Stories of Service

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

Larry Dean Donbeck

Submitted by: Madonna Jervis Wise community member

no photo 300 Larry Dean Donbeck born around 16 January 1897, Larry Donbeck served in World War 1 with the the United States Navy . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Lovely article in local newspaper..."The Delphi Journal," Delphi, Indiana, November 7, 1918

LARRY DONBECK WRITES FROM THE FRONT

Somewhere in France, October 7, 1918

My Dearest Sister,

I must write you now, for it has been so long since I have written to you. I expect you are wondering just what your big brother is doing. Well, he has been very busy for the last three weeks. You see I was in the drive! We drove the Germans away back. They retreated at first without showing much opposition. Many prisoners were taken. We captured a big bunch the first day of the attack. They were mostly older men and boys. It sure looked good as we went into action to pass big lines of these prisoners on their way back to the camp.

Peter J. Ebels

Submitted by: Tom Ebels {Great Grandson}

no photo 300 Peter J. Ebels was born around 1899. Peter Ebels 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

First Enlisted in Service March 27, 1917 in Michigan National Guard Co. M 32nd Michigan Infantry. Was discharged on July 31, 1917 for underweight (126 lbs. 68 in).
Re-enlisted August 1 (next day) 1917, and served until April 19, 1919. Made necessary weight by eating 1 dozen bananas and drinking 2 quarts of water.

Went overseas with my Company but came back with Demobilization Co. Was overseas February 19, 1918-March 27, 1919.

Willie Edwin Mutz

Submitted by: Robert {Grandson}

Willie Edwin Mutz born around 1899, Willie Mutz served in World War 1 with the the United States Navy . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Was only 6 years old when my Grandfather passed away. From what I learned: He was on a ship that provided convoy security from the East Coast to the UK.

Pictures below.

Fred Himmelberger

Submitted by: Wayne Pieper {Grandson}

Fred Himmelberger image

Fred Himmelberger born around 1897. Fred Himmelberger served in World War 1 with the United States Marine Corps. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

Applied for enlistment Feb. 25, 1917 at New York, NY. Commissioned Corporal May 1, 1918. US Marine Corp. 51st Co., 5th Regiment, 2nd Division AEF.

Served in France from June 27, 1917 to Sept. 15, 1918. France: Verdun Section March 17 to May 5, 1918. Bois de Belleau, Chateau-Thierry Section June 1 to June 6, 1918.

Awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French Government and a Bronze Star for the US Government for courage and bravery displayed in carrying his wounded comrades to the rear under a violent bombardment. Was wounded in action on June 6, 1918 and awarded the Purple Heart.

Arrived back in the U.S. on Sept. 30, 1918. Discharged Feb. 26, 1919.

Louis Z. Daris

Submitted by: Charles L. Daris {Son}

no photo 300

Louis Z. Daris born around 1895. Louis Daris 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

Enlisted, boot camp in Syracuse, training in Camp Green N.C., attached to 4th Div. 47th Inf. Combat in St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne. Served in Army of Occupation in Germany. Sergeant.

Writing the memoirs of his participation in the American Expeditionary Forces twelve years after the end of the First World War, my father proudly declared that the time he was in uniform was “the greatest experience of my life.” Reading them, one can sense that he relished every minute of it, including terrifying moments in combat or coping with mind-numbing mud whether in the trenches or on his never-ending marches. But he never lost his sense of humor. The ubiquitous mud and frequent rain often prompted him and his buddies to remark with no little irony, “sunny France!”

He served in the 4th Division, 47th Infantry, Company A. Throughout his service he wrote copious notes in the small diaries he kept with him. These treasured memories made it possible for him to narrate his adventures in detail years later. He also researched the origins of the U.S. participation in the war and the history of his own regiment and incorporated his findings into his memoirs.

Jaget Singh

Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo

no photo 300

Jaget Singh 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

Private Jaget Singh was born about 1889 in British India. Prior to 1918,Singh immigrated to the United States and settled in Tacoma, Washington.

Private Singh was inducted into the U.S. Army in Imperial County, California on October 10, 1918. He was assigned to the 166 Depot Brigade at Camp Lewis, Washington until his discharge. He did not serve overseas.

Singh was honorably discharged on December 9, 1918.

Ruben Hudlow

Submitted by: Don Pischner {Friend}

no photo 300 Ruben Hudlow born around 1887, Ruben Hudlow served in World War 1 with the the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Ruben Hudlow 77th Div 308th Inf Co A Survivor of "Lost Battalion." Joined Army and served with lifelong friend Irvin Pischner. I knew them both.

