Russell County Kansas Obituaries

RUSSELL COUNTY, KANSAS

RUSSELL COUNTY IN THE WAR

OUR HONORED DEAD

By Lieutenant John E. Wilson

1921

BANDWORTH, MARCELLUS J.

Marcellus J. Banworth enlisted with the Medical Corps on August 25, 1918, and served with the 245th Company Field Hospital at Camp Devons, Massachusetts. On August 28, 1918, he was promoted to Corporal and on September 21 to Surgical Ward Sergeant. He was a victim of the dread influenza and died at Camp Devons, Massachusetts. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 8)

BEAM, AUGUST

August Beam enlisted June 23, 1918, in the Ammunition Train Service. He was with the 88th Division, 313th Regiment. Co. A. He sailed for France on the Verdie on August 17, 1918, landing first at Liverpool. He died September 25, 1918. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 8)

BLACK, JACK W.

Jack W. Black, who had previously served in the regular army one year, entered the service in the World War and went to France where he saw active service, falling with a shattered leg in the St. Mihiel Drive on July 18, 1918. He was removed to Hospital No. 1, where he was recovering from his wound very nicely until he contracted pneumonia, from which he died September 20, 1918. Just a few days before his death he wrote a most cheerful letter to his mother, Mrs. Dora Nelson of Gorham. He served with the 16th Infantry. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 13)

BODMER, ALBERT E.

Albert E. Bodmer was one of the first men to leave Russell after the registered men were called. He was one of the group of thirty who left September 20, 1917. He was a member of the 353rd Regiment. He went to France in June, 1918, and was with the regiment at the Battle of St. Mihiel and in the Meuse, Argonne, where he fell mortally wounded and died November 11, 1918. Peter Bodmer, his father, lives at Waldo. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 9)

BOYLES, ARTHUR LEE

Arthur Lee Boyles enlisted May 4, 1917, and was placed in the 35th Regiment of the 137th Division. In August, 1918, he was promoted to Corporal. Sailed from New York about April 23, 1918. He was fatally wounded in the Battle of the Argonne and died at the first dressing station. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 10)

BOXBERGER, J. FRED

J. Fred Boxberger entered the service August 26, 1918 and after training a short time at Camp Funston, was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa, where he fell a victim of the influenza in October 1918. His father J. J. Boxberger, lives at Milberger. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 13)

BRADENBURG, LAUREL FELIX

Laurel Felix Brandenburg was inducted October 14, 1918, in the Student Army Training Corps at Lawrence, Kansas. He fell a victim of pneumonia on November 8, 1918. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 11)

BRAINERD, FRANK D.

Frank D. Brainerd entered the service at Camp Funston and was assigned to the 164th Depot Battalion. He was born December 10, 1895, and died in the service October 16, 1918. Mrs. Mabel Brainerd, his widow, lives at Fairport, Kansas. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 12)

BUCHAN, THOMAS J.

Thomas J. Buchan entered the service early in 1918 and was sent to France, where he was reported as having died from gunshot wounds August 3, 1918. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 13)

COOPER, GALEN ELLIOT

Galen Elliot Cooper was inducted July 24, 1918, and was placed with the 135th Infantry, co. E, at Camp Cody, New Mexico. From here he was sent to Camp Dix, New Jersey, where he had passed the examination for overseas service. On September 24 he became a victim of influenza and pneumonia and on the 28th he answered the last call. He was buried in the Lucas Cemetery with full military honors. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 10)

DEINES, DAVID

David Deines entered the service September 20, 1917 with the second contingent of the first draft. Served at Camp Funston until March 29, 1918, when he sailed for France with the Third Division, 30th Infantry. He was born in Russell County, July 11, 1893. He fell in action at the battle of Chateau Thierry July 15, 1918. All efforts thus far to locate the body have failed. His father, G. H. Deines, lives at Russell, Kansas. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 10)

FLETCHER, FLOYD LESLIE

Floyd Leslie Fletcher enlisted October 4, 1917 and served with the Headquarters Company of the 353rd Regiment, 89th Division. Before being assigned to this regiment he was Supply Sergeant with the 42nd Company, 164th Depot Brigade, and continued as Acting Supply Sergeant in the 353rd. After training at Camp Funston he sailed for France the first of June, 1918. Was in the St. Mihiel Offensive and the Battle of the Argonne. About March 1, 1919, he was one of three from his company sent to Sorbonne University at Paris. March 25 he went to the hospital with facial erysipelas and later contracted meningitis, from which he died March 28, 1919. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 9)

GAHRE, GUSTAV J. H.

Gustav J. H. Gahre was inducted September 20, 1917, and was assigned to the Headquarters Company, 334th Field Artiillery, with the 87th Division. He trained at Camp Funston and Camp Pike and sailed for France on the Mauretania, landing at Bordeaux. He was accidentally drowned while unloading supplies at Bordeaux on September 24, 1918. At the time of his death he was a first class private. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 11)

HALL, CHESTER V.

