Stories of Service

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

Irving Alexander Slicklen

Submitted by: Gayle Reynolds {great-niece}

Irving Alexander Slicklen crop

Irving Alexander Slicklen born around 1903. Irving Slicklen served in World War 1 with the the United States Coast Guard. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

Irving was said to be tall and looked older than his actual age, so being very patriotic he decided he'd try and enlist after school one day. He obviously pulled the wool over the eyes of those in the recruitment office and found himself an instant member of the Coast Guard. Puffed out with pride, he went home and told his mother.

Great-Grandma Slicklen was so appalled that a 15-year old could have been signed up for war that she grabbed her coat and dashed out of the house, forgetting she was wearing her bedroom slippers. She ran all the way to the recruitment office, where she breathlessly begged for Irving to be released from service. Unfortunately she was told that he had signed the official papers, which were already being processed, there was no way he could be released from active duty.

William F. Weir

Submitted by: Diane Sleger {granddaughter}

William F Weir William F. Weir served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 07SEP1917-09JUN1919.

I discovered my grandfather's old wallet filled with WWI 1" x 1.5" old black and white photographs with handwritten captions. As tears filled my eyes, I had to catch my breath as I felt I began to know my grandfather, who I never really knew.

When I was a child, growing up in "Pure Michigan", I only knew my paternal grandparents. I was told he had swallowed mustard gas, and had TB, and lived in the TB Sanitarium in Chicago. I became interested in finding out more about WWI and his contribution. With my degree in Graphic Design, I decided to sort those and compile this book to honor him and share his memories with others.

WWI veteran of William Frederick Weir served with the American Field Service, Special Services Unit 649, with the American Expeditionary Forces in the First Division. It relates specifically to a driver/mechanic’s experiences in the trenches, including Cantigny, Soissons, and Meuse Argonne.

Atma S. Nick

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

no photo 300 Atma S. Nick served in World War 1. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

Atma S Nick was born in British India either about 1885 or 1892. He immigrated to the United States in 1913. By 1918 he was in Sacramento, California working as a laborer.

On September 12, 1918, Nick registered for the U.S. military in California. Nick's draft card recorded his race as white.

The dates and location(s) of his service are unknown at this time.

By 1930, Nick was in Mesilla, Dona Ana, New Mexico and had his first papers. He was working as farm laborer employer on a cotton farm. He had a servant named Maria Garcia. She was from Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. in 1921.

Charles Monette

Submitted by: Lou Ann Knox {grand niece}

5a2b276a6f347 Charles Monette 1917

Charles Monette born around 1899, Charles Monette served in World War 1 with the the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1917.

Edward W Ryan

Submitted by: Kevin W Titus {grand nephew}

no photo 300

Edward W Ryan born around , Edward Ryan served in World War 1 with the the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

My. Grandfather's brother my Great Uncle Edward Winn Ryan was a Us Army soldier He was wounded and gassed several times was awarded the French Croix de Guerre I used to have many items of his war time. I do have a German messenger dog bell he gave me. I met him as. A young boy. I believe he died around 1974 0r 77. In Las Angeles Ca .He also won several. Purple Hearts. Love to know where he is buried today.

John Victor Kuivinen

Submitted by: Karen M. Herman {daughter}

no photo 300

John Victor Kuivinen born around 1893, John Kuivinen served in World War 1 with the the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

My Dad’s story can be found at the WWI Museum in KC where his photo can be found on the Wall of Honor as well as in the digitized documents of the Museum that has posted his notebooks. Karen Herman

Hollis Bean

Submitted by: Eric Bean great grandson

no photo 300

Hollis Bean born around 1888, Hollis Bean served in World War 1 with the the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1917

Burlington Free Press and Times: Friday, January 24, 1919

Vermonters in Thick of Fighting

Men from Green Mountain State in 58th and 59th Regiments of Infantry Which Bore Brunt of Many Battles for Four Months

While columns of publicity have been given some of the regiments from the big cities and the Marines for their fighting in France, some of the Vermont contingents weren’t one bit behind them. Among the regiments which had a share in the hard work is the 59th Infantry, made up to a good extent of Vermonters who volunteered before the draft went into effect about a year ago. This regiment was cut up so that it has been filled and refilled out of other outfits until hardly an officer of the original regiment remains.

