Gone for Soldiers: George Henry Thomas (1887 - 1970) Soldier

George Henry Thomas is the oldest son of Ashtabula (Lyle) and Seth P. Thomas, which makes him one of my third cousins, twice removed. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 2, 1918, as a private.* He rose rapidly to private, first class in early December, was named a corporal several weeks later, raised to a sergeant in January, 1919, ending as a sergeant 1st class in March and being honorably discharged on April 2, 1919. I haven't been able to learn if he was ever sent to Europe.

[George H. Thomas in suit, tie & jacket, undated; posted by VickieHill56 on an Ancestry.com tree.]

[Registration State: Ohio; Registration County: Gallia; Roll: 1832199. Source Information

Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.]

[Ancestry.com. Ohio Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: The Official Roster of Ohio Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the World War, 1917-18. Columbus, OH, USA: The F.J. Heer Printing Co., 1926.]

[George H. Thomas in uniform; posted by VickieHill56 on an Ancestry.com tree.]

[George H. Thomas & friends in uniform; posted by VickieHill56 on an Ancestry.com tree.]

[George H. Thomas (top left) with Barracks buddies; posted by VickieHill56 on an Ancestry.com tree. ]

[George H. Thomas (front center) with WWI buddies, packed and ready to go; posted by VickieHill56 on an Ancestry.com tree. ]

*It appears that he joined a regiment of engineers but I haven't been able to find out more about his service.

© 2018 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Gone for Soldiers: Frederick Benjamin Webb (1890 - 1941), and Johnathan Wayne Webb (1894 - 1955)

Besides her brother-in-law Pete Slater, two of my maternal grandmother's brothers served in the military during World War I, perhaps inspired by a poster like this.

[Uphold our honor--Fight for us Join Army-Navy-Marines. New York : Hegeman Print[ing Company], [1917].

Forms part of: Willard and Dorothy Straight Collection. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA]

According to his World War I Draft Registration Card, Frederick 27-year-old Benjamin Webb was still unmarried and working as a self-employed well-driller in Knox County, Nebraska, when he enlisted in Company D of the 109th Engineers* on September 22, 1917.

[Courtesy of Olive Slater-Kennedy]

[Courtesy of Olive Slater-Kennedy]

The 109th was part of the 34th Army Division, nicknamed the Sandstone or Red Bull Division, and trained at Gila Forest Camp in New Mexico. The panoramic photography below shows how the camp looked in June of 1918 (horses and all). Since the division didn't arrive in France until October of 1918 it's possible that Fred is one of the soldiers pictured.

[Gila Forest Camp, N. Mex., 109th Engr's., 34th Div., June 1918, Col. F. E. Downing, C.O. Photographer: Almeron Newman.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA]

From the headstone application filed with the War Department after Fred's death in 1941 we learn that he made corporal during his time in the army.

[Ancestry.com. U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941. Microfilm publication M1916, 134 rolls. ARC ID: 596118. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92. National Archives at Washington, D.C.Applications for Headstones, compiled 01/01/1925 - 06/30/1970, documenting the period ca. 1776 - 1970 ARC: 596118. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.]

I haven't been able to find the military record for Johnathan Wayne Webb in the usual places, however we have photos of him in uniform and know what John's role was from the August 6, 1918, army casualty list as printed in that day's Wichita Beacon.**

[Courtesy of Olive Slater-Kennedy]

[Courtesy of Olive Slater-Kennedy]

[The Wichita Beacon » 1918 » August » 6 Aug 1918, Tue. Newspapers.com]

John's registration card for the "old man's draft" in 1942 lists his injuries.

[Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Fourth Registration. Records of the Selective Service System, Record Group Number 147. National Archives and Records Administration. Full Source Citation.]

*Composed of men from the Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota National Guards.
**Someone (perhaps my grandmother?) has written on the back of the first photo: "From Uncle John. Taken [during the] war of 1918. Was wounded July 14, 1918." Another note accompanying the photograph adds: "Killed car hit 1955 New York City."

© 2015 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.