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All Library branches will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, and remain closed through Thursday, Nov. 26, for Thanksgiving. The Mobile Library will not make its scheduled stops.

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All Library branches will be closed and the Mobile Library will not make its scheduled stops on Wednesday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day.

Between World Wars: The 1941 Armistice Day Parade

Writer: Michael Price
Michael Price
1 hour ago
9 min read

In the early 1940s, the memory of World War I was still vivid for Springfieldians who had served in the conflict. Each year, a parade was held on November 11 to commemorate the day in 1918 when Germany signed an armistice that brought the fighting to an end.


On November 11, 1941, soldiers from the 138th and 140th Infantry Regiments of the 35th Division led the parade through downtown Springfield. At their head was Major General Ralph Truman, the division's former commander and a cousin of Missouri Senator Harry Truman.


As enlisted men and civilians commemorated the millions of lives lost in the earlier conflict, fighting was once again raging across Europe. Less than a month later, the United States would enter World War II, bringing a new generation of Americans into another global conflict.


Black-and-white photograph of a large formation of infantrymen in broad-brimmed hats marching past a white wooden building, with trees and spectators in the background.
Infantrymen from the 35th Division march down Boonville Avenue during Springfield's 1941 Armistice Day Parade. From the Postcards & Photographs Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A Division in the Headlines

The 35th Division had deep roots in Missouri and was well-known in Springfield. Thousands of Missourians had served in the National Guard division during World War I, and many were serving in its ranks in 1941. Major General Ralph Truman, the division's commander since 1938, had also lived in Springfield after the war.


Black-and-white portrait of Major General Ralph Truman wearing glasses and a decorated military uniform, seated behind a desk with papers spread before him.
Major General Ralph Truman at his desk. Image courtesy of the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum.

In the months leading up to Springfield's 1941 Armistice Day parade, Truman and the division had been involved in multiple controversies. In July, units from the division were riding on trucks near Memphis, Tennessee. As they passed a golf course, the soldiers began whistling and shouting "yoo-hoo" at a number of young women. Some also shouted, "Fore! Hey, buddy, don't you want a caddy?" to a golfer who was about to take a swing.


Black-and-white head-and-shoulders portrait of Brigadier General Ben Lear in a military uniform and peaked service cap, facing left. Several rows of ribbons are visible on his chest.
A 1937 portrait of Brigadier General Ben Lear. Image courtesy of the National Archives.

Unfortunately, that golfer was Major General Benjamin Lear, commander of the Second Army and General Truman's commanding officer. Lear considered the incident an example of poor discipline and ordered the soldiers to return to Memphis. The following day, as they traveled back to Camp Robinson, Arkansas, the men were required to march fifteen miles in the summer heat as punishment. The incident drew national headlines, and the War Department required Lear to write a formal report explaining his actions.


Truman faced a more consequential challenge that September, when the 35th Division participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers. As the United States Army expanded in preparation for possible involvement in World War II, training exercises such as the Louisiana Maneuvers were conducted to test the readiness of troops and commanders. General Lear commanded the Second Army, which suffered tactical setbacks during the exercises. The maneuvers were followed by a shake-up in the Army's senior leadership, including the replacement of several National Guard commanders. Among them was Truman, who was relieved of his command of the 35th Division by Lear and reassigned as president of the Second Army's reclassification board.


Truman's removal prompted accusations that Lear was unfairly blaming National Guard officers for his own army's performance in the maneuvers. In a fiery telegram to Lear, Missouri Senator Bennett Clark protested, "It is of course the old army game which does not intend to leave a national guard officer, no matter how efficient, in command of a national guard division. You are trying to blame the tactical defeat which your army suffered on Truman and various other national guard officers which is exceedingly unfair. You should retire yourself rather than make General Truman the goat." Truman subsequently resigned from the Army.


Springfield Welcomes the 35th

On the afternoon of November 10, about 2,000 troops from the 138th and 140th Infantry Regiments, 35th Division, arrived in Springfield. They were quartered at the Courthouse, City Hall, Senior High School, and the Shrine Mosque. After their recent training exercises, the visit to the Queen City offered a welcome relief. Although soldiers staying at the Shrine Mosque found its stage uncomfortable to sleep on, one private remarked, "It's nothing to what we had on maneuvers."


