This belt buckle was purchased by Private First-Class Russel Harvey Bainum shortly before the Battle of Cantigny on May 28th, 1918. Russel was born on January 24th, 1898 in New Richmond, Ohio. At the age of 18 Russel enlisted in the army on April 24, 1917. He was stationed at Fort Ringgold Texas, McAllen Texas and Hoboken New Jersey before being sent to Europe as part of Company F, 28th Infantry, First Division. Russel served as a company runner and carried messages for the First Division throughout World War I. Russel said in a letter on April 26th, 1959 “The German belt with buckle I got just before the battle of Cantigny. My entrenching tool I couldn’t find. While we were waiting to go over the top I found a long handle shovel. Took me the best part of night to cut handle short. Had dull knife. Used German belt to fasten a Pack.” Russel continued to serve with the First Division through the end of the war and the occupation of Germany after the war. He was honorably discharged om September 24th, 1919 and returned to Ohio. Russel worked as a carpenter and landscape architect in Ohio until his passing on Oct 28th, 1980.