Chester V. Hall was inducted June 24, 1918, and saw service with a machine gun company of the 351st Regiment of the 88th Division. He sailed on August 16, 1918, from Hoboken and eventually landed at Cherbourg, France. He was promoted to private first class. He died of pneumonia on October 9, 1918, at Haricourt, France. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 10)

HURD, CONRAD I.

Conrad I. Hurd entered the service at Camp Funston November 11, 1917. He fell upon the field of action in France, September 7, 1918. He was a member of the 353rd Regiment. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 12)

JANNE, GEORGE C.

George C. Janne enlisted with the 337th Ambulance Company of the 320th Sanitary Train on August 25, 1918. He fell a victim of the influenza and pneumonia on October 5, 1918, at Camp Sherman, Ohio. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 8)

JOHNSON, JULIUS S.

Julius S. Johnson, who made his home with William McKanna, of the Luray, for a number of years, entered the service from the Fort Hays Normal, where he was attending school. He was a musician and served as a stretcher bearer. It was while on this duty that he received a slight wound which did not detain him from continuing to bring in the wounded. He was killed in action June 9, 1918 (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 12)

JOHNSON, WILLIAM JENNINGS

William Jennings Johnson entered the service June 23, 1918, and was assigned to the Quartermaster Corps. He served first with the 164th Depot Brigade at Camp Funston. He soon attained the rank of first class private and served on the Military Police. While on the rifle range at Fort Riley on October 8, 1918 he was accidentally shot through the abdomen. He lived until the next day, when he answered the last summons. His remains were laid to rest at Blackwell, Oklahoma, the home of his sister, Mrs. Rose R. Johnson. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 11)

NEWCOMER, CALVIN LEROY

Calvin Leroy Newcomer was with the Rainbow Division in Co. G of the 167th Regiment. He enlisted February 25, 1918, and sailed for overseas August 5, 1918. He reached France in time to take part in the Battle of the Argonne and fell mortally wounded while taking Sedan. Died November 10, following an operation for wound received on November 7. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 9)

POPPENDORFER, JOHN V.

John V. Poppendorfer was inducted October 5, 1917, and was placed with the 42nd Company, 164th Depot Brigade. He was in training at Camp Funston, where he was promoted to Corporal on October 13, 1917. He was taken to the hospital with the measles on December 14, 1917. While here he received the appointment to attend the Officers' Training School, which privilege he was never able to enjoy, being called to answer the last summons on January 1, 1918. He was the first of Russell County's soldiers to fall. He was buried with full military honors at Luray. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 11)

PRATT, CLAUDE EDWARD

Claude Edward Platt was born February 8, 1895, at Lindsborg, Kansas. Came to Lucas, Kansas, in the spring of 1915. He volunteered for the United States Naval Reserves on December 12, 1917, and was sent to Camp Perry to attend the Radio School. Here he contracted pneumonia and died March 4, 1918. He was laid to rest with military honors at Lindsborg, Kansas. His sister, Miss La Verne Pratt, lives at Boulder Colorado, 945 Eleventh street. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 12)

ROE, WILLIAM

William Roe enlisted June 14, 1917, in Co. M, 137th Infantry, 35th Division. After training here he sailed for overseas April 25, 1918. On board ship he contracted pneumonia and after landing at Liverpool, England, he was immediately taken to the hospital where after two days he passed to his reward on May 8, 1918. He was buried in Kirkdale Cemetery, Liverpool and later transferred to Arlington Cemetery. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 8)

ROUNER, GLEN LEWIS

Glen Lewis Rouner was inducted March 28, 1918, and was placed in Co. 1, 353rd Regiment of the 89th Division. He was in the Battle of the Argonne and the St. Mihiel Offensive. On November 29, 1918, he contracted spinal meningitis and died on December 25, 1918, at the American Military Hospital Froides Meuse, France. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 11)

SCHMIDT, DAVID

David Schmidt was inducted June 1, 1918, and was sent to Camp Lewis, Washington. Here he contracted pneumonia and after but one week's illness died, October 25, 1918. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 10)

SWETZIG, GEORGE

George Swetzig, son of Conrad Zwetzig, was inducted into the service June 26, 1918. He was sent to Camp Dix, New Jersey, where he died September 21, 1918. One more victim of the influenza. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 8)

TISDALE, ARTHUR S.

Arthur S. Tisdale enlisted December 10, 1917, in the Aviation Corps and was assigned to the 16th Balloon Company. He served in France until February 17, 1919, when he fell a victim of pneumonia and was laid to rest in the military cemetery at Barisey-la-Cote, France. His next of kin is W. W. Tisdale, father, living at Russell, Kansas. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 9)

WHEATLEY, CHARLES

Charles Wheatley entered the service November 1, 1917. After training at Camp Funston he was sent to France where he served with Co. K, 7th Infantry. He fell in action June 22, 1918, but thus far the parents have been unable to learn any particulars of his death. His father, Thomas Wheatley is given as nearest relative. He formerly lived at Bunker Hill. (Russell County, The War, by Lieutenant John E. Wilson, 1921, Page 9)