But Camp Logan is also tied in historical memory with the Houston Riot and the racial segregation that structured the US military at this time. 

During construction of the camp, members of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry (African American troops commanded by white officers) were assigned to the camp as guards and were stationed about a mile to the east. "On the night of August 23, 1917, African-American soldiers from Camp Logan incited by police violence earlier that day, armed themselves and marched into town in the only race riot in American history that saw more white casualties than black." (Crow 2017) Fifteen whites, including four policemen were killed, and twelve others were seriously wounded one of whom, a policeman, subsequently died. Four black soldiers also died.

Between November 1, 1917, and March 26, 1918, the army held three separate courts-martial in the chapel at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. The military tribunals indicted 118 enlisted men of I Company for participating in the mutiny and riot, and found 110 guilty. It was wartime, and the sentences were harsh. Nineteen mutinous soldiers were hanged and sixty-three received life sentences in federal prison. One was judged incompetent to stand trial. Two white officers faced courts-martial, but they were released. No white civilians were brought to trial. (Haynes 2018)

Hendrickson arrived at Camp Logan on September 17, less than a month after the revolt. Although there still must have been some lingering tension from this event he never mentions anything about the race riot in his letters or postcards home. He rarely mentions the African American regiments stationed at Camp Logan as a whole, but one of his letters states "Well the negroe Regiment is leaving here tonight. I don't know where they are being moved to." (March 02, 1918)

Training

Hendrickson was focused on multiple concepts during training. He initially entered the army as a musician, working as a reveille bugler and as a cornet player, but during training he learned signaling and mapmaking. He also learned telegraphy, Morse Code, field telephone operation, horsemanship, long range marching, and studied French.

Hendrickson enjoyed training, saying "they are strict, but it makes a man out of you. I honestly [believe] it is the best thing I ever could have done" (May 24, 1917). Along with this the material goods provided by training were welcomed, "and the Armory is something like a hotel on inside - swell place for the boys. we eat at a hotel" (May 1, 1917). Through training, Hendrickson not only learned the specialized skills of mapmaking and signaling, but also learned about trench warfare, gas masks, and airplanes in preparation for the Western Front.

The facilities at Camp Logan were designed to prepare soldiers for battle in the trenches and included a rifle range, trench replications, drill fields, a cavalry remount station, and an artillery range. He also experienced rifle training at Camp Logan, which is something Hendrickson enjoyed learning. Hendrickson's gas mask training at Camp Logan consisted of simulations of tear gas along with tests using some of the more lethal gases. 

Mapmaking

Hendrickson started to learn mapmaking in Camp Parker, in Quincy, Illinois, but made great strides while at Camp Logan. Initially while at Camp Parker, Hendrickson wrote, "I am taking map drawing and the last 3 or 4 days I have walked 7 or 8 miles a day by myself, counting every step and jotting down every thing I come to. I am making road maps, showing road fences, all buildings and all crops I can tell from the road what they are" (September 3, 1917).

Mapmaking

This level of detail is matched by his beautiful hand drawn map of Camp Logan, which has been used by a variety of modern researchers as one of the best maps of Camp Logan at this time. Hendrickson was an exceptionally skilled surveyor and artist, which is evidenced further by his sketches of the hospital he stayed in while in Europe, in Echternach, Luxembourg.

Houston and Galveston

Hendrickson spent around 7 1/2 months in Houston training at Camp Logan. While at Camp Logan, Hendrickson had the opportunity to explore all that Houston and the surrounding communities had to offer. Houston, Hendrickson thought, was "some city" in which some locals still hadn't forgotten the Civil War: "it is noticeable by their actions, while they treat us alright, yet there is something lacking" (October 1, 1917).

While in Houston he also took numerous trips to the port town of Galveston, which at this time was still recovering from the devastating hurricane of 1900 that caused approximately 10,000 deaths, but Hendrickson still loved the city. In Galveston, he swam in salty ocean water for the first time, gleefully reporting it felt "swell to [lie] on the beach and let the waves wash up over you" (October 1, 1917).

In Houston, Hendrickson also joined the Masonic Brotherhood, at the Holland Lodge in Downtown Houston. 

To the Front

The 33rd Division served in the Somme-Amiens sector from June 13 to August 23, 1918. From August 23 to September 26 the division was then moved to the Verdun sector near the infamous Hill 304. Hill 304 was a highly contested position for both the Allied and Central Powers in the Battle of Verdun of 1916, a battle in which total casualties numbered approximately 800,000 soliders. Hendrickson described Hill 304 stating "such a place, shell holes link from the beginning to the end of the whole hill, trenches wiped out, wire entanglement torn to shreads. Such a place I never thot existed." (September 9, 1918).

