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ww1 information needed George A Fletch US Army 48th CO 166th DB


Navybean
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A few years ago I picked up a nice WW1 grouping that included a Italain WAr Cross with paperwork supporting it issue to George A Fletch of Colfax WA. His paperwork says he was assigned to the 48th Company 166th D B.

Does anybody have a idea who the 48th Co 166th DB were? What division?

 

The group included a victory medal with 5 bars, 1. Champagne Marne 2. Aisne Marne 3. St mihiel 4. Meuse Argonne 5. Defense sector

 

Victory medal also has a silver star for valor award.

 

George Fletch stayed in the US Army after the war and became a office and I believe became KIA during WW2.

 

Would love to know what division he was in during WW2 and also like to know if anybody has any further info on Mr Fletch. His ww1 serial number was 76652

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a few pictures for your enjoyment, again I would love some info on who the

48th Co. 166th DB was? You can see this noted on the Treasury document below.

post-45737-0-01377400-1456206647.jpg

post-45737-0-11829800-1456206648.jpg

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looks like Fletch was awarded the Cross in 1919 from the Italian Govt, but his Victory Medal does not have a Italian Campaign bar? I am probably missing something simple but not sure what?

 

also with the silver star on his victory medal Fletch would have been entitled to have received a US Silver Star in 1932. I do not have any of his additional awards or post war information, just a note that he was a Major during WW2 and was KIA.

post-45737-0-33234900-1456206870.jpg

post-45737-0-75758000-1456206881.jpg

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from the web I found that it looks like only 395 of the Italian Crosses were award to US Personnel.

I would assume attributed Italian Crosses then would be fairly rare?

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48th company of the 166th Depot Brigade, this would not have been a unit he fought with but more likely the one he trained with...

 

Looks like he was in Company H 103rd Infantry, 26th Division.

 

post-5941-0-48400800-1456243075.jpg

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looks like Fletch was awarded the Cross in 1919 from the Italian Govt, but his Victory Medal does not have a Italian Campaign bar? I am probably missing something simple but not sure what?

 

also with the silver star on his victory medal Fletch would have been entitled to have received a US Silver Star in 1932. I do not have any of his additional awards or post war information, just a note that he was a Major during WW2 and was KIA.

A soldier need not have served in Italy for the Italian government to award the War Cross. It was awarded to some US soldiers who were recipients of US and French awards. I do not know the criteria used by the Italians in deciding which US soldier received an Italian award.

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48th company of the 166th Depot Brigade, this would not have been a unit he fought with but more likely the one he trained with...

 

Looks like he was in Company H 103rd Infantry, 26th Division.

 

attachicon.gif Fold3_Page_1_US_Headstone_Applications_for_Military_Veterans_19251963.jpg

Great info that nailed him down, guess he did not die in WW2, info I had was wrong.

So he was 26th in ww1 then 10th MT in ww2

Interesting stuff thanks for the info

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I need to learn to read on my small iPhone!!

 

Fletch did die in WW2 and was laid to rest in Colfax. Looks like he was KIA while serving with the 10th MT in WW2. So he did not serve in Italy during WW1 but did in WW2. I live about a hour from Colfax I will have to go there and find his head stone

Interesting stuff and I really appreciate the follow up

thanks for the info Mike

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Really interesting stuff out there on Felch. Check this out:

FURTHER CASUALTIES

AT 2200, Major GEORGE A. FELCH was accidentally shot and killed. Major FELCH, commanding

officer of the 3rd Battalion, was checking on outposts, and was fired at by a rifleman

ordered to “shoot at anything moving.” The death of Major FELCH was a shock to all the officers

and enlisted men of the regiment. Major JOHN C. MCKAY, executive officer, assumed temporary

command.

http://skitrooper.org/87th.html

 

This on that other board:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161500

 

 

 

Silver Star Citation

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Private George A. Felch (ASN: 76552), United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Private Felch distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Company H, 103d Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Bois de St. Remy, France, 12 September 1918, in personally locating and putting out of action an enemy machine gun nest, with his automatic rifle.

General Orders: GHQ, American Expeditionary Forces, Citation Orders No. 2 (June 3, 1919)

Action Date: September 12, 1918

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GEORGE ALBERT FELCH — (19)

Born July 14, 1899; son of Mr. and Mrs. George A.
Felch; entered service from Colfax at Spokane July,
1917; branch of service, infantry: rank, private first
class: 41st division: 161st regiment: I company; train-
ed at Camp Greene and Camp Mills; stationed at Toul
front: transferred June. 1918. to 26th division: 103d
regiment : H company ; engagements. Xivray, Belleau
Wood. Chateau Thierry and St. Mihiel; discharged April,
1919.

