Sgt. P. O. Selby, who created this 2-volume scrapbook and photo album, begins with a short history of the unit: "Company C of the Fourth Missouri Infantry, Missouri State Guard (or Missouri Reserve Military Forces) was organized in October, 1940 upon the drafting of Company K of the National Guard into federal service. Battalion headquarters of the First Battalion was located at Kirksville a few months later. These were later changed to Company M and the Third Battalion headquarters. Then there followed a medical detachment, an air squadron, a flight headquarters, and a regimental band.

The regimental band was the first to be deactivated, for all but two or three of its members went into the United States Armed Forces. The air units were disbanded in 1942 by a consolidation with the Civilian Air Patrol. The medical detachment, the headquarters detachment, and Company M remained until February 26, 1947. Discharges were handed out upon the occasion of a farewell dinner on March 3, 1947, in the presence of the regimental commander. There were ... 203 persons in the company at one time or another."

Paul Owen Selby (1890-1982) was a native of Kirksville, Missouri, and member of the Northeast Missouri State Teacher's College (now Truman State University) Administration and Faculty from 1912 until his retirement in 1960. As an Army Sergeant during World War I, he saw active duty with the American Expeditionary Forces in England and France. Over 20 years later, he was one of the early Guard enlistees when Company C was formed in Kirksville. At that time, he was Professor of Commerce and Head of the Division of Business Education at Northeast Missouri State Teacher's College (NMSTC). He would later become Dean of Instruction.