World War I casualties - Allamakee co. Iowa

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

Mr. and Mrs. Conover Beals of Waukon have received word that their son Roy, who was a member of a Canadian regiment, has been killed at the front.
~Oxford Weekly Leader, Iowa News Column, Sept 20, 1917

William E. Beck
Lansing, Iowa
Killed at Fismes, battle of Aisnes-Marine, August 4, 1918
Killed in Action

Brandt, Arthur F. 100943
Corporal Company E. Died at Field Hospital No. 165, October 17, 1918. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Brandt, Postville, Iowa. One of Company E's best soldiers. He always volunteered for the most dangerous missions. The final act of his life was of such daring that his colonel recommended he be given the Medal of Honor. He was awarded the D.S.C. He volunteered to act as guide to a position of security in the rear for his company. This was under heavy shell fire and he with four others were seriously wounded. After being placed on a stretcher and scarcely able to speak, he continued to direct the route.

Sources:
~The Iowa Magazine, Campfire Tales of Iowa Valor; June 1919
~THE PRICE OF OUR HERITAGE, W. E. Robb, 1919 American Lithography and Printing Company, Des Moines, Iowa, pg 312
~American Battle Monuments Commission

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

Sources:
~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 343 (this source gives residence as Luana, Clayton co. IA)
~American Battle Monuments Commission

On April 26th, 1918, Myron left Waukon for Camp Dodge, volunteering to fill a vacancy, as his draft number had not been reached, and just five months later he gave his life for his coutry in France. ~ contributed by Janet Koozer

Letter home from Myron J. Brooks

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

Ralph Waters and John Dundee, two Waukon boys, were killed in action in France, according to word received in Waukon Saturday. ~Postville Herald, September 27, 1918

Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.
~source: Postville Herald, September 19, 1919

Source of photo & cause of death: Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 339 & 349

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

Waukon, Iowa - Relatives of Albert Held, of Ludlow township are this week in receipt of the first news of that young man's fate, after months of suspense. The government now gives out the information that he died shortly after his arrival overseas last fall. He entered the army service in July, 1918, and soon after went across. His father, brother and sister have had no word from him since last Sept. and had given up ever knowing of his fate, but persistent efforts on the part of friends have at last been rewarded with the very brief information stated above. The department will give further particulars as soon as they can be obtained.
~LaCrosse Tribune, August 8, 1919

The remains of Albert Held, son of Mr. and Mrs. August Held of Ludlow, arrived here Wednesday from France and the funeral will be held Sunday in the South Ludlow church. A soldier in the American army, Albert passed away as his ship neared Brest, France, having become ill on the trip overseas.
~Postville Herald, July 30, 1920

He is buried in Bethlehem cemetery. Gravestone photo and Obituary

Sources:
~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition
~American Battle Monuments Commission

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 347

1886-1918
Burial in Iowa River cemetery - gravestone photo

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 347

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 327 & 347 -the page with his photo shows his surname spelled Keselburg

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 343
~American Battle Monuments Commission

 

Hugh P. Kidder was born in Waukon, Iowa in 1897. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm and star during World War I for courage and endurance while carrying orders to advanced positions under violent machine gun fire during a period of 9 days. Lt. Kidder was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism near Blanch Mont. France, 2 to 3 October 1918 when he led a small patrol into enemy trenches and captured two strong machine gun positions. First Lieutenant Kidder was killed in action 3 October attempting to better his position in the face of heavy machine gun and artillery fire. Burial is in Meuse-Argonne cemetery, Europe ~ contributed by Rachel Layman, g-niece

Note: Carl Kroeger, age 21, born in Iowa, is found on the 1910 U.S. census, Union City twp. Allamakee co. Iowa; he is living on the Herman Luetchenx farm.

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition
~American Battle Monuments Commission

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

Co H, 20th Infantry
June 22, 1886-October 9, 1918 - buried in the Iowa River cemetery - Gravestone photo

Sources:
~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service
~American Battle Monuments Commission.

