Featured Story of Service

Holmes E. Dager

Submitted by: KP Morris

Holmes E. Dager served in World War 1 with the the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known June 23, 1917-1946.

As the war in Europe was gaining steam it was just a year later that Lt Dager volunteered for Federal Service on June 23, 1917. After going to Ft Leavenworth for his Basic Officers Course he is sent to the 6th Infantry Division being formed at Camp Forrest, GA. Once back with the unit he is assigned to H Company, 51st Infantry September 25, 1917. All of the officers in the division are sent to Ft Sill, Oklahoma for instruction on artillery.

During the next several months the 6th Infantry Division will train for war at various locations, 11th Brigade at Camp Forrest, Georgia, 12th Brigade at Camp Wadsworth, S.C., and the division headquarters at Camp McClellan, Alabama with other units at other camps throughout the United States. The division would not train together until it reached France.

As the training developed 1st Lt Dager would move from unit to unit. Promoted to temporary Captain on August 5, 1917 and moving to F Company January 13, 1918. On September 30, 1918 Dager is assigned to K Company and promoted to Major (Temporary) on October 24, 1918 and moved to command the 3rd Battalion of the 51st Infantry until he reverted to the rank of a Captain in March 1920.

With the 6th Infantry Division Major Dager attended the I Corps Army School at Gondrecourt, France, from July through August 1918. The division is placed in the Vosges Mountains in the Gerardmer Sector. Under French command the relatively quiet sector begins to change as the Americans move into the trenches. It is here that the division is probed by raids and the first casualties are suffered. As the division stays in a static position it returns the favor to the Germans by conducting raids of its own. From August 27th through October 17th the division gets its baptism by fire in the mountains of the Vosges.

American Expeditionary Forces Casualty [Death] Lists

By Constance Potter

"From the above figures the daily average to be reported was as follows: Killed in action, 69; died of wounds, 69; died of disease, 122; severely wounded, 752."
-- The Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1918, on the accounting of U.S. casualties to the War Department by General John Pershing

The Adjutant General’s Office in the War Department created casualty lists of those who died in the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) in World War I. The lists, dated November 6, 1920, do not include the names of men who were wounded and did not die of their wounds. The lists also do not include those who served in the Navy or the Marines although men assigned to the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments in the 2nd A.E.F. Division are listed.

The causes of death are:

• KIA—Killed in Action
• DOW—Died of Wounds
• D or O.C.—Disease or other causes. The list does not specify the disease or other cause, which can included suicide, accidents, drowning, and air accidents.
• U—Unknown

There are three lists: by state, by division, and by organization for those units not attached to a division (non-divisional units).

Read the whole story in Documenting Doughboys