Need Help Identifying a WW I Veteran

[world war I nerd]

I'm currently 107 pages into "Wine, Women and War; A Diary of Disillusionment" ... It is a extremely candid WW I diary that was first published in 1927. It was written by an "Anonymous" officer who served in France with the AEF. In it, the anonymous officer refers to many high ranking officers, as well as the other men he served with by their initials and no AEF organizations have been mentioned so far.

 

At some point between the time the diary was published and the death of its writer, the author's identity was revealed to be Howard Vincent O'Brien who lived his entire life in Chicago, Illinois (1888 to 1947). There he was a novelist and journalist for the Chicago Daily News.

 

Since O'Brien was both a novelist and a journalist, I'm trying to determine whether or not if the above mentioned book is a work of fiction or an actual account of the author's experiences during World War I. Based on what I've read so far, I'm inclined to believe that the book is an accurate and uncensored account of what actually transpired Over There during the Great War.

 

Anyway, what I'd like to find out is what AEF organizations O'Brien served with in France. According to the diary/book, so far the author:

• Commissioned as a 1st lieutenant in the field artillery of the Officers Reserve Corps in November of 1917
• Sailed for France on December 27, 1917
• Docked in Liverpool, England on January 15, 1918
• Arrived in LeHarve, France on January 17, 1918
• Attended French artillery school at Saumur, during which he was transferred to a French tractor school
• Upon successfully completing the tractor course he was assigned to the HQ Company of an unamed field artillery regiment in March of 1918.
• He mentioned that his artillery regiment was camped near two National Guard regiments from Iowa, Washington & Utah

Here is an example of his, often very sarcastic, text:

 

Called up before Colonel, and asked my specialty. Told him I knew practically everything about gas engines and tractors. So was assigned to telephones and signalling ... Great system this Army! After exhaustive education in tractors, and finding nothing I know less about they make me regimental radio officer. A lot of good taxpayers' money being wasted.

 

Wish I was with motors. Misuse of materials, due to ignorance and carelessnes, appalling. Hate to see machinery mistreated.

 

For anyone interested, the complete diary/book is available online here:

 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433081555660;view=1up;seq=124

 

If anyone knows where to look, please let me know in which AEF organizations 1st Lieutenant Howard Vincent O'Brien served.

 

Thanks in advance, and thanks for looking ... World War I Nerd

[aznation]

Source: http://mssa.library.yale.edu/obituary_record/1925_1952/1947-48.pdf

 

[aznation]

[aznation]

Source: Fold3

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[world war I nerd]

aznation … you are a wizard when it comes to tracking down information on US military personnel. Thank you so much!

 

The information you provided dovetails perfectly with the dates, places and duties that were written by O'Brien in his anonymous diary. I am now convinced that that diary is authentic, not a work of fiction.

 

I'm only a third of the way through his diary, but ne of the things that really surprised me (well, maybe not) was the number of references he makes about the drinking and womanizing carried out by AEF officers that did not serve in combat.

 

Thanks again aznation, what a resource you are.

[aznation]

You're welcome. I'm glad I could help with some information. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[aznation]

By the way, if you're ever in Chicago, The Newberry Library has some of Mr. O'Brien's military service documents, correspondence, orders, and memorabilia. See below.

 

The Newberry Library

60 West Walton Street

Chicago, IL 60610

(312) 943-9090

 

 

IDENTIFICATION Midwest MS O'Brien

TITLE Inventory of the Howard Vincent O'Brien Papers, 1894-1948 Midwest.MS.O'Brien

PUBLISHER The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts

REPOSITORY The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION 7.5 linear feet (18 boxes)

DATE1894-1948

LOCATION 1 27 6

ABSTRACT Correspondence, manuscripts, clippings, publicity materials, and personal papers of newspaper columnist and novelist Howard Vincent O'Brien.

ORIGINATION O'Brien, Howard Vincent, 1888-1947

Provenance

Gift, Louise O'Brien, 1949.

 

Access

The Howard Vincent O'Brien Papers are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).

 

Ownership and Literary Rights

The Howard Vincent O'Brien Papers are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.

 

Cite As

Howard Vincent O'Brien Papers, The Newberry Library, Chicago.

 

Biography of Howard Vincent O'Brien

Newspaper columnist, critic, and novelist.

 

Howard Vincent O'Brien was born on the North Side of Chicago in 1888 to William Vincent and Mary Ellen O'Brien. He received a BA from Yale University in 1910 and always displayed an interest in the arts. He began his writing career on the editorial staff of Printers Ink magazine, and later founded and edited a magazine titled Art, published with the backing of his grandfather's art gallery, M. O'Brien and Son. He also briefly ran his own firm called H. V. Advertising. During World War I he served as first lieutenant of artillery attached to intelligence. He wrote several novels in the 1910s and 1920s including An Abandoned Woman, Trodden Gold, and the anonymously penned memoir Wine, Women, and War.

 

He joined the staff of the Chicago Daily News as literary editor in 1928, where he oversaw the book pages, wrote book reviews, and wrote a regular literary column titled "Footnotes." His most well known column, "All Things Considered," had its origin in Europe where O'Brien was sent due to ill health in 1932. His original assignment was to send back sketches of literary figures, but found himself, "sick of egomaniac authors." He wrote instead about trivial things that amused him. Chicago Daily News publisher Col. Frank Knox liked the work so much that he suggested O'Brien become a full-time columnist. O'Brien continued to write "All Things Considered" for the rest of his life.

 

O'Brien married wife Louise in 1912. They had three children, sons Bayne and Donel, and daughter Jean. In his most famous column, "So Long, Son," O'Brien tells of seeing his son Donel off to World War II, where Donel was later killed in action. Howard Vincent O'Brien died September 30, 1947 after a long struggle with cancer.

 

Personal materials include financial receipts, military documents, and publicity for O'Brien's novels.

 

TITLE Military Service (correspondence regarding - all outgoing),

BOX 1

FOLDER 80

DATE 1916-1918

 

TITLE Military Service Documents - correspondence, orders, memorabilia,

BOX 17

FOLDER 368

DATE 1916-1919