Grainy black-and-white newspaper photograph of several uniformed soldiers in Springfield's City Council chambers. Some sit around a wooden desk while others kneel among bedding and personal belongings spread across the floor.
Men of the 140th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, settle into temporary quarters at Springfield's City Hall. Kneeling in front are Private First Class Paul Chapman and Private Sam Coultas. Behind the desk, from left, are Privates Bob Fleur, Edgar Jugleton, Earl White, and Corporal Bill Whaler. Private Bruce Boyer lies on the desk. Photograph by Springfield Leader and Press staff. Published November 11, 1941.

The Armistice Day celebrations began the following morning. Field kitchens were set up in Long Memorial Park, where World War I veterans noted improvements in military food preparation since their own time in service. Soldiers proudly showed off their equipment to curious civilians, who marveled at the mobility of anti-tank guns mounted on small carriages. At Pipkin Junior High School, students received a demonstration of the new M1 Garand rifle.


Despite the festive atmosphere, the soldiers were under strict orders to be on their best behavior while in Springfield. As one soldier explained after the parade, "They told us to act like soldiers, not like a bunch of rookies." Another remarked, "I guess there hasn't been an arrest. Well, I know there hasn't or we would have heard about it."


A young student holds a long rifle horizontally while two uniformed soldiers stand beside and behind him. Several men watch in the background.
Brudell Waite, a student at Pipkin Junior High School, points a Garand rifle under the supervision of Private Elmer Miller of Fulton, Missouri. Photograph by Springfield Daily News Staff. Published November 12, 1941.

That afternoon, around 40,000 spectators lined both sides of St. Louis Street, Boonville Avenue, and Commercial Street to catch a glimpse of the parade. General Truman, serving as General Lear's personal representative, received an enthusiastic reception as he walked alongside the infantrymen, followed by the division's mortars, machine guns, and anti-tank guns.


Black-and-white newspaper photograph of uniformed infantrymen marching in formation along a downtown street, with a large crowd of spectators gathered outside a stone building.
Company I of the 140th Infantry marches past Springfield City Hall during the city's 1941 Armistice Day parade. Photograph by Springfield Leader and Press staff. Published November 12, 1941.

"Yoo-hoo" signs hung from store windows along the route, and tire dealer Fred R. McMahon painted his store window with the rhyme: "Lear's out of gear; go ahead and yoo-hoo; he ain't here." Seven young women from the Southwest Missouri State Teachers College—now Missouri State University—made the most of the division's visit, riding a float decorated with artificial grass and a sign that read, "The 19th Hole." The students "yoo-hooed" all along the parade route, even when they passed General Truman on the reviewing stand. Truman returned the call, much to the delight of everyone in earshot.


Black-and-white newspaper photograph of a large crowd of men, women, and children gathered outside a stone building. Several rows of spectators stand along the sidewalk, with military officers and civilian officials behind them on the steps.
Military and civilian guests watch Springfield's 1941 Armistice Day parade from City Hall. Major General Ralph Truman stands near the center of the back row, wearing a light-colored overcoat. Mayor Harry Carr stands to Truman's right, wearing a dark coat. Photograph by Springfield Leader and Press staff. Published November 12, 1941.

Two military balls were held in Springfield that evening. An officers' ball was held at the American Legion's Goad-Ballinger Post, while the enlisted men gathered across the street at the Shrine Mosque. Local musician R. V. Burch and his eight-piece orchestra, a popular fixture at Legion events, provided music for the officers. General Truman arrived expecting to hear a section of the 140th Infantry band and was surprised to find Burch's orchestra instead. He suggested the musicians switch venues with the Army band performing at the Shrine Mosque.


Burch objected on the grounds that he had a small group and did not want to play in the substantially larger Shrine Mosque. According to Burch, Truman then threatened to have him thrown out of the officers' ball. Not intimidated, Burch shot back, "You and who?" Truman reportedly responded by warning that he would call off the entire ball. At this point, Legion Commander Millard Brown urged Burch and his band to relocate to the Shrine Mosque, and the musicians eventually complied. The officers' ball was left without a band for around an hour before Burch returned.


