Stories of Service

You can search for the name or unit and you will get a list of the stories that contain them.

Joseph M. Connors

Submitted by: Claude A. Poirier {Commander, American Legion Post named after Veteran}

Joseph Connor image

Joseph M. Connos was born around 1893. Joseph Connors served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1911 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

The history of Legion Post #139 is intertwined with the history of the town tor the past half century, the post having celebrated its jubilee year In 1969, along with the National American Legion.

Early 1n 1919, Edward N. Wilson, expressing the sentiment ot the majority of returned WWI servicemen, applied to the Mass. state secretary of the American Legion, Leo A. Spillane, for permission to form a local American Legion post. A formative meeting as held an July 19, 1919 at the Ayer Board of Trade, with 35 men present.

Dr. Bertrand H. Hopkins was elected temporary chairman and Mr, Wilson temporary secretary. It was voted unanimously to form a post and to apply for a charter.The name of the Post was decided on after contemplating six names submitted by a committee. It honors Sergeant Joseph M. Connors, Machine Gun Company, 26th U.S. Infantry, First Division, who was Killed in Action. Sgt. Connors fell in the battle for Exermont, near Very, on the heights of the Aire, on October 4, 1918.

Edward Otis Martin

Submitted by: Lynne F Loss {great niece}

edward martin mug Edward Otis Martin was born around 1897. Edward Martin served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1917.

Story of Service

Edward Otis Martin was born in Orleans, Indiana in 1897. Enlisted in WW I in the Army Medical Corp. as a Private. Attached photo of his unit. His name signed as ED.

Wilbur Raymond Welton

Submitted by: Randy Harvey {Great Nephew}

Wilnur Raymond Welton

Wilbur Raymond Welton born around 1892. Wilbur Welton served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Wilbur Welton enlisted on September 5th,1917 and underwent training at Camp Sherman, Chillcothe Ohio. Upon completion of training he was assigned to the 83 Infantry Division, Co. F, 308th Engenieers.

Welton was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on May 21st, 1918 while serving in France from February 27, 1918 to June 10th, 1919. He was Honorably discharged from service June 1919.

Wilbur Welton went on to very good job after his Army experience, married and had one son. He died in August 1969 in Elwood City Pa. He lies resting at Eastlake Cemetery alongside wife Abigail, in North Kingsville Ohio just a few hundred yards from the house that he was born in.

David B. Christie

Submitted by: Kevin Mahoney {Great Nephew}

David B. Christie was born around 1894. David Christie served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

David was born on May 19, 1894, at Blackstone, Mass.

Son of Edgar B Christie and Mary Ann (Hammond) both deceased before the war. Brother of Ralph of Winchester, Mass and Blanche (wife of Ralph W. Abbott).

Enlisted on April 7, 1917; reported for duty on July, 25. 1917.

Mustered 9 August, Co G, 5TH, Inf, Mass . National Guard; transferred to CO G, 101ST Inf, 26th Division, Overseas 7 Sept, 1917.

Ralph H. Christie

Submitted by: Kevin Mahoney {Grandson}

Ralph H Christie was born around 1896. Ralph Christie served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Ralph Christie aka (James Henry Christie) born in Woburn, Massachusetts, son of Edgar B Christie and Mary Ann (Hammond).

He enlisted with his brother David Christie in Woburn, on April 2, 1917, Co G 5TH Infantry National Guard; transferred to Co G 101 Infantry to December 3, 1918.

Prisoner of War Escort Co 81A.S.C. to discharge; Private 1st Class same as his brother.

Richard E. Tatum, Sr.

Submitted by: Debra Lynch {Granddaughter} via the Virtual Explorer app

Richard Tatum image

Richard E. Tatum, Sr. served in World War 1 with the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

The 810th Pioneer Infantry was a short-lived (September 1918 - December 1918), all black (African-American) Infantry Regiment. He was part of Company D, rank CPL.

