Merritt Lamb
Merritt Udell Lamb was born in Rockford, Michigan on April 4, 1892. Captain Lamb is the founder of scouting in West Michigan; and the 13th Eagle Scout in the nation. Captain Lamb was killed in action during the battle of Juvigny, France, on August 28, 1918. Lamb is currently buried in his hometown of Rockford, Michigan.
Scouting Career [1]
First Scout Unit in West Michigan
As a boy Merritt joined the Boy's Brigade, which is a junior order of the sons of veterans; By age 13 Merritt became captain of the brigade, and by age 18 Merritt convinced the members of his Brigade to disband and reform as a troop in the newly created Boy Scouts of America. By November 1910 the first unit in West Michigan, "Rockford Troop 1," was formed with Merritt Lamb as the first scoutmaster.
Founding of Scouting in Muskegon, Michigan
A little less than a year after forming Rockford Troop 1, Merritt Lamb moved to Muskegon, Michigan and started Muskegon Troop 1; again he was the scoutmaster. As time went on and more units formed Merritt moved up in the ranks, becoming Muskegon's first Scout Commissioner, and eventually Muskegon's First Scout executive. Merritt would also move on to be a member of Scoutings National Council.
In the Fall of 1913 Merritt Lamb achieved Scouting's highest honor and became an Eagle Scout. Merritt Lamb's attainment of the Eagle Scout rank was the 13th in the nation.
On September 6, 1916 Merritt saved the life of Loyal Plough when he was caught in an undertow during a Troop 1 Scout Outing. Merritt received the Bronze cross for lifesaving from the National Boy Scouts of America for this action. Merritt Lamb was the first person from Michigan to receive the Bronze Cross for Lifesaving.
Military career
Merritt was scoutmaster when he joined the Michigan National Guard in 1910. In 1913 Merritt was promoted to corporal. Merritt was commissioned as a second lieutenant in May 1914. Merritt served on the Texas-Mexican Border during Pershing's punitive expedition against Pancho Villa, and helped establish the first Motor Machine Gun Corps. In Texas he also formed a Scout troop.
When the US entered World War I, Merritt used his scouting skills to help train enlistees first aid and woodcraft skills. For his efforts he received a commendation. In July 1918 Merritt was promoted to Captain and made an intelligence officer of the 125th infantry regiment. During the Battle of Juvigny, France, on August 28, 1918 Captain Lamb was on a scouting trip to locate the headquarters for his regiment. Captain Lamb was given information that the Germans had left town in retreat, but upon arrival had discovered that the enemy was still present. While returning with this new information Captain Lamb was killed by a bursting shell.
Final letter of Captain Lamb
On August 10, 1918, just 10 days before his death Merritt lamb wrote a letter to the Muskegon Scouts; this letter which was also printed in the Muskegon Chronicle is as follows:
My Dear Scouts
The guns still roar, but know we are withdrawn from the fight, and I am writing this brief message from a battered room, in a battered house, in a small battered village in northern France. . .
The campaign in which we are now engaged has proven to me and proven to many others interested in the subject the tremendous importance of the training which you, as scouts, are receiving. You are learning to take care of yourselves, learning to be resourceful, and to develop that initiative which will enable you to do the right thing at the time. You are learning to read maps and make sketches, to signal, to do first aid, to use a compass, to use the sun and stars to tell the time and direction, to prepare your meals, to improvise shelters and do many other things which of necessity the modern soldier must be able to do if he is to live and progress.
You are being guided in your lives by the greatest moral code that was ever written, the Scout Oath and Scout Law. That oath and those laws were not the creation of one man. They were moral principals which have evolved themselves in the progress of civilization. And if your training as Scouts is to be of the greatest possible service to yourself and others you must make that oath and those laws a part of you daily life. That is you must not only know them by heart, but you must also know them in your soul. You must practice them. And do not think the practice of them should cease when you become 18 years of age, or when you cease to become active in the Scout movement. For unless they have become such fading factors as to control your thoughts and actions throughout your entire life you have failed to grasp the tremendous opportunities which have been presented to you. But remember after all Scouting is no far off fancy or dream. It is common everyday living. It is having a bully good time- in a good wholesome way. It is playing the game hard, but fairly. It is doing your best according to the dictates of your conscience.
Therefore, I will close this letter with the hope that before many months we may return to you, and be with you on your hikes, in your camps and around your campfire. In the meantime be assured that we over here who are Boy Scouts of America will also do our very best to live up to the scout oath and law.
Your old friend and fellow scout,
Merritt Lamb
Capt 125th Infantry Intelligence Officer[2]
Legacy of Captain Lamb
Although Captain Lamb only lived to be 26, his actions left a lasting legacy that would go on to impact scouting for many years to come. Following his death, Muskegon troop 1 re-chartered with the National Boy Scouts of America as, "Merritt Lamb Troop 1." Merritt Lamb Troop 1 went on to serve Muskegon area Scouts for many decades.
In addition to scout units, there are also 2 West Michigan American Legion posts named after Captain Lamb.
Hackley Park Memorial
In 1939, over 20 years after his death, the Muskegon Boy Scouts planted an Elm Tree in Captain Lambs honor. In addition to a tree, a plaque attached to a rock from the lamb family farm was also placed in Hackley park.
Camp Merritt
In the summer of 1919, the Muskegon Boy Scouts held a summer outing on Lake Michigan in honor of Captain Merritt.
In 1921 the Muskegon Area Council bought property on the north shore of Big Blue Lake from the Muskegon Children's home.
This property which would go on to serve Muskegon Scouts for the next 29 years was named, "Camp Merritt," in honor of Captain Lamb. Camp Merritt which consisted of 94 acres had a dining hall donated by the local Kiwanis club in 1923, a cook shack built in 1925, and a handicraft lodge built in 1928. The last structure built on the property was the Order of the Arrow Chapel in 1948. This chapel which is shaped like an arrowhead was built by Scottish Rite Masons for the Nakida Naou lodge 401; Nakida Naou lodge 401 was organized and inducted its first members during the summer of 1947 and received their first charter in fall of 1948. Nakida Naou was the Muskegon Area Scouts first Order of the Arrow lodge.
Due to the size constraints of the 94 acre Camp Merritt; The Muskegon Boy Scouts purchased property including Britton lake from the Chicago Boy Scouts Camp Owasippe in 1950. In 1950 the new Britton Lake camp Worked alongside Camp Merritt; in 1951 Camp Merritt was closed permanently and Britton Lake Camp was renamed Gerber Scout Reservation.
The property that once contained Camp Merritt is now owned by Pioneer Resources and serves special needs youth.[3]
Gerber Scout Reservation Program areas
Sometime in the 1970s the Muskegon Exchange Club provided funding for the local scouts to build a flag field at Gerber Scout Reservation in honor of Captain Lamb. This flag field was eventually retired.
In 2004 Gerber Scout Reservation built a new program area called the Honor Ground. The Honor Ground program area offers Eagle Scout required merit badges during the summer. Shortly after the program area was established it was dedicated in honor of Captain Merritt Lamb.[4]
References
- Todish, Tim (2009). A Legacy for the Future. p. 129-131. ISBN 978-09843104-0-1.
- Henry, Roscoe (n.d.). The Story of Merritt Udell Lamb. unpublished.
- LeMieux, Dave (May 21, 2012). "Lookback: Boy Scouts have rich history in Muskegon County". Muskegon Chronicle. MLive.com. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- Todish, Tim (2009). A Legacy for the Future. p. 159-63
- General
- Todish, Tim (2009). A Legacy for the Future. p. 129-131. ISBN 978-09843104-0-1.