Stories of Service

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

Pfc Clarence Lee Culver

Submitted by: Matthew Culver

58be10950a9f9 ClarenceCulver

Pfc Clarence Lee Culver served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 23 June 1916 - 15 July 1918 (KIA).

Clarence volunteered for the Alabama National Guard on 23 June 1916 and served on the Mexican Border with the 4th Alabama Infantry. When war was declared on Germany he remained with the 4th, now renumbered the 167th US Infantry Regiment. He left for France with the unit and the rest of the 42nd Infantry from Camp Mills, NY on 1 September 1917.

A member of Company H, 2nd Battalion, Clarence went on to engage the German forces at Brouville, before the 42nd was sent to the defense of Paris at the request of the French command.

Clarence was killed 15 July 1918 at the second battle of the Marne, one of the worst engagements of the war and the 167th's first true taste of combat.

Emil Charles Zimmermann

Submitted by: Colonel (R) Emil Zimmermann {son}

no photo 300

Emil Charles Zimmermann served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known June 1917 to January 1919.

My Dad, Emil Zimmermann, was born in February 1900, and was under aged but tricked his Mother into signing the Enlistment by telling her it was a form he needed or school.

Emil entered the Aviation Branch of the Army Signal Corps.

1. His first day in the Army, on Long Island, NY, they were told to go to the stabled and fill their mattresses with straw, which they did. That night, Emil was selected for Guard Duty; still wearing civilian clothes.

The Corporal of the Guard took him to his Guard Post and told him that when the Officer of the Day (OD) came around to stand at attention, Salute, and report his Post as all secure (Emil though this was a ruse). Emil was sitting on a hay bail and this LT came up to him and said he was the OD. Emil did not stand at attention, salute or anything. The LT asked if the Corporal of the Guard had given him instructions on what to do when the OD came around. Emil repeated what the Corporal had instructed him to do. The LT asked why he did not carry out his instructions when the OD came around. His answer was "You maybe the Officer of the Day but this is night". SO BEGAN HIS MILITARY CAREER.

James A. Mitman

Submitted by: Roger Cook

58a3504faa80a JMitman WWI copy

James A. Mitman served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 9/1917 to 4/1919.

Enlisted as a cook in the Yankee Division (26th). Lived in Danville, Illinois. He was gassed during his service and spent the rest of his life in and out of Disabled Veterans Homes.

Charles Rosario Spano

Submitted by: Diana Spano {granddaughter}

Charles Rosario Spano mug

Charles Rosario Spano served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known June 13, 1916 to June 4, 1920.

Charles Rosario Spano, U.S. Army
Dates of service: June 13, 1916 to June 4, 1920
His Veteran’s Serial No. 1550833

With gratitude and in honor of my paternal grandfather, Charles Rosario Spano, I am posting the following details of his active duty service during World War l. The information is collected from original documents and copies in my possession, and from memories of conversation with my father, Vincent Rosario Spano (deceased), son of Charles, who also served in the US Army during World War II in Korea with the Counter Intelligence Corps. I am the oldest granddaughter, Diana Spano, and also a veteran having served in the US Regular Army during the Viet Nam Era.

Charles Rosario Spano was born in Italy (Sicily) on March 15, 1895, and served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, 2nd Cavalry, Troop 'B' under the command of General John J. Pershing. He was naturalized on March 12, 1920 and was honorably discharged on June 4, 1920. After the war, he settled in Philadelphia, PA, and lived at 717 Christian Street.

Emily Victoria Greer

Submitted by: Sonja N. Bohm (great grandaughter-in-law)

Emily Victoria Greer 300

Emily Victoria Greer served in World War 1 with the United States Navy. The dates of service are: Known 28 May 1918 to 31 July 1919.

My husband's great-grandmother Emily Victoria Greer (1895-1972) enrolled as Yeoman 3 Class on 28 May 1918, and served at the Navy Yard in NYC from 31 May 1918 until 11 November 1918. Her inactive duty date (as Yeoman 2 Class) was 31 July 1919.

George Henry Clark, Sr.

Submitted by: Laura Clark (granddaughter)

George center with 2 brothers circa 1930

George Henry Clark, Sr. served in World War 1 with the armed forces of another nation. The dates of service are: Known 8 March 1918-3 August 1918.

My grandfather was born in 1898 in Menahga Township, MN and served in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, stationed in Quebec. He served as a Hospital Orderly during his brief service. Pictured in center with two brothers.

Martin Ferdinand Maune

Submitted by: Douglas M. Frye (grandson)

MARTIN F. MAUNE SR 300 Martin Ferdinand Maune served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 4/4/1917- 4/29/1919.

PVT. MARTIN F. MAUNE

138th Infantry Regiment
35th Division

Grandpa Maune seemed to be an enigma whenever I encountered him in the 1970’s and 1980’s. With the centennial of the Great War approaching, I am now attempting to piece together his tale from the medals he received for service in such critical battles as the one near Cheppy, France to better understand the man.
His duty to serve was in his DNA. Grandpa's paternal grandfather, August Heinrich Wilhelm Maune, was born near Dissen, Kingdom of Hannover in 1838 and emigrated to the United States through Baltimore in 1840. His family settled in Union, Missouri, to farm land that August’s father, Jurgen “George” Heinrich Maune, had purchased two years earlier.

By 1858, August was seeking his own way in commerce in the big city of St. Louis. August progressively owned and operated several proprietorships throughout his career, selling beer, then groceries (specializing in cheese and butter), and then real estate. These small family businesses were located at 20th & Dodier, 25th & Dodier, and 22nd & University and involved his wife Mina, sons Leonard and Gustave, daughter Nellie and perhaps some grandchildren.

