Joseph H Masterson
Submitted by: Steve Masterson {Great nephew}
Joseph H Masterson born around 1894. Joseph Masterson 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
Joseph was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1894. His father, Michael, was apparently doing well as an “Assurance Superintendent” (an inspector for a commercial lines insurance company) and was able to house his growing family in a nice townhouse with a maid. In 1901, 7 year old Joseph moved with his family to an apartment on 85th St. in Manhattan. Michael’s fortunes apparently went downhill after he arrived in New York, so he moved the family to upper 8th Ave in Harlem. In 1910, Joseph’s mother, Jane, fell ill with tuberculosis. During this time, Joseph took off to California – he was 16 years old. His siblings ended up living with oldest sister Helen (Nellie) Hefferman and her husband, except for William (my grandfather), who ended up at Father Drumgool’s Home for Boys for a time.
Joseph enlisted in the California National Guard on May 20, 1917, in Hanford, California, and was assigned to Company M of the Guard’s 2nd Infantry Regiment. The 2nd Infantry had already been called into Federal service in contemplation of the War. He was sent to Fort Mason in San Francisco (now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area) to join Company M.