Colorized vintage postcard showing a large, two-story brick American Legion building with red-tiled roofs, an American flag flying from a tall flagpole, and a curved sidewalk crossing the lawn.
The exterior of the American Legion's Goad-Ballinger Post in Springfield, Missouri, depicted on a postcard mailed in 1938. From the Postcards & Photographs Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

The following day, General Truman told a reporter for the Springfield Leader and Press that the controversy had been an "unfortunate misunderstanding," and that "the orchestra was very nice and I'm sure everybody had a fine time. I think the people of Springfield have been very fine."


On the Brink of War

Even as Springfield celebrated Armistice Day, the possibility of American involvement in another world war loomed over the festivities. The city's preparations for a potential conflict were already underway. In response to an October 22 proclamation from President Franklin Roosevelt, Mayor Henry Carr declared November 11–16, 1941, "a time for all persons to give thought to their duties and responsibilities as citizens of the nation and of this city and to become informed of the many vital phases of the civilian defense program in this city, and how they can participate in this program."


Black-and-white newspaper cartoon divided into five panels showing people conserving paper, combining automobile trips, sharing electric lighting, saving food, and serving smaller portions at dinner to support civilian defense efforts. Panel 1: A woman buying meat a deli says: "Won't you wrap my order in this paper I saved from last week - saving for national defense, you know!" Panel 2: Caption reads: "You can also save gas, oil, tired, etc - by organizing shopping trips --" Several people ride together in a car. A woman shouts: "Hey wait! I lost a pound of butter!" Panel 3: A man and woman sit together on a couch. The man gestures toward a lamp. Caption reads: "Er- ah- I see where everyone is asked to save for defense - er - we don't need this light on - do we?" Panel 4: A woman walks into a room where four people sit reading. The woman says: "I thought I'd run over and invite you to spend this evening reading by our lights - we can save electricity and have fun too!" Panel 5: A woman cans foods in a kitchen. Caption reads: "And you 'can' a lot of food too - it will help Uncle Sam --" Woman says: "And us too!" Panel 6: An overweight man and a slender woman sit at a table. The man gestures angrily toward a small piece of pie in front of him. Woman says: "I know it's an extra small piece of pie -- but it conserves food, cuts down expense and should slim your tummy!"
This cartoon, published in the November 11, 1941 issue of the Springfield Leader and Press, encouraged Springfield residents to support civilian defense efforts by conserving paper, gasoline, electricity, and food. Artist unidentified.

The prospect of war weighed on local author and politician Orland K. Armstrong, a World War I veteran who had served in the air service at Kelly Field in Texas. Speaking to an assembly at Pipkin Junior High School on the morning of the parade, Armstrong urged students to work toward a future without war. "Our boys gave their lives in the last war in vain, unless we can plan now to avoid such great wars as that last war, and as this present war is," he warned. "There can be no democracy unless we outlaw war, for war is the enemy of all freedom."


Black-and-white photograph of Orland K. Armstrong standing beside a large tree in front of a two-story house. Wearing a white shirt and tie, he rests one hand against the tree trunk and the other on his hip.
Orland K. Armstrong outside his Springfield home in 1958. Photograph by Betty Love. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

Less than a month later, on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The next day, the United States declared war on Japan, drawing Americans into another global conflict. The Armistice Day parade had commemorated the sacrifices of one generation just weeks before another would be called to serve.


In 1954, Congress renamed Armistice Day as Veterans Day, expanding its purpose from commemorating the end of World War I to honoring American veterans of all wars.


Further Reading

To learn more about Missouri in World War I, visit the Library's Missouri Over There digital collection. This statewide collaborative project features a wide array of primary sources, photographs of artifacts, and a database of Missouri service members.


For additional information about the 35th Division's service during the war, see Clair Kenamore's From Vauquois Hill to Exermont: A History of the Thirty-Fifth Division of the United States Army and Ward L. Schrantz's memoir, A Machine-Gunner in France: The Memoirs of Ward Schrantz, 35th Division, 1917-1919.



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