Compiled by W. E. Welch, J. S. Aldridge, and L.
V. Aldridge
Published by the Oklahoma Historical Society in 1920
GRADYCOUNTY
V. R. YOUNG, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Young, Holdenville, born in Cisco, Texas, May 10, 1895; educated in Holdenville. Entered service July 10, 1918; trained at College Station, Texas. Discharged there December, 1918.
CPL. SELBY S. WILSON, son of Medda S. Wilson, Holdenville, born in Shawnee, Sept. 20, 1900, and educated at Holdenville. Entered service in April, 1918; trained at Ft. Logan and Ft. Bayard, N. M., with Med. Corps Detachment. Discharged at Ft. Bayard, Jan. 20, 1920.
M. E. WILSON, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Wilson, Calvin, born in Texas, May 11, 1895, and educated at Edmond and Ada. Entered service Sept. 6, 1917, and trained with 90th Div. at Camp Travis. To France, June, 1918, on front 75 days, gassed in October. Discharged July, 1919, at Camp Funston.
CPL. M. O. WILSON, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Wilson, Calvin, born in Texas, April 20, 1897, and educated at LaMar, Okla. Entered service Sept. 6, 1918, and trained at Ft. Sam Houston with the 80th Div. Discharged at Camp Logan February, l9l9.
ASHLEY F. THETFORD, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Thetford, Holdenville, born Feb. 24, 1896, in Texas, and educated in Holdenville. Entered service Feb. 9, 19l8; trained at Vancouver, Wash., with 17th Spruce Squadron. Discharged at Camp Funston, Dec. 24, 1918.
J. C. SALE, son of W. S. Sale, Holdenville, was born in Georgia, June 15, 1897, and educated in Holdenville. Entered service July 4, 1916; went to border. Later trained at Ft. Sill and Camp Bowie with Co. G, 1st Okla. Inf. Transferred to M. G. Co. To France July, 1917; promoted to Second Lieutenant. Discharged at Camp Dix, May, 1919.
RICHARD B. SALE, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Sale, Holdenville, born Sept. 15, 1899, at Ft. Worth, and educated in Holdenville. Entered service July 4, 1916; trained at Ft Sill, San Benito and Camp Bowie. Transferred to O. T. C, commissioned Second Lieutenant. To France with 56th; fought at Meuse-Argonne. Discharged at Camp Bowie, July 8, 1919.
LT. W. C. McCONNELL, Holdenville, born in Kansas, Nov. 20, 1892, and educated at Manhattan. Entered service June 20, 1918; trained at Camp Oglethorpe, Ga., as veterinarian with 16th Mobile Sec, 16th Div. Discharged Feb. 19, 1919, at Camp Kearney.
J. RALPH KELLY, son of J. L. Kelly, Holdenville, was born in Houston, Mo., Aug. 7, 1894, and educated at Holdenville. Entered service June 24, 1918, sent to Camp Cody; transferred to Detroit; trained with Motor Transport Corps. To France Oct. 17, 1918. Discharged at Long Island, N. Y_, May 20, 1919.
FRANK J. HUNT, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Hunt, Yeager, born Oct. 20, 1896, and educated in Texas. Entered service Jan. 28, 1918, sent to Ft Logan, then to Key West, Fla. Died at Key West, June 29, 1918, and buried at Yeager.
PAUL M. HARDWICK, son of C. W. Hardwick, Calvin, was born in Oklahoma, Jan. 30, 1900, and educated at Calvin. Entered service in September, 1918; trained with S. A. T. C at Still-water. Was discharged at Stillwater, December, 1918.
CHARLEY M. HARDAGE, son of Mrs. Nancy Hardage, Spaulding, was born Aug. 31, 1900. in Texas; educated at Spaulding. Entered service June 28, 1918, sent to Jacksonville with Headquarters Detachment. Discharged at Camp Bowie, Jan. 2, 1919.