Earl Sheehan is back on a month’s furlough with one eye destroyed, and Hollis Bean went dot to Camp Devens yesterday with a big shrapnel wound in his shoulder. These are only two from this vicninti8y who were shot and are back. A lot of the men who went away last February will never come back. There are probably few regiments in the United States service which suffered more than the 59th.

E. Reynold Thomas

Submitted by: Margaret Thomas Buchholz {daughter}

E. Reynold Thomas

E. Reynold Thomas served in World War 1 with the United States Marine Corps. The dates of service are: Known jan 1918 to early 1920.

My father, Corporal E. Reynold Thomas, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 4 November 1898. His maternal ancestors were Quaker and came to this country with William Penn. He enlisted in the Marines (serial # 305258) just after his 19th birthday on 4 January 1918. He left Atlantic City High School a semester before he would have graduated.

Thomas revered his grandfather, J. Warner Kinsey, who had served in the Civil War, and when he was a boy scout went with him to a memorial reunion at Gettysburg (1905).

After basic training at Parris Island he was sent to France in April 1918, and was assigned to the 55th Company, 2d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. He fought at Belleau Woods through the month of June and at Soissons 18 and 19 July.

It was after Belleau Woods that he wrote the letter to his mother telling how awful it was, “a living hell” – he was one of a small percentage of his battalion to survive. The battalion was at Les Mares Farm on 3 June where they stopped the Germans at the point closest to Paris the Germans would come in the war.

Norman E. McLeod

Submitted by: Rob McGregor

Norman E. McLeod

Norman E. McLeod served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known Jun 1916 - Jan 1919.

At just 16 years of age he joined the Plant City Rifles, Second Florida Regiment (National Guard) on 13 Jun 1916. Was mobilized on 19 June 1916 for service on the Mexican border. Returned to in late spring of 1917 after America's entry into the war and mobilized again as part of the 124th Infantry Regiment, 31st Division (known as the Dixie Division) and sent to Camp Wheeler, GA.

Norman chose to go to France sooner than the Dixie Division was scheduled to go and transferred to L Co, 103rd Infantry Regiment, 26th Division.

Norman's unit was part of the Aisne-Marne Campaign, advancing up the Marne salient and pushing into Belleau Wood, moving 10 miles from 18-25 July 1918. The Germans were heavily engaged in the use of mustard gas and heavy artillery along this front and the battles were furious and unrelenting.

Percy Keller Buzzell

Submitted by: Daniel Vaughan

Percy Keller Buzzell

Percy Keller Buzzell served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 28 May 1918 - 9 Jun 1919.

Private Percy Keller Buzzell was born in Searsmont, Maine on January 29, 1889. He was a farmer and also worked in a shoe factory. Percy signed up for the draft on June 5th 1917 In Waldo County, Maine at the age of 28.

He entered service with the U.S. Army on May 28th in Belfast, Maine. Percy was assigned as an Infantry man to Company M, 302nd Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division Nicknamed the Liberty Bell Division and also the Onaway Division. Under the Command of Maj. Gen. H. F. Hodges.

The 76th Infantry Division departed from the United States for France on June 5th 1918. Upon Arrival most of its troops were used as replacements for front line units. On October 2nd 1918, Private Buzzell was reassigned to Company L, 320th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division. Nicknamed the Blue Ridge Division. Maj. Gen. Adelbert Cronkhite Commanding.

Private Buzzell participated in the Meuse Argonne campaign. During the campaign the 80th Division was the only one that saw action during each phase of the offensive (three times). And they first earned their motto, "The 80th Division Moves only Forward!".

Rama Heirder Singh

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

no photo 300

Rama Heirder Singh served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Unknown .

Private Rama Heirder Singh was born in 1889 in Amishah or khalra, British India. He immigrated to the United States in May 1907 from Vancouver, Canada at age of 25. The U.S., Border Crossings from Canada list from this period recorded his race as East Indian and occupation as a laborer. Singh settled in Washington state.

By 1917, Singh was working as laborer at a saw mill and lived at Cosmopolis, Washington. He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 in Cosmopolis. Singh's draft card listed his race as Hindu(East Indian).

Private Singh was assigned to 166 Depot Brigade until his discharge. On July 31, 1918, while in the military, Singh applied for U.S. naturalization at Camp Kearny.