gman5004 Posted October 25, 2018 Share #1 Posted October 25, 2018 I've collected all of these items over a year or so, all of which were found at either antique stores or estate sales, except for the helmet, which is a family heirloom. I've already posted the helmet and it's story elsewhere, but here it is. The helmet belonged to my Great great uncle, George Gord. According to my grampa he was drafted and fought with the marines, and was killed in 1918. I believe he served in the 6th MG battalion. If anyone could possibly help me with any info at all on him, I would be ecstatic! I've tried to find info on him since I got the helmet, but with little success. Does anyone know what the "F" stamp on the canteen cover means? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/4b3af8750240185f5882648f421d7969.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/b558c33549ca73de25957d6afc29f5a0.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/1e2b0e453d6ef29d9854f3d551a658b5.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/398087ceb15467fbac2cf9e62556d819.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/55999cf14e606443b5b4d34392df912a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/9ec398591ec688b06caff0bddead60a6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181025/8f08dbc9073255b095899ebee20eb5f5.jpg Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman5004 Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted October 25, 2018 My apologies for the pictures being flipped all wonky. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaszanka Posted October 25, 2018 Share #3 Posted October 25, 2018 nice items ! F stands for F company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman5004 Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted October 25, 2018 nice items ! F stands for F companyThank you! Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaszanka Posted October 25, 2018 Share #5 Posted October 25, 2018 Thank you! Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk with pleasure ! 118 would be a soldier number I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
War Party Posted October 25, 2018 Share #6 Posted October 25, 2018 Did a quick search for George Gord on ancestry and find a grave and found no Marines by that name in WWI. He also does not appear on the Marine casualty list. Are you certain of the spelling? There was a George A. Gord in Company B, 5th Machine Gun Battalion, 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, ("Yankee Division"). He survived the war and sailed from Brest, France on 27 Apr 1919. His emergency contact was listed as his father John Gord of Troy, Idaho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
War Party Posted October 25, 2018 Share #7 Posted October 25, 2018 There was a Marine Sergeant named George A. Gord listed at Norfolk, Va., but that was in 1868. His date of enlistment was 4 Jan 1865. Maybe a relative? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted October 25, 2018 Share #8 Posted October 25, 2018 The paint on the front of the 2nd Division helmet is the pentagon of the 9th Infantry Regiment. The fact that it is red tells me that he served in the 1st Battalion. One oddity here is that your great uncle would be killed and that his helmet would have been sent home. I find that to be VERY UNUSUAL. I would ASSUME that the story of your great uncle fighting with the Marines was actually that marines were fighting in the same sector as the 9th Infantry Regiment as we haven't been able to find him on any of the muster roles. I would also interpret the "F" and "118" markings on the canteen to be for 118th Infantry Regiment (South Carolina National Guard) who fought with the 30th Infantry Division in WWI. The 109 marked ammo belt would lead me to believe that it was unit marked for the 109th Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard. I'd say you are off to a great start collecting. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman5004 Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted October 25, 2018 I do believe his full name was George A Gord, and I believe that he lived in Idaho for a time before he was drafted, so I believe that's him! Thank you for your help. Did a quick search for George Gord on ancestry and find a grave and found no Marines by that name in WWI. He also does not appear on the Marine casualty list. Are you certain of the spelling? There was a George A. Gord in Company B, 5th Machine Gun Battalion, 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, ("Yankee Division"). He survived the war and sailed from Brest, France on 27 Apr 1919. His emergency contact was listed as his father John Gord of Troy, Idaho. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman5004 Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted October 26, 2018 With the evidence others have gathered, I'm starting to question the story if him being killed in france. When I brought it up with my grandma today, she told me a story of how he had a full auto "Tommy gun" and decided he shouldn't have it, so he cut it up and scattered it around a lake somewhere. Time line doesn't quite match up there, either, if he really was killed in France in 1918. Again, thanks to everyone helping me to discover more about him! Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12A54 Posted October 26, 2018 Share #11 Posted October 26, 2018 Also, a painted helmet like that would have been post-war. If it was his, he likely survived the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlewilly Posted October 28, 2018 Share #12 Posted October 28, 2018 To me, the helmet insignia appears to be a purple hexagon. The red mentioned by Allan appears to me to just be a border around the star, or the color change to a wider white star that was overpainted by the purple. I'll let the youngsters with better eyes than mine put in their 2 cents worth. 5th Machine Gun Battalion is my bet. MHJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman5004 Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted October 28, 2018 To me, the helmet insignia appears to be a purple hexagon. The red mentioned by Allan appears to me to just be a border around the star, or the color change to a wider white star that was overpainted by the purple. I'll let the youngsters with better eyes than mine put in their 2 cents worth. 5th Machine Gun Battalion is my bet. MHJWith the helmet in-hand there is a definite red border around the star. You are correct that the hexagon is purple. So that is 5th MG battalion? Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlewilly Posted October 29, 2018 Share #14 Posted October 29, 2018 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gman5004 Posted November 10, 2018 Author Share #15 Posted November 10, 2018 With some further research, mostly conducted during zero hour english, I was able to find census records from 1900 through 1940, and it seems like he survived the war. I also found a social security death thingie for him, that says he lived until 1976. He never moved from his farm in Troy, Idaho. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
War Party Posted December 2, 2018 Share #16 Posted December 2, 2018 I do believe his full name was George A Gord, and I believe that he lived in Idaho for a time before he was drafted, so I believe that's him! Thank you for your help. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk It is a high possibility that the Marine Sergenat George A. Gord of 1865 was his grandfather, since there was also "family history" of a Marine. Your grandpa likely just got his stories intermingled. You should be able to find more info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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