tdogchristy90 Posted April 18, 2017 Share #1 Posted April 18, 2017 Howdy, I came across this on eBay by a fellow forum member. I was looking for dog tags but it was the paperwork that tipped me over the edge. The enlistment and discharge papers provide so much detail about the service member that it helps bring a face to a name if you will. Bert Lawson is from Bonne Terre, MO, a small mining town just outside of St. Louis. Lawson was a miner as one would expect. He enlisted in 1917 at the age of 24. He is 5ft, 5, black hair and brown eyes. The curious part is his complexion is noted as "dark" however the overthere MO data base of Missouri ww1 service members has him down as white. Maybe his dark complexion is a matter of his mining/upbringing. Lawson serviced with the 110th Engineers of the 35th Missouri National Guard. They were all over France, ranging from Amiens, Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. The 110th most notable moment came during their time in the Meuse-Argonne offensive.... the most notable being in the Argonne Forest where a group of Engineers from the 110th were working with pick and shovel when a group of Germans attacked them. Since the Engineers had no other weapons at hand, they held off the attackers with their pioneering tools until they could be relieved by the Infantry. During the action in France, eight (8) members of the unit were decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry in action. He served with good conduct, earning 2 gold war service chevrons. His records also interestingly state that his good conduct earned him reduced fair and monetary assistance getting home to Missouri. P.S. I am curious about the French pendant but had no luck researching it. Anyone know anything about it? I look forward to displaying this and hope y'all enjoyed it. Thanks again Sean and thank you community for reading. ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdogchristy90 Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted April 18, 2017 Enlistment record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdogchristy90 Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share #3 Posted April 18, 2017 Back of tags/pendent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdogchristy90 Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted April 18, 2017 Discharge papers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted April 18, 2017 Share #5 Posted April 18, 2017 Very cool, I love unit ID'd tags. Those were no doubt worn by him "over there" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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