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Great research, as usual..... BTW his automatic rifle would have been a French CSRG Mle 1915 CHAUCHAT. 26th Div was never issued BAR's. Obviously his worked well. Steve McG

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fletch.jpg

You beat me to this pic I just recieved a pic of his head stone myself from a buddy who found head stone in Colfax today

 

Great info thanks for the follow up

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Really interesting stuff out there on Felch. Check this out:

 

FURTHER CASUALTIES

AT 2200, Major GEORGE A. FELCH was accidentally shot and killed. Major FELCH, commanding

officer of the 3rd Battalion, was checking on outposts, and was fired at by a rifleman

ordered to shoot at anything moving. The death of Major FELCH was a shock to all the officers

and enlisted men of the regiment. Major JOHN C. MCKAY, executive officer, assumed temporary

command.

http://skitrooper.org/87th.html

 

This on that other board:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161500

 

 

Silver Star Citation

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Private George A. Felch (ASN: 76552), United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Private Felch distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Company H, 103d Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Bois de St. Remy, France, 12 September 1918, in personally locating and putting out of action an enemy machine gun nest, with his automatic rifle.

General Orders: GHQ, American Expeditionary Forces, Citation Orders No. 2 (June 3, 1919)

 

Action Date: September 12, 1918

Great info, I searched the web and found nothing. I appreciate great info you found

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Another great find of a 161st Infantry vet Mike!!

 

Fetch does not show up on the 161st Inf mustering rosters from March 1917 which makes sense. Looks like Washington State draft boards were basically operational by July 1, 1917 so hard to tell if Fetch volunteered or volun-told. Either way the 161st arrived in France and was assigned to training and support duties. Much of the regiment was used as replacements for the front line units so their combat records typically reflect that. Interesting to think that a 45 year old Major was serving as a Battalion Commander in the 10th Mtn. Most of the time you see the lower field grades are in their 20s, maybe their 30s during the war.

 

Peter

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  • 3 years later...
  • 1 year later...

Looking t6i get in touch with a member (Navybean) he has some medals that were given to Major George A Felcth. I know a great deal about this person. He was both my grandfather's Sergent in WWI and my father's commanding officer on Attu in WWII. Would like to pass on some photos a letter and some very interesting stories to who ever is in possession of these items. Really just want to help keep this truly remarkable and brave man's memory alive. Please pass on this message and my email [email protected] 

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On 2/23/2016 at 11:17 AM, AustinO said:

Really interesting stuff out there on Felch. Check this out:

FURTHER CASUALTIES

AT 2200, Major GEORGE A. FELCH was accidentally shot and killed. Major FELCH, commanding

officer of the 3rd Battalion, was checking on outposts, and was fired at by a rifleman

ordered to “shoot at anything moving.” The death of Major FELCH was a shock to all the officers

and enlisted men of the regiment. 

 

The accout that was given to my father shortly after Major Felch's death was that they had lost multiple men scouting a German position and the Major took on himself to do the recon and was in fact shot by a sentry on his  return. Story goes that he lived long enough to relay the information he gathered. As I'm sure he was not as a major allowed to do this the record reflects that he was checking the line. He was an Amazon explorer in 1930s !  He also flew on some of the earliest passenger planes back to France to sites from his WWI campaign,  the letter and photos I have are from this trip  to France.

 

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On 4/20/2021 at 8:28 AM, Jbeegbee said:

Looking t6i get in touch with a member (Navybean) he has some medals that were given to Major George A Felcth. I know a great deal about this person. He was both my grandfather's Sergent in WWI and my father's commanding officer on Attu in WWII. Would like to pass on some photos a letter and some very interesting stories to who ever is in possession of these items. Really just want to help keep this truly remarkable and brave man's memory alive. Please pass on this message and my email [email protected] 

 

Wow! Interesting connection!  What Company was your father in?  I have some cherished items in my collection that belonged to the "last man" of the 87th (he was in Co K, 3rd BN).  He also went through Attu and the ETO.  

 

NavyBean is pretty active on the forum, if you click on his username you should be able to send him a private message (and he would receive an email saying there was a PM waiting for him). 

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On 4/20/2021 at 6:28 AM, Jbeegbee said:

Looking t6i get in touch with a member (Navybean) he has some medals that were given to Major George A Felcth. I know a great deal about this person. He was both my grandfather's Sergent in WWI and my father's commanding officer on Attu in WWII. Would like to pass on some photos a letter and some very interesting stories to who ever is in possession of these items. Really just want to help keep this truly remarkable and brave man's memory alive. Please pass on this message and my email [email protected] 

Sorry to say this group was sold a number of years ago.  It was a great collection of items.  I do not recall where the items ended up.

 

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