Harry Shankman
Submitted by: Ronald Miller
Harry Shankman served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 1917/1919.
Harry Shankman’s W.W.I. Service History
PFC Harry Shankman: Private First Class, E-2, Service #1390206
Member of Company "L" (4th Platoon) . . . of the 3rd Battalion . . . Of the 132 Infantry Regiment . . . of the 66th Brigade . . . of the 33rd "Prairie" Division.
The 33 DIVISION (The Prairie Division) was comprised of the troops from the Illinois National Guard. They trained at Camp Logan, TX then sailed for France in May 1918. The 33rd served with the Australians at the Amines sector, and was represented by units at Verdun and at the Meuse-Argonne. As a division, the 33rd Division spent 27 days in active sectors and 32 days in quiet sectors. It captured 3,987 prisoners-a record for a National Guard Division - and advanced 36 km (22 miles) against the enemy while sustaining 989 battle deaths & 6,266 wounded.
Most combat operations were either about 70 miles north of Paris, or about 135 east of Paris.
The 66th Brigade was reformed from the 1st and 2nd Illinois Regiments as part of the 33rd Division at Camp Logan, Texas, in 1917. The Brigade arrived in France aboard the Mt. Vernon at the port of Brest on May 24,1918 for service in World War I. They marched across France starting on May 26th and were within 30 miles of Metz, France when the war ended. Before the Armistice was signed the Brigade had fought at Hamel, Chippilly Ridge, Gussair Woods, the Somme Offensive, Verdun, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and St. Mihiel during their six months in battle. After a brief period serving as part of the Army of Occupation in Luxembourg, the Brigade returned to the United States and was mustered out of federal service in May 1919.