During World War I
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Muscatine County, Iowa During World War I | |
Submitted by Eleanor B. McCleary
April 8, 2001
Source: Muscatine Journal & News Tribune, 16 Nov 1918
Special Section on Muscatine County Sons in Service in WW ITwenty-Five Muscatine County Men Make Supreme Sacrifice MUSCATINE COUNTY ROLL OF HONOR
"To you from falling hands we throw
Died in the Service
the torch. Be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppier grow
In Flanders field." - McCrae.
Lieut. Col. Clarkson R. Elliott Elmer C. Tollfsen Lieut. John Farnsworth Fred Olin- *(not listed on supreme sacrifice list) Ed (Edward H.) Bitzer George W. Foster Walter Becker Stuart Lloyd Gravatt Gus Chimpanes James P. O'Toole Arthur Nagel Bryan Barber (James) Dell Raver Charles Abbott Charles Tough William Fred Danz Henry F. Krone (Crone)* George Perl Morris Gerald E. Mull Clyde E. Pickens Frank M. Fisher Joseph W. Roelle Earl C. Hobert Miss Ella Noring *Death still uncomfirmed. Miss Elsie Davis There is a plaque, in the stairway of the Muscatine County Courthouse, with names of those from Muscatine county who made the supreme scrifice.
The names below were not mentioned in the newspaper article.
Henry Angel Guy Melvin Blake Edward J. Boitscha George Brandt Leland J. Caide Leonard Carter Frank M. Fisher Geo. W. Foster Earl C. Freyermuth Ledru H. Hendrix Clarence Hysinger Leonard James J. Harold Kemble George V. Loney Albert A. Marticke Thomas Murphy Mark O'Haver Franke Pike Mansell L. Phillips George Pulse Leonard F. Osterreicher ** David B. Ramsey ** Harry Reese John Rettman ** John Rottman Chauncy W. Schmidt Carl C. Spechart ** Delbert Shotwell Bert Strickland Chas. V. Strickland ** Chester Swindler ** Vernon C. Wright ** National Archives Records
******** More than a score of gold stars have been added to the Muscatine County service flag.
Twenty-three Muscatine county soldiers and two Red Cross nurses made the supreme sacrifice. Five of the young men died on the battlefields of France, fighting that the world might be safe for democracy. three of the other warriors on the roll of honor died of disease, and were buried by comrades on a foreign soil. Several of the others including the Red Cross nurses, died at embarkation points in the east, while awaiting their turn to sail for France, to aid the allied forces.
In each instance Muscatine county has paid a fitting tribute to her young men and women.
Lieutenant-Colonel Clarkson Elliott of West Liberty was the first Muscatine county man to give his life on the battlefields of France. He was killed during the latter part of July, while leading a company of infantry over the top, in an important sector of the western front. He was the only commissioned officer from the county to die fighting for his country.
Private Edward Bitzer was the first Muscatine man to die fighting with the Yanks overseas. he was killed during the big American advance in the early part of August, when the Rainbow division distinguished itself in hard fighting. Bitzer was one of the first local men to enlist. When the call came for volunteers, he enlisted as a private in the Rainbow division in Wyoming, and after a few months' training was sent to France. He served on the western front in active fighting for more than six months, fighting in some of the most strenuous battles of the last year of the war.
More than a month ago ward came that Private Walter Becker had died as a result of wounds received in action. Becker enlisted in a Canadian motorcycle corps right after America entered the war. He enlisted in Canada in order to get in the big fight more quickly. After several months' service with a motorcycle corps, he transferred to a machine-gun company, and was severely wounded when the allied soldiers made one of their biggest and most difficult drives of the year. He died a few days later of his wounds.
Gus Chimpanes and Arthur Nagel both Wilton young men, were the other two Muscatine county soldiers who died fighting. Word was received by the parents of the latter Thursday, November 13, informing them of his death as a result of wounds, while word that Chimpanes had been killed in action reached here only a few weeks ago. Private Nagel has two brothers who had been taking an active part in fighting overseas.
The name of Charles Abbott of West Liberty has been added to the names of those sacrificing their lives for their country. Private Abbott was the only Muscatine county soldier to die in service during the Mexican trouble two years ago.
The pathos of war was first brought home to Muscatine on February 28th, in the death of Private Stuart Lloyd Garvatt. He was a native of this city and his name was added to the Roll of Honor despite the fact that he was not living here when war was declared, nor did he enlist from here. Private Charles Foster of near Ardon was the first enlisted soldier from the county to die. He volunteered with the Spruce Division in February, and had been in training little more than a month when his death occurred on March 29th.
Flu Takes Heavy Toll The majority of the other young men who have died were victims of the influenza and pneumonia epidemic recently, their deaths occurring within the past two months. Second Lieutenant, John Farnsworth, who was commissioned during the early part of October, died from disease at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, on October 16th, just a few days after completing his course in the artillery school. He had been in service since May 28th, leaving with a draft contingent for Camp Dodge on that date.
Both Privates Earl C. Hobart and Frank Fisher, died from the epidemic at an eastern embarkation point, Camp Dix, New Jersey. Both died on September 26th, and their bodies were brought to this city for burial. Military honors were conferred at the First Methodist church here on September 28th. Hobart had been in service with an ambulance company for two years, and he had also seen several years service in the navy.
Private Fred Olin, the father of Miss Irma Olin of Cypress street, George Perl Morris, son of Mrs. Flora Willis of East Sixth street, Gerald Mull, the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Mull of Cedar street, in the Student Army Training Corps at Ames; James O'Toole, of near Letts; Bryan Barber, the son of Mrs. Mattie Barber of Park Place; Clyde Pickens, and the two Red Cross nurses, Miss Ella Noring and Miss Elsie Davis, both of West Liberty, were victims of the same disease. In each instance the soldiers were paid a fitting tribute each body being buried here with due honors.
Two Die In Navy Only two deaths have occurred in the ranks of the local men who enlisted in the navy. the first naval casualty occurred on May 22, in the death of Elmer Clarence Tollfsen, the son of Elmer Tollfsen, formerly of this place. His death occurred while in training at the navy school at Puget Sound, Washington. The body was buried on May 27th at La Crosse, Wisconsin.
The death of William Fred Danz was caused by influenza. He had been assigned to one of the U.S. battleships and was ready to sail for foreign waters, when stricken. He was transferred to the hospital ship near Portsmouth, Virginia, and died on that ship October 13th. His body was brought here to the family home at 2249 Halstead street, and services conducted here on the twenty-second of last month.
The other three named on the Roll of Honor, Privates Dell Raver, Charles Tough and Henry F. Crone died in the American hospitals in France. The death of Crone has not yet been officially confirmed, although letters have been received here from companions of the young man, telling of his death as a result of an accident behind the lines.
Privates Raver and Tough both died of disease. Tough who had been living in this city for several years was called to service with a draft contingent about July 23 from Cedar county, while Raver was called with the county contingent for Camp Pike on that date. Both were taken ill while enroute to a foreign port and succumbed shortly after reaching France.
The last Muscatine county soldier to die in service, Private Joseph Roelle, died at the Base Hospital at Camp Dodge, late Sunday evening, shortly before the news of the signing of the armistice reached this community. Private Roelle left here with one of the last draft contingents, and had been training at the Iowa cantonment only a few weeks when his death occurred. His body was brought here for burial.