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Into History.

com. It's early March, 18.

It's early March, 1918, in Fort Riley, a U.S. Army training facility in Kansas.

Inside the mess hall, the company cook, Private Albert Gitchle, ladle's beef stew onto a metal tray. His movements are mechanical,

born of countless repetition as he adds a second dollop of watery brown sludge onto the tray

and slides it to a waiting soldier.

Gitch a wipe sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

But just as he's about to call out next,

he feels a slight tickle in his throat.

A cough rises, but soon he's hacking. Then another man appears at the counter,

Camp's notoriously ill-tempered drill sergeant. Gitchle stifles his cough and

lowers his gaze, careful to avoid provoking the ire of the grumpy sergeant.

Gitchil ladles two scoops of stew onto his tray, but as he passes it back,

the tray falls from his hand and crashes to the floor.

Gishil stares at his trembling hand, confused.

Then his vision blurs, and there's a burning sensation in his skull.

He looks up at the drill sergeant whose boots are now splattered with in his

boots are now splattered with gravy.

The sergeant hisses, what the hell's wrong with you, Gitchil?

...