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 342 & 350

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Notes: The 1900 US census, Makee twp. Allamakee co.: born in February 1896, parents were James E. & Clara J. Raymond. Newspaper death notice gives date of death as July 26, 1918 in France. Newspaper death notice

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 346

~~~~~

Notes: The 1900 US census, Makee twp. Allamakee co.: parents were Emil & Elizabeth Schukei. His 7/5/1917 WWI draft registration gives birthdate & place as April 24, 1894 in Waukon, occupation Automobile machinist & marital status 'single'.

Lieutenant John S. Shepherd, who was born in Postville, the son of Attorney and Mrs. James I. Shepherd, was killed in action in France on October 1. He was a member of the now famous Lost Battalion which is destined to become as historically renowned as the Light Brigade. The action in which he lost his life was at the Argonne Forest and his commanding officer was Lieut. Col. "Go-To-Hell" Whittlesey, who received his nickname when he told the Germans to go to hell upon being asked to surrender.
~Postville Herald, December 6, 1918

Another obituary

~~~~~

Notes:
The 1900 US census, Post twp. Allamakee co.: age 9, born in January 1891, parents were James I. & Velma L. Shepherd.
WWI draft registration card: Registered from Los Angeles, California; May 1917; birth date Jan. 8, 1891 in Postville, Iowa; occupation, Student R.O.T.C. United States Government, Presido of San Francisco. Cal., single

See also: American Battle Monuments Commission

Born 1895 Waterville, Iowa
KIA in France on Sept. 29, 1918 by a sniper's bullet.
Buried at Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France
Next of Kin - Thomas F. Slattery ( 1855-1941)

~contributed by Thomas C. Slattery

See also: American Battle Monuments Commission

~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 334 & 343 (Note: the page with his photo says he is from Postville, the page with his text listing gives Frankville, Winneshiek co. IA as residence).

~*~

Co. K 358 Infantry
Killed in Action at Preny, France, Sept. 26, 1918
Buried in the Frankville cemetery, Winneshiek co. IA - gravestone photo

~American Battle Monuments Commission

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

Additional information: Charles Topel was enumerated on the 1915 Iowa State census in Allamakee co., Linton twp., postoffice Monona.

~photo was contributed by g-nephew Russ Topel

~The Iowa Magazine, by the Greater Iowa Association,
December 1918

~*~
Pvt Co H, 131st Infantry, 33rd Division AEF
KIA Chippely Ridge
Buried in the Minert cemetery (Post twp cemetery) - Gravestone photo

Click here: news articles, funeral photo

~Postville Herald, Sept 19, 1919. Roll of Honor, Allamakee young men who gave their lives in the service.

~The Iowa Magazine, by the Greater Iowa Association,
December 1918
~~~~~

Note: Theo. Wettleson's postoffice address was Postville, Allamakee co. but he lived in Clayton county. There is more information about him on the Clayton co. IAGenWeb site in the military section.

Sources:
~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 349
~Postville Herald
~American Battle Monuments Commission

He also has a memorial marker in the Postville cemetery - gravestone photo

Hewit Williams' postoffice address was Postville, Allamakee co. but he was from Grand Meadow twp., Clayton county. There is more information about him on the Clayton co. IAGenWeb site in the military section.

Sources:
~Soldiers of the Great War, Memorial Addition, pg 340 & 350
~American Battle Monuments Commission

USS Kidder
named in honor of Hugh P. Kidder

USS Kidder (DD-319) (click here for a photo) was launched 10, July 1919 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp, San Francisco, Calif. ; sponsored by Miss Ethel Murry Jonstone : and commissioned 7 February 1921, Comdr. H. J. Abbett in command. After shakedown along the coast, Kidder was assigned to Destroyer Division 34, Battle Fleet, at San Diego. From 1921 to 1924 she operated along the West Coast between Washington and the Canal Zone engaging in training maneuvers, fleet problems, and gunnery exercises. The destroyer played an important role in the development of naval warfare through using experimental torpedoes in exercises.
Kidder transited the Panama Canal during January 1924 for fleet concentrations in the Caribbean, returning San Diego 22, April. She continued her training operations before clearing San Francisco 15, April 1925 for a fleet problem and joint exercises off Hawaii. Kidder then accompanied the Battle Fleet to Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand before returning Mare Island 25, September. For the rest of her naval service she was almost constantly at sea, including winter fleet concentrations in the Caribbean during 1927 and a joint submarine exercise off Hawaii in the spring and summer of 1928. The Navy gained valuable experience from the various exercises and experiments which Kidder conducted-information that made possible many of the great naval victories of World War II. During the final year of service Kidder operated out of San Diego and decommissioned there 18, March 1930. After scrapping, her materials were sold 31, October 1930 in accordance with the terms of the London Treaty limiting naval armament.
(DD-319: dp. 1,190; 1. 314' 5 ": b. 31'8" : dr. 9' 10" : s. 35 k.. ; cpl. 95 ; a. 44" , 12 21" tt.: cl.. Clemson)
- source: DANFS, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- contributed by Rachel Layman, as a loving tribute for her Grandpa & her Great-uncle Hugh P. Kidder