MARSON, Harry W. 1899-1918

MARSON

Posted By: Joe Conroy (email)
Date: 5/31/2010 at 16:22:18

Waterloo Times-Tribune
Waterloo, Iowa
11 Aug 1918
Page 7

Sergt. Marson Met Death In France, July 26

Message Received Yesterday Told of Death While In Action -- Was In Rainbow Division

Saw Service On The Border

First Sergt. Harry W. Marson was killed in action on July 26 according to a telegram yesterday by his mother, Mrs. E. T. Marson, 109 Jefferson street. He was a member of the same company in which Corporal Gordon Vaughn served and met his death on the same day as did Corp Vaughn. He was 19 years of age. He has lived in Waterloo all his life.

Sergt. Marson enlisted in the National Guards, Co. G. and saw service on the Mexican border. At the declaration of war with Germany he went to Fort Des Moines where he was made duty sergeant. Before sailing for France he was transferred to the Rainbow division and following three months service received the title of First Sergeant.

He was a student at West High before his enlistment in the army. While serving at Des Moines he gained considerable notoriety by posing for a picture with the commander of the G. A. R. The picture was printed on large posters and used everywhere for recruiting work. The poster was headed with the words, "Good-bye Son" and pictured an old veteran bidding farewell to the young soldier as he was about to go forth to do the same in 1918 as the old soldier did in '61.

Mrs. Marson stated yesterday that a letter had been received from her son every day during the past week. The last letter was dated July 12. In this letter Sergt. Marson said, "I am on the bloodiest battlefield." Srgt. Marson gave a description of the fighting and stated that he had been up all night watching the progress of the soldiers as they forced the Germans back. He spoke of the terrific fighting and of the death dealing fire of the forced guns which swept the battlefield.

In a recent letter Sergt. Marson made request for numerous articles to obtain which he had a signed order from his commanding officer. Mrs. Marson and relatives packed a box of candy, shaving soap, various toilet articles and comfort giving articles and mailed it to him. The package was mailed on Friday and the next day the official notice of his death was received.

Lieut. W. H. Durchdenwald, former West High military instructor at Camp Perry, Ohio, is an uncle of Sergt. Marson. Another uncle, John H. Durchdenwald, is in the navy and was on the U. S. S. President Lincoln when it was torpedoed.

Waterloo Evening Courier
Waterloo, Iowa
12 Aug 1918
Page 2

Mother Foresees Soldier's Death

Sergt. Harry Marson's Mother Convinced of Fact Before Message Comes.

When Mrs. E. T. Marson, 109 Jefferson street, heard Saturday morning that Corp. Gordon Vaughan had been killed in action, she burst into tears.

"Something tells me that I'll get a message today that Harry has been killed," she told her sister.

A few hours later her premonition became a reality. A telegraph messenger boy stopped in front of the house, drew out the yellow envelope and started up the walk.

"I knew it. I knew it." Mrs. Marson sobbed. Then she told her sister to open the message and read it.

The blunt message from the war department conveyed the information that Sergt. Harry Marson had been killed in action July 26, the date on which Corp Gordon Vaughan fell on the field of honor. Both probably died during the same engagement.

A Veteran at Nineteen.

Sergt. Marson was 19 years old. He was born in this city Dec. 26, 1899. He attended west high, but left school to join Company G when that organization went to the Mexican border. Returning home he went to Des Moines with his company when war was declared upon Germany and was among those transferred to the Rainbow division. Altho one of the youngest men in his company, Sergt. Marson soon distinguished himself and a few weeks ago was made a first sergeant. He had participated in some of the fiercest fighting on the western front during the campaign which is now hurling the Germans toward the Rhine.

It was only Friday that Mrs. Marson packed a box and sent it to her son in France. It contained two pounds of candy, some toilet articles and other things for which he had written.

The last letter received by Mrs. Marson from her son was dated July 12. It follows:

July Decisive Month.

"Here we are nearly half thru the month of July and we have accomplished some great things.

"I have spent some real rough nights of late as guns of all calibre keep firing at all hours and their report makes it practically impossible to sleep. The concussion of the big guns rolls a fellow all over the ground if he is lying down.

"We have a pair of boxing gloves given to us by the Red Cross and they sure do make us lots of sport. Hardly a day goes by but what we have some real live bouts. We also have baseballs and gloves but can only play catch. We also have wrestling matches. We can't have much sport now because we are too close to the front but hope to be back far enough soon so that we can have real baseball.

"I am sending you a complimentary letter, sent to every fellow in our division, by Gen. Duport, a French officer, who was in command of the sixth army corps. he sent out the letter in the form of a general order when our division was transferred to another sector."

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