Benjamin R. "Ray" Carlson

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Military Service
War: WWI
Regiment: 146th Field Artillery Regiment, 41st Division
Entered Service From: Oregon
Rank: Private

Personal Details
Born:
Died: 19 July 1918
Parents: Alfred and Mary Emma (Pepperman) (later Mrs. Joe King) Carlson

Buried: Aisne-Marne American Cemetery
Cimetière Américain
02400
Belleau
France

Boy Dies In Service

Ray Carlson of Grundy Center Killed

Ray Carlson, son of Mrs. Joe King of Grundy Center, was killed July 19th by the explosion of a machine gun. Ray for some time conducted the barber shop now operated by Charles Martin and is well known here and has many friends in Grundy Center. Some months ago he went out to California and enlisted in the U.S. service in 1917 out on the Pacific coast. He was thirty years old. He has a step-brother, Earl, in the service.

--The Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 August 1918, pg 1

The union memorial services, held on the court house lawn Sunday evening, were largely attended. It was called to do honor to Ray Carlson. Rev. Dilman Smith delivered the sermon and took occasion to call attention to the smallness of the sacrifices we are called upon to make in the war compared to what the boys who fight are called upon to give.

--The Grundy County Dispatch (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 August 1918, pg 5

Carlson Enlisted in Oregon

A copy of the Daily East Oregonian, published at Pendleton, Oregon, of the date of August 13th, has been left at the Republican office by a friend. It contains a good likeness of Ray Carlson, who was killed in France, July 16th.

The paper says in part: "Benjamin Ray Carlson is the first member of troop D that left Pendleton last year to be reported in the casualty lists. A letter received today by the First National Bank from the Grundy County National Bank of Grundy Center, Iowa, tells the news of his being killed in action in France, July 16th. His mother, who lives at that place, desires to learn something of his effects that may have been left in Pendleton, also any friends he may have had here.

"It has been learned that Carlson when he left here left a trunk and suit case with Penland Brothers, and beyond this very little can be learned about him. He is said to have been quite friendly with H. F. Stoner, one of troop D, and it is thought he is a young man that worked as a barber for a time at the Eagle Baths on Main street."

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 August 1918, pg 1

Soldier Boy Writes Of Death of Ray Carlson

Mrs. Joe King received the following letter from Miss Kopittke, Pendleton, Oregon:

Dear Miss Kopittke

Battery E, 146 Field Artillery

October 5th, 1918

Your letter of September 9th, received yesterday and I am glad to know that the little service I have been has been of comfort to you.

Ray was one of our popular men in this Battery and was well liked by officers and men. I personally saw to his burial and was the only one able to get off and go to his last resting place. The Chaplin read the service after I had draped the coffin with our beautiful American flag. He rests in Grave No. 30, American Sectional Cemetery at Bezu-Le-Guery.

His personal effects consisting of a trunk was turned over to 2nd Lieut. R. M. Winbourne, Q.M.C., Officer in charge of Effects Dept. Base Section No. 1, France, Sept. 9, 1918. His diamond ring was turned over by me to Captain Fred C. LeMesurier Q.M.C.N.A., Hq. 1st Army Corps, July 20, 1918. In due time maybe in three or four months his mother, Mrs. King will receive these things together with any back pay due soldiers at the time of his death.

I would tell you in detail all about Ray, but you know we can say so little. We can give out no military information until the war is over. This little information I am giving you can do no harm to our country that is certain. I may get bumped off myself any old time and since I am better posted and know more about this sad matter, I am writing the little I can tell.

Have had to stop three times since starting this letter and put out my candle on account of the enemy's airplanes flying over us and dropping bombs. "War is Hell" as General Sherman of our Civil War once said. All us Americans know and feel that we shall win out in the end and what is left of us will come home to be useful and happy citizens. We will all be better men for going through what we have. Us men over here also know that the woman of America are doing their no small part in winning the war. God bless them.

In two more months our Battery has been over here a year, we are ready to stay ten if needed; but all the same we hope to come home soon.

I wish to thank you for your kind offer "to do anything you could for me in any way." We need very little outside the good wishes of the people at home. If you should care to drop me a line once in a while, I would appreciate it. I like to receive letters, but I have been here so long that no one writes me but mother.

Yours sincerely,
Harry C. Logan

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 5 December 1918, pg 8

Ray Carlson Killed Instantly

Mrs. King Receives Letter Describing Her Son's Death

Mrs. Emma King, of this city, has received the following splendid letter from a comrade of Ray Carlson which gives some particulars of Ray's death on the battle field of France. That Ray died every inch a true and loyal soldier, fighting for the cause of humanity and his country is depicted in the letter from a comrade who was near him when he fell and who has nothing but words of praise to say of Ray's record as a soldier, and thru the kindness of Mrs. King we are permitted to publish below the letter in full, together with some touching verses written by Ray's comrades in battle in his honor.

Battery D 118th F. A.
A. E. F.
21 January 1919

Mrs. Emma King

My Dear Mrs. King,

It is with deep regret that I write you this letter which I feel may be of some comfort to you in learning something about the circumstances surrounding the death of your son, Ray Carlson. He and I were bosom friends before enlisting in Troop "D" 1st Sep. Sqn. Ore. Cav., and at the time of his death I was within a few kilometers of his regiment which was actively engaged on the front at the time.

His grave is located in the beautiful valley of the Marne, a few kilometers to the right of Chateau Thierry, and you may be consoled to know that he was with loving and admiring comrades until the end. If I ever return to France and have the opportunity I will take a picture of the grave and send you one of them.

As I remember him when we first met in Washington, where he was working he was popular and loved for his charming manner and bright sparkling mentality by all that knew him.

At the time he was killed, he was number two man in a gun section. His duties were to insert the primer and fire the piece. On account of the rapid fire which they were doing the gun became very hot and in some manner or other while he was inserting the primer holder standing at the breech of the gun the shell exploded blowing the breech block off which struck him, killing him instantly.

I trust you have received his personal belongings and will feel a just pride in that your son paid the supreme sacrifice for the cause we value highest.

Second Battle of the Marne

On the road out of Chateau Thierry
By the hill where we halted the Hun.
Near suicide land and death valley
Where the Boche retreat was begun.
There's an acre of crude little crosses,
Where we buried young Pvt. Carlson,
And a host of his comrade crusaders
Whose names we may never know.
Some day that road will be teeming,
with Pilgrims who ventured to go
To humanities holy of holies
On the road by the Bois de Belliau.
Some will be looking for brother,
Others for father or son
Some will be looking for sweetheart
Or comrade who stayed by the gun.
God grant that they come in the sunshine,
While the spring flowers bloom on their grave,
And may they be proud of our comrades,
And glad for the gift that they gave.

The above poem was written by members of the 66th Field Artillery Brigade in remembrance of their comrade, B. R. Carlson, who gave up his life on the Field of Honor.

Extending to you my deepest heartfelt sympathy, I am

Sincerely yours,
Pvt. Harold F. Stoner
Amer. E. F.
Army of Occupation

Source: The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 20 February 1919, pg 1