MERRITT W. GIVENS, son of J. entered service Jan. 26, 1918; trained at Camp Logan and Camp Sevier with 21st Aero Squad. W. Givens, Holdenville, born in Texas, April 19, 1894. Entered service June 24, 1918; trained at Camp Cody with 4th Div. To England and France September, 1918, with 4th Div. Discharged August 12, 1919, at Camp Pike.
CPL. THOMAS J. FULLERTON, son of Mrs. R. Fullerton, Holdenville, born in Arkansas, March 25, 1895, and educated in Holdenville. Entered service July 25, 1918; trained with Medical Dept. at Camp Greenleaf and Ft. Ontario. Discharged at Ft. Ontario, Jan. 25, 1919.
T. L. CORNELIUS, Spaulding.
SGT. C. A. CORNELIUS, son of A. R. and L. M. Cornelius, Spaulding, was born in Arkansas, Feb. 20, 1894, and educated in Oklahoma. Entered service June 3, 1917; trained at Ft. Douglas and Camp Funston, with 10th Div. To France Nov. 2, 1918, with Advanced School Detachment, 10th Div. Discharged Jan. 31, 1919, at Camp Funston.
FAY C. CASSETTY, son of Mr. and Mrs. M. C Cassetty, Calvin, born Aug. 1897. in Eureka Springs, Ark., and educated there. Embarked to France April, 1918, with same. Discharged at Camp Pike, April, 1919.
SGT. EARNEST V. ABERNATHY, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Abernathy, Holdenville, born in Oklahoma, Nov. 3, 1898; educated in Holdenville. Entered service May, 1917; trained with 25th Cavalry at Ft. Russell, Wyo. Discharged at Camp Stanley, June 9. 1919. Re-enlisted same day.
J. M. HENSLEY, son of Mrs. E. D. Hensley, Calvin, Okla., born in Oklahoma, June 28, 1896. Entered service November, 1917; trained at Philadelphia. Key West and New Orleans. Discharged from New Orleans, summer of 1919.
ORVILLE MOORE, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Moore, Holdenville, born Sept. 26, 1898. Entered service June 1, 1918. Trained at Camp Jackson, assigned to 321st Field Artillery’. Overseas September, 1918; fought in Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Discharged from Camp Taylor, June, 1919.
WILL H. CAIN, son of Walter and Viola Cain, Spaulding, Okla., born Oct. 24, 1894. Entered service Aug. 3, 1918; trained at Camp Bowie. Promoted to Corporal. Discharged from Camp Bowie, Dec. 11, 1918.
DICK B. BREEDING Son of J. H. and Eliza Breeding, Holdenville, Okla., was born in Seminole, April 28,1895, and educated at Holdenville and Norman. Enlisted in the Regular Army in I9l6 and served on the Mexican Border. Returned from Mexico in March, 1917, and re-entered in April and went to Ft Sill for training with Company A, 167th Infantry, 42nd Division. From Ft Sill he was sent to the Officers' Training School at Leon Springs, Texas, where he was commissioned Second Lieutenant From Leon Springs he went to Camp Travis, then to New York. While in New York he married Miss Frankie Riley, in October, 1917, just three weeks before sailing. Went to France with his Company, November 4, 1917, answering his country's call without a murmur, even though he was leaving a bride of but three weeks. During the Battle of Chateau Thierry, where so many of our brave soldier boys distinguished themselves, Lieutenant Breeding was decorated with the French War Cross by the French Government- It was also in this battle that he met his death, July 29, 1918, just seven months after leaving his native country. Impressive memorial services were held at Holdenville for him, and the town was unanimous in extending their heartfelt sympathies to the sorrowing parents. The body was buried in France but will be returned to the States at an early date.