Annie Elizabeth Jones

Submitted by: Mark Johnson {Great Nephew}

ANNIE JONES image

Annie Elizabeth Jones served in World War 1 with the American Red Cross. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Annie E Jones was a nurse from Canada (Lanark, Ontario) who served with the American Expeditionary Force. The article below was published in the Lanark newspaper.

My father's Aunt Nan was born in Lanark, Ontario to Jacob and Magdaline Jones. Annie's contribution in the First World War is outlined in the news item below which appeared in the Lanark or Kingston newspaper.

There may have been a little confusion whether she was with the Canadian Expeditionary Force or the American Expeditionary Force. She eventually moved to America after the war.

William E. Baker

Submitted by: Robert D. Baker {Great Nephew}

William Baker image

William E. Baker born around 1892. William Baker served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

WWI PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT PVT WILLIAM E. BAKER

I never knew much about my dad’s Uncle Bill, except that he was my Grandpa Baker’s brother and had dated my Grandma Baker’s sister and that he was killed in World War I in France. He had a gravestone in the Dayton, OH National Cemetery, but it was never clear to me whether his actual remains were in Dayton or still in France.

After being contacted by the Secretary of the American Legion Auxiliary, I learned that The William Baker American Legion Post 363 in Lucasville, OH, was named in honor of my Great-Uncle back in Feb, 1920. So I started researching.

William Edwin Baker was born in Nov, 1892, the fourth of five children of Charles & Mary Baker. The family lived in Scioto County, Ohio, at the time of William’s birth. Around the age of 16, William moved with his folks and younger sister to Jamestown, OH. Meanwhile, his oldest brother, George (my Grandfather), had migrated to Dayton. William decided to find out what big city life was like, so he followed his brother to Dayton, where he worked as a Janitor, a Packer, a Motor Assembler, and a Conductor on the Dayton Street Railway line.

Lowry Rush Watkins, Sr.

Submitted by: L.R. Watkins, Jr. {Son}

lowry watkins image

Lowry Rush Watkins, Sr. was born around 1897. Lowry Watkins served in World War 1 with the United States Army Air Corps. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

Enlisted at Fairfield,Ohio. Trained at Payne Field in Tupelo, Miss., then Kelly Field San Antonio, Texas. then Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York.

Armistice declared and he never got shipped to France.

He trained in the Thomas Morse Scout and the Jenny, both examples in USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio. We visited it so he could show me what he flew.

George Henry Knatz

Submitted by: Geraldine Knatz {Niece}

George Henry Knatz born around March 11, 1897. George Knatz served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

George Henry Knatz Memorial

George Henry Knatz was born on March 11, 1897 in New York city to parents Anna Bergner and Charles (Carl) Knatz . George began his first military service with the New York State Guard when he was 20 years old. He enlisted on June 18, 1917 and was mustered in the next month to Company G, 14th New York Infantry.

For service during WWI, the men of the 14th Infantry which included George were added to strengthen the 23rd New York Infantry. The men were stationed from New York City up the Hudson River to protect the water supply.

George was only with the Guard for a few months when a presidential order drafted the entire unit into the 106th U.S. Infantry in October 1917. There were 3003 men in in the 106th and George was assigned to Company G.

Frederick G. Knatz

Submitted by: Geraldine Knatz {First Cousin, once removed}

no photo 300 Frederick G. Knatz was born around 1896. Frederick Knatz served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1915 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

Frederick G. Knatz was born on October 23, 1896 in New York City. He is the son of Jacob Knatz (my grandfather’s brother) and Kate Hill.

Fred entered the service as a private on May 14, 1915. He was promoted to a Sergeant on August 1, 1917. He departed for Europe on April 23, 1918 from Hoboken New Jersey on the troop ship Tenadores as part of Battery C, of 101st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

During World War I, he was captured by the Germans when his unit was out on patrol. He was first reported as “missing in action” in the newspapers of September 5 1918.