On March 30, 2018 I visited the Camp Devens and Fort Devens Museum near Ayre, Massachusetts. Its a great museum with great displays of soldier life from both World War I and II. My purpose was to learn more about the 301st Engineers, the regiment Jay belonged to.
The visit exceeded my expectations by a mile. While there, a man named Andy Tabak served as my guide and had a wealth of information. Additionally, he had a collection of many unit photos. When I asked if he happened to have a photo of Jay’s Unit A, he disappeared for some time. When he got back to me, he slipped a CD into a laptop and brought up….a photo of Unit A. I was absolutely amazed. Despite there being about 200 men in the photo it didn’t take me long to find my Jay.
That photo of Unit A is attached here along with a closeup of Sgt Jay E. Shetler. He’s changed a lot since the day he got his uniform back in March.
Every regiment needed a band. Here’s a photo of the 301st Engineers’ Band.
Jay in the Great War 