GILBERT MOORE Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Moore, Okemah, Okla., was born in Lynn County, Missouri, September 5, 1897, and educated in the Oklahoma schools. Enlisted from Hughes County, Oklahoma, with the National Guard in May, 1917, this later being Federalized. Was sent to Camp Bowie for training with Co. F, 142nd Infantry, 36th Division. Was sent to France in June, 1918, with the 36th Division, being advanced to Corporal. Was killed in the Meuse-Argonne battle October 18, 1918. No direct information from his Captain was received as to how he met his death, but a “Buddie” wrote that he was killed by a machine gun bullet while locating machine gun nests. This was an especially dangerous undertaking, and when volunteers were asked for he was one of those who feared nothing and was willing to risk all in order that an end might be reached in the horrible massacre that was taking place. The Croix de Guerre and one other French decoration was sent to his father, and also a citation from General Pershing, commending the bravery of his son. It is natural that this lad should have enlisted and offered himself to his country, coming from a direct line of fighting men as he did. His father having enlisted in the Spanish-American War and fighting with the U. S. Infantry for 6 months. Corporal Moore was buried in the National Cemetery in France.
JOE E. BAILEY, son of Morgan and Martha Bailey, Holdenville, Okla., was born in Ft. Smith, Ark., Sept. 14, 1896, and educated in Spaulding, Ark., and Guthrie, Okla. Entered service September 19, 1917, and trained with Company L, 358th Infantry, 90th Division, at Camp Travis. Went to France with the 90th Division June 11, 1918; was promoted to Sergeant and fought in the St. Mihiel Drive. Was killed while in action there on September 12, 1918, and was buried in the National Cemetery. Memorial services were held for him at Spaulding, Ark., March 16, 1919. His body is to be returned to the United States, at his parents’ request. This noble lad was just one of many that made the supreme sacrifice, and it is only fitting that they should have their native land for a final resting ground.
HARRY C. REED, Private, son of Mrs. Mintie Reed, Holdenville, Okla., was born in West Plains, Mo., November 25, 1892; educated in the Oklahoma schools; entered service November 2, 1917, and received his training at Camp in Colorado, 116th Aero Replacement Squadron, Cas. Div. Demob. Group; embarked overseas, September 26, to England and France; for a while attached to the English Army; promoted to Sergeant; discharged at Camp Pike, September 16, 1919.
L. E. FREELAND, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Freeland, Holdenville, Okla., was born in Missouri, Sept. 20, 1892, and educated at Holdenville. Entered service, June, 1918, and trained with 109th Ammunition Train, Co. B. at Camp Cody. Promoted to First Sergeant. Discharged at Camp Dix, December. 1918.
WILLIAM J. TUCKER, son of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Tucker, Holdenville, was born in Birmingham, Ala., April 25, 1899, and educated there. Entered service April 18, 1918, and trained with the Medical Corps at Camp Hancock, Ga. Promoted to Sergeant. Discharged May, l9l9, at Camp Funston.
DOLEN E. EDGE, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Edge, Holdenville, was born in Atkins, Ark., April 17, 1895, and educated there and in Little Rock. Entered service Feb. 1, 1918, and trained with Baker Co. 361, Camp Arthur. To France in August, 1918, where he was stricken with paralysis. Is now in Government Hospital at Guthrie. Discharged at Richmond, Va., April, 1919.
WILLIAM LEROY McGOWAN, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. H. McGowan, Holdenville, Okla., was born April 7, 1900, in Iowa, and educated in Holdenville. Trained with the S. A. T. C, at Stillwater, entered service Sept. 4, 1918. Was discharged in Stillwater, December, 1918.
WILLIAM HUGH DUNN, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Dunn, Holdenville, was born February 1, 1893, at Red Oak; educated in the Oklahoma schools. Entered service in April, 1917, and trained at Ft. Sill with 142nd Inf. 42nd Division. Went to France in June, 1917. Promoted to Sergeant and fought at Meuse-Argonne. Lost one eye in a shell explosion. Discharged in April, 1919, at Camp Pike.
ROBERT G. BLACKWELL, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Y. Blackwell, Calvin, Okla., was born in Kentucky Sept. 12, 1894, and educated in Calvin schools. Entered service September, 1917. Trained at Camp Travis with Ordinance Department. Discharged June, 1919, after being in hospital seven months.