Foster Wild Rice

Foster Wild Rice was the son of Robert L. Rice of New Haven, Connecticut. He was also the brother of Dr. John L. Rice, who was the Commissioner of Health for New York City in 1937, and the nephew of Judge Livingston W. Cleaveland. Foster Wild Rice left New Haven on 3 May 1917 to join active service with Base Hospital 5, a U. S. Army medical unit organized by Lt. Col. Harvey Cushing at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. The Harvard Medical Unit, led by Dr. Cushing, arrived in Bolougne, France on 30 May 1917; only Base Hospital 4, which arrived in Rouen on 25 May, was earlier. It is believed that Sergeant Rice was the first Connecticut man to arrive in France for duty in World War I.

Sergeant Rice became ward master of wards C-7 through C-13 of Base Hospital 5 on 17 July 1917. His unit was bombed by German planes on 4 September 1917, but Sergeant Rice escaped uninjured. In 1918, however, he was injured by bombings and gas attacks; he was hospitalized in December 1918, and was returned to the United States shortly after. Sergeant Rice arrived back in Boston on 11 February 1919.