Today, I want to honor my great-grandfather Anton Dybowski who was a soldier and was killed somewhere in a WW1 front. I am not sure where and when exactly it happened but, possibly, it was in 1915/1916.
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The two other men were not our relatives. We just came across their graves when we visited a local cemetery.
Private 1st Class Louis W. Casey was born on 1 August 1890. His parents were Mr. Joseph P. (born 1848) and Mary Casey (b. 1873).
The 1910 Census records inform that Louis and his parents were born in Alabama. In 1910, they lived in Justice Precinct No. 4, Dallas, Texas. Joseph was a carpenter, Louis worked as a farm laborer*.
Louis was enlisted and joined the service in May 1917. The WW1 Draft Registration Card tells us that his middle name was William, and he was born in Jasper, Alabama. What else? Louis was a tall, medium-sized man, had blue eyes and light hair. He worked for Pierce Fordyce Oil Association.
Form I 875 Registration Card No. 54
1. Name: Lewis William Casey Age in Years: 26
2. Home Address: Mesquite, Texas.
3. Date of Birth: August 1, 1890
4. Are you natural born citizen? Natural born
5. Where were you born? Jasper, Alabama, USA.
7. What is your present trade, occupation? Formerly Laborer ?
8. By whom employed? Pierce Fordyce Oil Co.
9. Where employed? Dallas, Texas
10. Have you a father, mother, child under 12, or a sister brother under 12 who dependent on you for support? no
11. Married or single: single Race: Caucasian
12. What military service have you had? Rank none
13. Do you claim exemption from draft? no
Registrar's Report: 42-4-27-A
1. Tall, medium or short? tall
Slender, medium? medium
2. Color of eyes? blue Color of hair: light Bald?
Has person lost arm, leg, hand or both eyes or is he otherwise disabled?
Signed by: JC Rugel
Precinct 68
City or County: Dallas
State: Texas
State: Texas Date: June 5, 1917
Source: "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXQ-89F : 13 March 2018), Lewis William Casey, 1917-1918; citing Dallas County, Texas, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,953,183.
At first, Louis trained in Camp Bowie, Texas, then his assignment was Company D, 132nd Machine Gun Battalion, 36th Division. The 36th Infantry Division which Louis was part of had nicknames "Panther Division" or "Lone Star Division". The unit was part of the US Army and the Texas National Guard as well.
Louis and his Company were sent to Europe in July 1918. The book "History of Texas Heroes" says Louis participated in the battle of Champagne and was wounded then**. I assume he fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive as the Company unit (including 132nd Machine Gun Battalion) took part in combat near the St. Etienne village on 9/10 October 1918.
Louis was 28 when he died. I have found a document which tells about the place where Louis W. Casey was buried when he passed. It was St. Etienne-a-Arnes, US Cemetery #1129. Chaplain E.F. Cody prayed for Louis' soul then.
Casey Louis W. PVT.
Co. D. 132nd M. G. Bn #1486171
Buried Oct. 28, 1918
By Chaplain E. F. Cody
Place.
St. Etienne-a-Arnes
U. S. Army Cemetery #1129
Source: Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV18-ZF28 : 9 March 2018), Louis W Casey, 28 Oct 1918; citing Military Service, , , Texas, United States, Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin.
The inscription on Louis' grave marker, which was placed in the old Mesquite cemetery, says:
LOUIS W. CASEY
PVT 1ST CLASS
COMPANY D 132ND
MACHINE GUN
BATTALION 36 DIV.
BORN AUG.1.1890
DIED OCT.28.1918
EVACUATION
HOSPITAL NO.3
CHAMPAGNE FRONT
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HE SERVED WITH HONOR
IN THE WORLD WAR
AND DIED IN THE SERVICE
OF HIS COUNTRY
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I did not find any information on Pvt. John Preston King, besides the fact that he was of dallad County, and was killed in action. John was also 28 when he died.
The inscription on his gravestone reads:
JOHN PRESTON KING
PVT US ARMY
WORLD WAR II
OCT 7 1915 NOV 27 1943
God bless their souls.
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*"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2MS-126 : accessed 24 May 2018), Lewis W Casey in household of Joseph P Casey, Justice Precinct 4, Dallas, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 89, sheet 2A, family 27, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1545; FHL microfilm 1,375,558.
** History of Texas War Heroes
Wikipedia
National Archives
Very nice way to pay tribute to your g-grandfather, photos and all, on Memorial Day. Back in his day, of course, the graves would be decorated on Decoration Day, May 30th.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marian. I think it is important to remember those men and their sacrifice.
ReplyDelete