My Grandpa gets battle ready for WWI

A steam engine train is shipping off my grandpa from his North Dakota farm to the East Coast to prepare to fight in WWI.  As far as I know, he was trained as a medic but never went over to Europe because by the time he was battle ready the war had ended.  Look closely and see names chalked on the side of the train cars, perhaps of those brave soldiers who were defending freedoms that were in peril.  What was he thinking as he shoved off to the East?

I’m preparing for two pending road trips which will take me south 75 miles to the Fargo archives to dig up more about my distant Norwegian relative tomorrow.  Then the next day I will interview an 82 year old man who lived in the same house as S.A. Olsness did when he was a young boy.  My second trip, next week, will take me to western North Dakota where I will mix my quest of digging for facts about my Norwegian relatives with my Ukrainian interests.  I will go to Minot and interview an 92 year old woman who knew S.A. and also go to Dickinson where the Ukrainian Studies Institute houses many good books about Ukraine’s past.  Once in Bismarck, the state capital, I hope to go through the state historical archives about both Ukrainian and Norwegian farmers in North Dakota.  It should be a very informative time especially if I get to talk with a retired political science professor who has Ukrainian background but interested in North Dakota farmers’ politics.  What will I be thinking as I go west?  Thanking God for his guardian angels who protect me in ALL my travels.