Stories of Service

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

Private Minoo Phiroze

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

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Private Minoo Phiroze served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known March 22, 1917 to June 4, 1920.

Private Minoo Phiroze was born March 5, 1892 in Bombay, British India. He immigrated to the United States in 1916.

He enlisted into the United States military on March 22, 1917. at Fort Slocum, New York. He was then assigned to Training I 11th Calvary until June 21, 1917. Then he was assigned to Training I 23rd Calvary until August 1, 1917.

The U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger List from November 2, 1918 recored Private Phiroze leaving from the of New York with the Battery E 81st Field Artillery on the ship Aquitania. However, his name was crossed out with what appears to be the words, "Bld Corp Spies". The list also recored his next of kin, John Mose, who lived at 3rd Ave YMCA, New York.

His next assignment was Battery E 23rd 23rd Calvary(Battery E 81 Field Artillery) until February 8, 1918. Training H 4 Calvary was Phiroze's next assignment until l February 21,1918. His late assignment was HQ Training 4 Calvary till March 22, 1920.

Private Bivuty Vushon Mukerji

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

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Private Bivuty Vushon Mukerji served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known April 3, 1918 to May 1, 1918.

Private Bivuty Vushon Mukerji was born about 1892 or 1893 in Calcutta, British India. Mukerji completed medical studies at the Glasgow University in Scotland on October 18, 1910. He immigrated to the U.S. prior to 1918 and settled in New York City. He lived at 415 W 22 St in Manhattan.

By 1917, Mukerji had his first papers and registered for the draft on June 5. Mukerji's draft card listed his race as Caucasian (White).

On April 3, 1918, Mukerji was inducted into the U.S. military at age of 26 or 27. He was assigned to the 152 Depot Brigade at Camp Upton in Long Island, New York. His New York military service abstract recorded that he served with the brigade until discharge and did not serve overseas.

Joseph Miller Duff, Jr.

Submitted by: Andrew Capets (Author of "Good War, Great Men")

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Joseph Miller Duff Jr. born around 1889, Joseph Duff served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1918

Joseph "Joe" Miller Duff Jr. was destined to lead men. Unfortunately, like so many brilliant young men of their time, his life was cut short in the killing fields of the Meusue-Argonne. Duff was an Ivy League graduate, the Head Football Coach for the University of Pittsburgh, an attorney for the Allegheny County Bar in Pittsburgh, and a World War I machine gunner.

Joe Duff was an American hero. Despite being rejected by the Army on three different occasions for medical reasons, Duff was determined to serve his country and was eventually able to convince the local draft board to overlook his vision problems.

Duff was a 1912 graduate of Princeton University. As a standout player on their varsity football team, he was named a 1911 ‘All-American’ and proclaimed to be one of the ‘greatest guards in football history’ according to a 1913 Pittsburgh Press newspaper article.

After graduation he was asked to stay on at Princeton to serves as an assistant football coach. The following year he received an offer to become head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Duff delivered two winning seasons for Pittsburgh in 1913 and 1914. Following the 1914 season, Pitt found an opportunity to hire legendary coach Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner. Coach Warner helped Pitt win the College Football National Championship in 1915.

That same year, Duff obtained his Law Degree from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to work in his brother James Duff's law firm.

Fazal Khan

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

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Fazal Khan served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known May 27, 1917- July 23, 1919.

Private Fazal Khan was born on November 26, 1884 in Lodarmang,Hazara District North-West Frontier Province British India to Ameir Khan and Samnur. He immigrated to the United States in 1906 or 1907 and settled in Boston, Massachusetts.

By 1920, Khan was married to Mabel (Smith) Khan and was naturalized. Mabel was born in New Jersey. According to her 1920 federal census, she worked as dressmaker at home. Her 1900 , 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal censuses recorded her race as black. She was listed as white in her 1940 federal census. The Massachusetts Marriage Index listed Mabel's and Fazal's marraiage year as 1930. Khan's 1920 federal census recorded his race as Hindu (East Indian) and native tongue as Hindustani.

Matthias Popish

Submitted by: Raymond W Schaffranek

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Matthias Popish born around 1896, Matthias Popish served in World War 1 with the the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918

Matthias Popish was born on May 14, 1896, in the township of Portage, a coal mining town in the central Allegheny Mountains of western Pennsylvania. His father, Michael Popish, and mother, Mary Kostan, were immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire who arrived in the United States in the early 1880s. They ultimately purchased and settled on a farm in the German community known locally as Dutch Settlement (Dutch being a misnomer for Deutsch) in Portage Township where they raised four sons and four daughters.

At age 21, their son Mathias was single, living with his parents, and working in a coal mine in Portage, PA, when he registered for the military service draft on June 5, 1917. On his World War I draft registration card, Matthias was described as being of medium height and build with blue eyes and light brown hair.

