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Named WW1 Gold Star Mother Group


Geoff
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I just received this WW1 Gold Star Mother’s group in the mail on Thursday (bought off of eBay). That the medal is named to a local Ohio woman was a big selling point for me, as was the large amount of items that came with the group. As you can see from the attached photo, the group includes a badged /named Gold Star Mother’s and Widow’s Pilgrimage medal plus the original Tiffany case. Also included is a small enamel stand-up photo frame in the shape of a patriotic Blue Star banner with a faded photo of Mrs Kyle’s deceased son. There are also two tiny enamel blue star pins. Finally, there are eight black and white photos of Mrs Kyle’s 1930 pilgrimage to France to visit her son’s grave.

 

With the Anna M. Kyle’s name and state from the badge, I was able to discover her son’s name and put together his story of service and sacrifice in World War 1.

 

Below: A photo of the entire group. Also a photo of the badged Pilgrimage medal with its Tiffany case.

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Ralph Blondon Kyle was born on June 9, 1898, to parents Thomas Z and Anna M Kyle in Springfield, Ohio. Thomas was an itinerant laborer who rented and worked a variety of jobs. By 1910 the family had moved to Brown County, Kansas, and in 1915 the family was living in Kansas City, MO.

 

By 1917 Ralph was out of school and working in Kansas City as a printer, no small feat for a 17 year-old teenager. He evidently was smart and worked hard. He would rise to the rank of Corporal in just 9 months of Army service. Ralph joined the Army in October, 1917, and was assigned to Battery C of the 129th Field Artillery (formed from a Missouri National Guard unit). His unit sailed for Europe aboard the troopship SS George Washington on March 30, 1918.

 

Below: A close-up of the small stand-up photo frame with faded photo of Anna's son Ralph Kyle. Also an excerpt of the Army Transportation embarkation list for the 129th FA, showing Ralph Kyle boarding the SS George Washington on March 30, 1918. Ralph is number 50 at the bottom of this excerpt.

 

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A photo of the SS George Washington during WW1. Also, a photo of Battery D's commander. Though Ralph Kyle served in Battery C he might have had a passing acquaintance with the lieutenant, and then captain who commanded Battery D. His name was Harry S Truman, later the 33rd president of the United States.

 

 

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The 129th Field Artillery spent two months in England before crossing the channel to France on June 10, 1918. The unit moved to the front in August, first in a relatively quiet sector in Alsace to get some experience on the front lines. It was here on August 29, 1918 that the 129th fired its first shots of the war. Ralph Kyle’s sisters later told reporters that Ralph was given the honor of firing the first shot from Battery C’s 75mm guns.

 

On September 3 the 129th Field Artillery moved toward the St Mihiel sector to participate in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On September 22 the 129th FA moved into firing positions near Varennes and Cheppy to support the 35th and 91st Divisions. On September 26th the 129th bombarded the barbed wire protecting the German front lines and then fired a rolling barrage into the enemy positions. Over the next few days the 129th followed the advance of the American infantry. On September 28 the 129th was firing from positions around the destroyed village of Charpentry. It was there on the afternoon of September 29th that the 129th FA came under counter-battery fire from German artillery and Ralph Kyles was killed at his gun by shrapnel from an exploding enemy shell.

 

 

 

 

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Ralph’s parents decided to leave his body in France, and he was eventually buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery. Thomas and Anna Kyle returned to Springfield, OH in 1919, where Mrs Kyle became active in local Gold Star Mother activities. Ralph’s father Thomas died in March, 1929, leaving Anna a widow the same month that President Calvin Coolidge signed legislation authorizing the Gold Star Mother and Widow pilgrimages to France. When Mrs. Kyle was asked if she wanted to participate in the pilgrimages planned for 1930 she gave an emphatic YES.

 

She eventually sailed on the third organized pilgrimage in late May 1930 aboard the SS President Harding. The pilgrimage photos that came with this group were primarily taken aboard the ship. Mrs Kyle moved back to Missouri in the latter 1930s. She died in Kansas City, MO on December 23, 1952, and was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery there.

 

 

 

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I found that a veteran of the 129th Field Artillery published its wartime experiences in 1920. On page 166 of the book the circumstances of Ralph Kyle's death are mentioned.

 

Also showing a photo of the rear of Anna Kyle's pilgrimage medal. It is numbered 41.

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Hi Mark, thanks for the comment. I really lucked out finding this. I'll sure steer you at any others I might find. I'm not TOO greedy. I can share!

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Great find - Pulling the soldier's burial file from St. Louis will yield correspondence between the WD and his mother regarding the Pilgrimage - Thanks for sharing!

 

Kyle

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Excellent Group! I'm sure those Gold Star Mothers found great comfort going on the trip. Thanks for posting it.

BKW

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The Tiffany box originally contained her US Lines medal/medallion, not the identification badge which was made by Bailey, Banks & Biddle and which came in a blue box. The serial number of the US Lines medal (now missing) is printed on the underside of the Tiffany box. You may see it being worn around the neck by the Pilgrims in some of the photos. Check eBay and dealers' web sites for her USL medal, some times they turn up. The ID badge is in really splendid shape, no wear to the gilding and the watered silk ribbon is clean with strong color. The serial number (41) would indicate that she sailed with the first group ,"Party A," on 7 May 1930, not the third. Congrats

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The Osmers group is excellent as well -- many items included that aren't seen too often especially the US Lines medalion certificate with matching numbered medal. Thanks for posting it.

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Hi 3mxd, thanks for the great information you passed along! I looked on the bottom of the Tiffany box as you indicated, and it has the number 87. I appreciate the willingness of other members and viewers sharing their knowledge on these subjects.

 

Wade 16 - that is a great group you have. I can only echo Dennis (Bertmedals) by saying some of the items you showed us are very rare and seldom seen.

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