Stories of Service

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

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.

Anthony McKinley Sletten

Submitted by: Mary Mayer {Great Niece}

Anthony McKinley Sletten born around 1896. Anthony Sletten served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Anthony McKinley Sletten was born on his father’s homestead near Parker South Dakota on February 16, 1898. He was the youngest child of Ingvold and Isabelle Sletten. He grew up both there and in Nebraska for a short time before the family moved to Canton South Dakota in 1906.

He attended high school in Canton and after graduation he enrolled at South Dakota State University in Brooking South Dakota in 1917. He studied Pharmacy and had dreams of becoming a Pharmacist. He finished his first year of college in May 1918.

He was in the second draft from Lake County South Dakota. He was sent to Camp Funston Detention Camp #1 in Missouri by May 5th, 1918. He was a Pvt. his tag # was 2846523 In the 70th Co. 164 Depot Brigade. May 1918 he was in Camp Mills Hampstead L.I. New York where he was in Co. K 355 Inf. 89th Division. waiting to be deployed over seas to France.

Orval J. Boggs

Submitted by: Laurie Button {He was killed alongside a soldier I’m connected to.}

Oral J Boggs Orval J. Boggs born around 1887. Orval Boggs 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

Cpl. Orval J. Boggs, Company L (2660977, Greenup, Illinois) was killed on Nov. 10th by an artillery shell as the 11th Infantry fought to liberate the village of Louppy-sur-Loison during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Five other American soldiers were killed by the same blast: Pvt. Thomas Wade also of Company L (3270565, Lake City, Arkansas); Pvt. Miles G. Goleman, Company L (2660865, Greenup, Illinois); Pvt. Walter Wave Miguel, Company L (3802505, Arnolds Park, Iowa); Cpl. Henry Wilson Company G (736096, Jacksboro, Tennessee); and Pvt. Sherman H. Turner Company G (400196, Knoxville, Tennessee).

Henry S. Wilson

Submitted by: Laurie Button {He was killed alongside a soldier I am connected to.}

Henry S Wilson born around 1894. Henry Wilson 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

Cpl. Henry A. Wilson, Company G (736096, Jacksboro, Tennessee) was killed on Nov. 10th by an artillery shell as the 11th Infantry fought to liberate the village of Louppy-sur-Loison during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Five other American soldiers were killed by the same blast: Pvt. Thomas Wade of Company L (3270565, Lake City, Arkansas); Pvt. Miles G. Goleman, Company L (2660865, Greenup, Illinois); Cpl. Orval Boggs, Company L (2660977, Greenup, Illinois); Pvt. Walter Wave Miguel, Company L (3802505, Arnolds Park, Iowa); and Pvt. Sherman H. Turner Company G (400196, Knoxville, Tennessee).

Thomas J. Wade

Submitted by: Laurie Button {He was killed alongside a soldier I am connected to.}

no photo 300 Thomas J Wade born around 1896. Thomas Wade 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

Thomas J. Wade of Company L (3270565, Lake City, Arkansas) was killed on Nov. 10th by an artillery shell as the 11th Infantry fought to liberate the village of Louppy-sur-Loison during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Five other American soldiers were killed by the same blast: Pvt. Walter Wave Miguel, Company L (3802505, Arnolds Park, Iowa); Pvt. Sherman H. Turner, Company G (4001996, Knoxville, Tennessee); Pvt. Miles G. Goleman, Company L (2660865, Greenup, Illinois); Cpl. Orval Boggs, Company L (2660977, Greenup, Illinois); and Cpl. Henry Wilson Company G (736096, Jacksboro, Tennessee).

They were initially buried where they fell but were reinterred next to each other at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery June 18, 1919. All six were repatriated and sailed back to the United States together on the U.S.A.T. Wheaton. The ship left Antwerp Sept. 21, 1921.

Miles Golden Goleman

Submitted by: Laurie Button (He was killed alongside a soldier I am connected to.)

Miles Golden Goleman born around 1891. Miles Goleman 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

Pvt. Miles G. Goldman, Company L (2660865, Knoxville, Tennessee) was killed on Nov. 10th by an artillery shell as the 11th Infantry fought to liberate the village of Louppy-sur-Loison during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Five other American soldiers were killed by the same blast: Pvt. Thomas Wade of Company L (3270565, Lake City, Arkansas); Pvt. Walter Wave Miguel, Company L (3802505, Arnolds Park, Iowa); Cpl. Orval Boggs, Company L (2660977, Greenup, Illinois); and Cpl. Henry Wilson Company G (736096, Jacksboro, Tennessee).

Sherman Harrison Turner

Submitted by: Laurie Button {He was killed with a soldier I am connected with.}

Sherman Harrison Turner born around 1894. Sherman Turner 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

Sherman Harrison Turner was killed on Nov. 10, 1918 by an artillery shell as the 11th Infantry fought to liberate the village of Louppy-sur-Loison during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Five other American soldiers were killed by the same blast: Pvt. Thomas Wade ofCompany L (3270565—Lake City, Arkansas); Pvt. Miles G. Goleman, Company L (2660865, Greenup, Illinois); Cpl. Orval Boggs, Company L (2660977, Greenup, Illinois); Cpl. Henry Wilson Company G (736096, Jacksboro, Tennessee); and Pvt. Walter Wave Miguel Company L (3802505, Arnolds Park, Iowa).

Sinclair Gurnee Stewart

Submitted by: Andrea Aven {Granddaughter}

Sinclair Curnee Stewart mug Sinclair Gurnee Stewart born around 1893. Sinclair Stewart served in World War 1 with the United States Navy. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

Although born in Atlanta, Georgia, Sinclair Stewart's home town was Nyack, Rockland County, New York. First enlisted on 26 May 1916 with the New York National Guard (2nd Division, 1st Battalion), Stewart was in the U.S. Navy in World War I.

Serving from 6 April 1917 to 11 November 1918, he served as a seaman on the USS Ohio (BB-12), a training ship based at Norfolk, Virginia. He also served on the USS Prairie, a destroyer tender in home waters.

Stewart's final rank upon discharge was Quartermaster, 2nd Class.

Walter Wave Miguel

Submitted by: Laurie Button {Have been researching him for 30 years - it’s a long button wonderful story.}

Walter Wave Miguel born around 1887. Walter Miguel 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

Walter Wave Miguel (3802505) was born to Henry and Nellie Miguel in Arnolds Park, Iowa on Oct. 5, 1887. He was drafted and called into service July 22, 1918.

Wave received his training at Camp Pike near Little Rock, Arkansas before sailing for France on the Katoomba from the Port of New York Sept. 1, 1918. He was originally assigned to Company H of the 330th Infantry, but was transferred to the 5th Division’s 11th Infantry, Company L in mid-to-late October 1918.