When Civil War broke out, August enlisted with the Union Army and performed guard duty around St. Louis during two three-month tours (1862 & 1864). His brothers and brothers-in-laws, who were also German immigrants, performed similar duty. On a foundation of such duty and industry undertaken by tens of thousands of newly minted Americans, St. Louis evolved to become the host of the 1904 World’s Fair and Summer Olympics, giving residents a certain hubris.

Louis Carlton Webster

Submitted by: Peggy Durack (granddaughter)

Louis Carlton Webster 300

Louis Carlton Webster served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known April 3, 1918 - June 7, 1919.

My grandfather was born and grew up on the farm that had been in his family for 200 years, the legacy of a Revolutionary War veteran who moved from Massachusetts to settle in Ontario County, NY. Grandpa graduated from Cornell University in 1915 with the degree Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and had begun his own veterinary practice when World War I began. When I learned that he served during the war, I believed that he was in the Army Veterinary Corps, but his service record tells a different story.

Known as "Carlton" (his middle name) to his sister, "L. C." (his initials) to some, most called my grandfather "Doc" Webster. He was 'Grandpa Doc' to me and 'Uncle Doc' to his nieces and nephews. Doc enlisted on April 3rd, 1918 and wrote two letters to the Clyde, NY Times which were published that April and explained his experiences getting to, and the induction process, at Camp Dix, NJ (now Fort Dix). They are light-hearted and express his readiness for "new adventures."

Daniel R. Warvel and his brother Ira W. Warvel

Submitted by: Lana Lease-Johnston (Granddaughter and WWI Centennial Commission Volunteer!)

58acf0b4b1f98 iraandgrandpa1917

Daniel R. Warvel and his brother Ira W. Warvel served in World War 1 with the the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 10-1917 through 5-19-1919.

My Grandfather Daniel R. Warvel (right) served with his younger brother Ira (left) in WWI. Daniel served in the 128th Infantry, Company M. He served with the Red Arrow Division in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, Oise-Aisne Offensive, and the Muese-Argonne Offensive. The Red Arrow Division was the division known to finally break the last stronghold of the German forces, causing their ultimate surrender.

Not much is known of my grandfather's brother, Ira but he did return home after the war. My grandfather's history is very well known to me as I have his daily journal and letters written home and this is how I got to know him. What follows is a short story of how I became interested in my grandfather.

Daniel Thomas Murie

Submitted by: Muriel Ellis Parrish

58ab5c689a22c IMG 2095 Murie WWI

Daniel Thomas Murie served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 26 Apr 1918 - 3 Jun 1919.

Daniel Thomas Murie aka Thomas Daniel Murie was a private in the 89th Inf Div, 177th Inf Brig, 354th Inf Reg, 3rd Inf Batt, Co I during combat and when the war ended he was a Corporal in Co C of the Army of the Occupation.

His enlistment record said he participated in the Lucey Sector engagement, St Mihiel Offensive, Euvezin Sector and Meuse Argonne Offensive. He knowledge was listed as mechanic, with excellent character and service remarks of honest and faithful with no AWOL or absence without leave.

He was gassed in the trenches while fighting Aug 7-8, 1918. He loved to tell war stories to Jack Ellis, his son in law and Robert Parrish the husband of his granddaughter. He wore tropical worsted wool pants and shirts from the army surplus stores the rest of his life. He said they kept you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. He always had Juicy Fruit gum to give to his grandchildren and a silver dollar was always a present on birthdays and at Christmas. He collected poems and had amassed a huge collection of them at his death.

He was born on 17 Feb 1893 in Sheridan, WY and died on 7 Nov 1975 in Reno, NV. He was married to Gladys Myrtle Jones on 9 Nov 1917 in Greeley, CO. He was one of 13 children born to John Murie, born in 1846 in Lanark, Scotland and Julia Kelly born in Clare County, Ireland. John Murie immigrated to America at the age of 6 weeks in 1846 with three other brothers under the age of four with his father, Peter Murie and mother Ann Allen. This family's contribution was significant to the opening of the west on the Overland Trails.

Martin Theodore Mathisen

Submitted by: Victoria L. Nilsen

Martin T Mathisen 300 Martin Theodore Mathisen served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 05/28/1918-06-05/1919.

Martin Theodore Mathisen was born 5 November 1889 in Brooklyn, New York to Norwegian immigrants Edvard Mathisen and Amalia Cathrine Pedersen. At the time of his draft registration in June 1917, the 28-year-old was working as an investigator for the New York Railways Company in Manhattan.

Family lore described Martin as deeply patriotic but someone who also felt a conscientious objection to war. “Religion” was cited as the reason for exemption from service on his June 1917 draft registration card. Despite this request, he received induction papers to report to duty on May 28th, 1918 at the Local Board Division #43 in Brooklyn.

Some accommodation may have been made for his convictions. After spending a few weeks at Camp Upton, New York where he received vaccinations and some drill training, he was sent to Camp Meade, Maryland where he and was assigned to the 313th Infantry, Co. K of the 157th Brigade and the 79th Division commanded by Major General Joseph E Kuhn. Shortly after this assignment he was transferred to the 313th Sanitary Detachment to provide first aid to the wounded.

Martin endeavored to keep the memories of his time in France alive by keeping notes about his daily life. He transferred those notes into diaries where he detailed his activities. He also compiled a scrap book containing more notes, post cards, and pictures which he ordered from the war photographer M.C. Sparks. This compilation of memories provides a glimpse of his experiences as a medic during the Meuse-Argonne offensive.