Finally the division assisted in the Meuse-Argonne drive from September 26th until Armistice Day. 

While in Europe, Hendrickson was generally well behind the frontlines, serving in the Signal Corps and Headquarters Band. Even though he was behind the front line, his posts were still within the range of German gas attacks and shelling, leading to numerous close calls. On occasion, Hendrickson wrote about these attacks in his diary, recounting that at "3:30 AM German plane came over and bombed quite a little. In the village wrecked a barn that was empty. Many window glasses shattered. One bomb exploded between 2 Ausie tents-1 was killed and 7 wounded" (July 28, 1918). Hendrickson also soon became disillusioned with Europe and the war effort, writing to his parents in July 1918, only one long month after arriving in Europe, "Well some think we will be home by Xmas. I wish I could fool myself into believing that too. For it sure would be nice to spend Xmas at home." (July 12th, 1918) showing both his exhaustion with the war, and the quickly gained belief that the war would be never ending.

Armistice Day and Post War Europe

Hendrickson was in Europe during Armistice Day, "Every body hurrahed" and the Americans twirled with the French, dancing euphorically to the regimental band's melodies. (November 11, 1918), pointing out his (and the band's) central role in the celebration. Hendrickson also reflected in his diary, “at the 11 hour of this 11 day of the 11 month our guns stopped shooting[.] add the 3 elevens & you have 33rd. Div. Thats us….band came out and played and every body hurrahed. One of our fellows grabs a froggie and began dancing to the band music. Every one was yelling, froggies & all - Le Guerre finie.” (November 11, 1918)

The 33rd Division was posted in Luxembourg as part of occupying forces. When he was granted time off, Hendrickson explored Europe and traveled with the band. He visited Monte Carlo, Nice, Monaco, and the Italian Alps. The 129th Infantry band was kept busy playing for appreciative audiences.. In his diary Paul wrote about this, claiming "My lip about exhausted [-] over two days [of] hard work” (January 2, 1919). 

Armistice Day and Post War Europe

Hendrickson also experienced strong feelings of homesickness, and a hospital stay in Echternach, Luxembourg. "I'll admit I am - lonely - homesick, disgusted - sarcastic - grouchy and any thing else along that line you would be of a mind to add. I am getting such a soured disposition here of late, that I imagine by the time I get home I will be rotten with contempt, It may be quite honourab[l]e to be kept over here - but any one is welcome to my share of the honour - if he can get over here & relieve me - & I know of hundreds & even thousands that look at it just as I do." (Feburary 11, 1919). 

While in Northern Europe the regimental band also had the honor of playing for the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg. While Hendrickson was very proud about this honor, he also clearly demonstrated how much he favored the American political system rather than the Luxembourgian system of divine royalty. "Thank God I've been born in a country where - if you don't have much of an opportunity, its possible to create one and go up continually, while here - you advance to no higher plain than the one you are born in." (Janurary 08, 1919)

Beyond just general homesickness, Hendrickson also spent a week hospitalized in the Echternach Monastery with the flu, viewing the time as "a jolly good rest." (February 22, 1919) Hendrickson also put his time in the hospital to sketch the arches of the monastery, along with reading his copy of David Copperfield. Following his hospitalization Hendrickson did a little bit more of his European sightseeing, heading to the Mediterranean coast, but even in this beautiful scenery he still felt deeply homesick. 

Returning Home

Even with the excitement of sightseeing and playing for the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg, Hendrickson was ready to go home a few months into 1919. “Over two years now since being with the loved onces at home - and after what I've seen over here - you can imagine how I wish to be back again.” (April 19, 1919) Hendrickson soon got his wish and the 129th Infantry returned to Brest in far western France in May, 1919 and prepared to leave.

The 129th Infantry took the USS Leviathan from Brest to Camp Merritt, New Jersey. Once back in America, Hendrickson had a few more days of sightseeing, going to New York City from Camp Merritt. Hendrickson's return brought out plenty of internal emotions. “America is a wonderful place, all foreigners think it so at least and I know it as a positive fact. Will close, with love to all. Some day we will talk instead of write. Can you imagine it?” (May 11, 1919). Hendrickson's excitement to return home and to his family is present throughout his service, but intensifies the closer he gets to coming home. 

Returning Home

After two years and two months, and a lifetime of experiences, away, Hendrickson returned home and received an honorable discharge on June 6th, 1919. He concludes his war diary with his arrival back in Danville, Illinois and the phrase "Home & happy." (June 7th, 1919)