Original U.S. WWI Siberian Expedition Officer’s Combat Diary & M1902 Frock Coat Uniform Grouping - Lieutenant Paul G. Hahn, 31st Infantry Regiment

Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Grouping. This is the tremendous grouping of Lieutenant Paul G. Hahn, 31st Infantry Regiment, who saw constant fighting with radicals & Bolsheviks in Vladivostok, Siberia during the Siberian Expedition. The prize of the grouping is his diary, which contains entries from while his unit was in combat in Siberia.

The grouping consists of:
- Hahn’s M1902 Officer’s Frock coat with a 41st Division patch stitched to the front.
- Hahn’s Manila-manufactured Officer’s white top visor cap with the original rain cover.
- A framed portrait of Hahn in 1911 wearing this exact M1902 Officer’s frock coat. The frame measures 7½ x 11¼” and is inscribed: Lt. Paul G. Hahn, Co. I - 2nd Wn. Nat. Guard, About 1911.
- A small rolled panoramic image of men of the 26th Infantry Brigade at Camp Lewis in December 1918. There is mention in his diary of this panoramic being taken on December 10th, 1918 at the camp.
-Hahn’s diary, which he kept and wrote entires in from January 1st, 1918 until August 23rd, 1920. This is certainly the most tremendous part of the grouping, as it’s nearly impossible to find a combat diary from the Siberian Expedition.

Hahn’s diary is written in a very peculiar way that makes it a bit difficult to read at times. For each day of the year in the diary, there are separate entries for 1918, 1919, and 1920. Because of this, there are entries in the diaries from January 1st, 1918 until August 23rd, 1920. He talks about his time at Camp Lewis, and on January 20th, 1919, he makes note of the “list” being made for AEF Siberia. On February 17th, 1919 he was ordered to go to San Francisco to embark for Siberia, and on February 25th, he set sail for Vladivostok. They made landing at Nagasaki and embarked further for Vladivostok, arriving on March 27th 1919. 

Hahn was then assigned to Company E, 31st Infantry Regiment. Starting in roughly May 1919, he and his company go into combat, seeing fighting every few days. Hahn makes mention of when men are wounded or killed, he mentions a Bolshevik being executed. He mentions when trains are fired upon and whenever a platoon of his goes into combat. There is also mention of fighting that would become the Battle of Romanovka on June 25th, 1919. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on August 8th, 1919. There is so much fascinating information in this diary, and it really brings the entire grouping together. He appears to finally sail from Vladivostok on June 23rd, 1920. 

A newspaper article we found online from February 7th, 1920 notes that Hahn writes of constant fighting with radicals, and that his unit, the 31st infantry, is “one of the last organizations in the United States Emergency Army which still contains volunteers and drafted men who entered for the duration of the war, and is probably the last American unit to see active fighting.”

Hahn was originally with Company I, 161st Infantry Regiment, 41st Division, which is why there is now a 41st Division patch stitched on the front of his M1902 frock coat. His frock coat is in fair condition but one of the two shoulder board straps has broken so the board is hanging. There is a tag on the interior that names the uniform to Hahn.

His white visor cap is a lovely example, made in Manila, Philippines as is stamped onto the sweatband. The original white rain cover is also included.

The panoramic measures 8 x 20” and is rolled up, but could be framed for display with the group. 

This is a fantastic grouping which contains an incredible diary from the Siberian Expedition, filled with mentions of fighting and more. Comes ready for further research and display!