Thomas William Butterbaugh

Submitted by: Raymond W Schaffranek

Thomas William Butterbaugh served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known July 22, 1918 - November 11, 1918.

 

Thomas William Butterbaugh, the first son of William and Mary (Nagle) Butterbaugh (aka Booterbaugh), was born on December 23, 1894, in Mark Hanna, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. He was working in a coal mine at age 15.

At age 22, he was single, living in Lilly, Cambria Co, PA, and working as a coal miner in Cassandra, PA, when he registered for the military service draft on June 5, 1917.

On July 22, 1918, he was inducted into the US Army at South Fork, PA, and sent to Camp Lee, VA, for training. He served as a Private with the American Expeditionary Forces from September 8, 1918 to November 11, 1918.

On September 8, 1918, he sailed overseas out of Newport News, VA, as part of the 69th Provisional Company August Replacement Draft on the USS Madawaska, which was originally the German steamship Konig Wilhelm II.

He served in Company A of the 162th Infantry Regiment from September 30, 1918, to October 22, 1918, and then in Company F of the 9th Infantry Regiment till his death which is recorded as November 11, 1918.

Military records indicate he was either killed in action or died of wounds received while in action in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive near Verdun, France. Sometime after the war ended his body was returned to Lilly, PA, for burial in Saint Brigid Cemetery.

His younger brother Paul also served with the American Expeditionary Forces in Camp Hospital #33 at Camp Pontanezen in Brest, France, from October 1, 1918, to November 6, 1919. His Grandfather, Samuel Butterbaugh, served in the Civil War as a Pennsylvania volunteer in the Army of the Potomac with the 125th Infantry Regiment at the Battles of Antietam and Chancellorsville and then with the 208th Infantry Regiment in the siege of Petersburg and in the Appomattox Campaign.

God bless all those veterans who fought and continue to fight to protect and preserve our freedom. God bless Thomas William Butterbaugh and all those servicemen who gave their all and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. May they rest in peace.