Joined in June 1918 with friend Irvin G. Pischner. Each assigned to 77th Div 308 Inf Co M and Co A respectively. Ruby Hudlow survivor of "Lost Battalion." I knew them both in my youth.

Ruben Hudlow and Irvin G. Pischner were WWI Veterans. They were U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 77th DIvision - 308th Infantry, Companies M and A, respectively. I knew them both -- Irvin, my dad, and Ruben, his friend, a survivor of the "Lost Battalion."

In my youth, during my time with them, some two decades after their Army discharge, I now recall very little discussion of the "forgotten war." My dad told few stories. Ruby only explained that his missing finger resulted from a wartime gunshot. I wish that I would have been more inquisitive.

Irvin G Pischner

Submitted by: Don Pischner {Son}

Irvin G Pischner

Irvin G Pischner born around 1893. Irvin Pischner 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

Joined in June 1918 with friend Ruby Hudlow. Each assigned to 77th Div 308 Inf Co M and Co A respectively. Ruby Hudlow survivor of "Lost Battalion." I knew them both in my youth.

Irvin G. Pischner and Ruben Hudlow were WWI Veterans. They were U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 77th DIvision - 308th Infantry, Companies M and A, respectively. I knew them both -- Irvin, my dad, and Ruben, his friend, a survivor of the "Lost Battalion."

They grew up together in Northern Idaho, signed up together in June 1918 for military duty, trained together at Camps Lewis, Kearney, and Upton. They Joined New York's finest -- the Liberty Division -- DOughboys identified by the Statue of Liberty insignia. Each served in France's Argonne-Meuse, after which they returned home to Idaho to enjoy long, healthy lives.

Robert (Harold) Harold Cromie

Submitted by: James H Keil {grand nephew}

no photo 300 Robert (Harold) Harold Cromie born around 1892. Robert (Harold) Cromie served in World War 1 with the a non-government service organization. The enlistment was in 1914 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

Robert Harold Cromie was born in New Castle, Lawrence, PA, USA, to Robert and Anna Beck Cromie. He worked in the tin mill in New Castle, along with his father and brothers. In August of 1914, he is listed in a New Castle News story as having been stationed at Fort Totten in NY with Coastal Defenses. We have been able to find no official record of this service.

His obituary also indicates he enlisted with Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1914 and served four years in France, followed by one year in occupied Germany. This seems to follow family history, which also adds that he was gassed in the trenches, and suffered permanent nerve damage, which causes one half of his body to sweat profusely, while the other was completely dry.

Morris Polsky

Submitted by: James Taub {Great-Great-Nephew}

Morris Polsky image

Morris Polsky was born around 1885. Morris Polsky 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

Morris Polsky was born in Lincoln, Nebraska sometime in the 1880s. His parents were Eastern European Jews who had immigrated only a few years previously. Morris enlisted in the United States Army on May 5th, 1917. By May 7th he was at Fort Logan near Denver, and by the 16th was at Fort Scott in San Francisco. Finally, on the 22nd of June he found himself at Fort Bliss near El Paso, Texas, where he completed his training as an artilleryman. He proved so proficient that by the 17th of September, he was appointed Sergeant. His was assigned then, as an NCO, to the 18th Field Artillery Regiment. Morris had no previous military experience.

The fact that he was so rapidly promoted shows us that the Army’s command structure was not prepared for the great influx of men into the military after war was declared. As in Morris’ case, it had to be rapidly expanded.

Harriet Louise Carfrae

Submitted by: Mary Rohrer Dexter

no photo 300

Harriet Louise Carfrae served in World War 1 with the Red Cross. The dates of service are: Known 5/1917-5/1920.

Story of Service

Born Ninety miles south of Lake Erie at Norwalk, Ohio on January 10, 1879 to immigrant parents, Harriett Louise Carfrae moved west with her family to Miami County, Indiana before her first birthday. Her father, James, was Scottish and worked as a boilermaker for the railroad. Her mother, Margaret Dillon Carfrae, was Irish, but arrived in the United States by immigrating first to Canada. Harriett had curly, dark hair, light eyes and wore round wire glasses. It can be guessed that she was not very tall from the average size of others with the same nationality of her parents.

When she was 18, Harriett was part of the leadership of a Christian youth organization named, The Christian Endeavor, which was involved in the temperance movement. She was known as Hattie by her friends. When she turned 21, she moved to St Louis in order to attend the Baptist Sanitarium Hospital School of Nursing. She graduated with 17 other women in 1903. The school of nursing was a two-year program which enrolled its first students in 1895, indicating Harriet was part of the school’s seventh graduating class. At some point, the nursing school expanded to a three-year program.