Dytiari R. Singh

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

no photo 300 Dytiari R. Singh served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known July 25, 1918 to February 5, 1919.

Private Dytiari R. Singh was born in Calcutta, British East India on May 4, 1896 to Tadan Singh and Kointa Podhan. He immigrated to the United States in 1914 and settled in Brooklyn, New York City.

Singh registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 in in Brooklyn. His draft card listed his race as white, marital status as married, and served in the British cavalry with the rank of private prior to his arrival to the U.S. The exact time he served with the cavalry could not be deciphered on the draft card.

Private Dytiari R. Singh was inducted into the U.S. military on July 25, 1918 at LB 25 New York, New York. He was assigned to 152 Depot Brigade at Camp Upton in Long Island, New York until August 26, 1918. Then he was assigned to ordinance training camp at Camp Hancock near Augusta, Georgia until October 1, 1918.

Harnam Singh

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

no photo 300 Harnam Singh served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known April 22, 1918- June 26, 1919.

Corporal Harnam Singh was born around 1888 or 1889 in British India. He immigrated to the United States prior to 1918 and settled in Manhattan, New York City. Singh lived at 272 W 36 Street.

He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 in New York City and at the time was unemployed. His draft card listed his race as Caucasian.

Singh was inducted in the U.S. Army on April 22, 1918 in New York City.

Corporal Singh served domestically only. His New York military service abstract listed his race as white. He was stationed at Camp Johnson in Florida until June 27, 1918. Singh was then assigned to the quartermasters school of fire at Fort Sill in Oklahoma until October 28, 1918.

Vishvanath Narayan Banawalker

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

no photo 300 Vishvanath Narayan Banawalker served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known September 6, 1918- Januray 21, 1919.

Vishvanath Narayan Banawalker was born on July 21, 1892 in Vengurla, British India. He arrived to the New York City from Liverpool, England in September 1915 on the ship Mauretania a age of 21. His New York passenger list noted his race as Hindu (East Indian) .Banawalker settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts after his arrival to the U.S and found work as a machinist.

On June 5, 1917, Banawalker registered for the draft in Cambridge. His draft card listed his race as Malayan (Malaysian). The bottom left hand corner of the card was ripped off, which was done if a person was black.

Vishvanath Narayan Banawalker entered military service on September 6, 1918. He served in the Motor Transport Corps and was honorable discharged on Januray 21, 1919. He did not serve overseas.

Willis Lewis Burnworth

Submitted by: Peter Stassen

Willis Lewis Burnworth served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known May 30 1917 - November 1 1918.

Willis Lewis Burnworth was born June 6th, 1891 at Bremen, Fairfield County, Ohio as son of Alderman Burnworth and Lavina Householder.

He was 5'7" tall, had light brown hair and had four brothers and four sisters. Goldie May and Charles Elliot were older than him. The others: Ira Newton, Edgar Wayne, Nellie, Margaret, Viola and Teddy were younger.

After he finished his education at the public schools of Rushcreek Township and Bremen High School, he became a farmer.

Willis entered service (ASN: 1518883) at Bremen on May 30th, 1917 with the Ohio National Guard. He got his basic training with Company D of the 7th Infantry Regiment at Pleasantville, Ohio. On July 15, 1917 this regiment was recalled to federal service. It was now re-designated the 145th Infantry Regiment, and assigned as one of the components of the 37th Division. Willis became a member of Company H.

Henry Zeller

Submitted by: Wanda Zeller Peterson {granddaughter}

Henry Zeller served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known August 28, 1918 to January 27, 1919..

My Grandfather Henry Zeller was in the United States Army, his service number (SN) was: 4 706 169.

His dates of service: He was inducted at Carson, ND on August 28, 1918 and sent to Camp Lewis, WA. He served in the 166th Depot Brigade to September 6, 1918; Company H, 76th Infantry to discharge on January 27, 1919 at Camp Lewis, WA. He was only in for 5 months. He was a Private First Class.

He was born in the United States of parents who were Germans from Russia. He was very proud of his German Heritage and very proud to have served in the US Army. Decorations and Awards per the National Archives and Records Administration: WWI Victory Medal and WWI Victory Button (Bronze).

Lee A. Dunham

Submitted by: William H. Dunham {son}

Lee A Dunham

Lee A. Dunham served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 07/24/1917 - 03/23/1919.

My father, Lee Dunham, was a member of the Ohio National Guard and served in the 37th “Buckeye” Division, 148th infantry, in the First World War. He fought with the 37th Division in the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne in September 1918, and was transferred to Eyne, Belgium in the Ypres-Lys sector near the end of the war.

After the war, Lee returned to Ohio where he worked as a barber. One day, when I was about 10 years old, I was in the barber shop waiting to get my hair cut. I was snooping through the drawers of the back counter of the ship and came across some medals -- a Purple Heart and a Silver Star!

As I remember, this is what he told me about how he got the medals: