LYONSJ9 Posted January 1, 2021 Share #1 Posted January 1, 2021 In the summer of 1917, roughly two months after President Wilson declared war on the German Empire, Philadelphia native Robert McMeekin answered the call to arms by volunteering for the Pennsylvania National Guard. After basic training and a short time served stateside, he along with millions of other eager young Americans made their way across the Atlantic to an uncertain fate in war ravaged Europe. Serving in the 110th Infantry Regiment of the 28th Division, Robert would go on to see heavy action during the Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, and Meuse-Argonne Offensives. It would be during the famed Meuse-Argonne Offensive on October 1st, 1918 that Robert would be wounded in action. Though the details of his wound are lost to time, it appears Robert was very lucky as his paperwork shows the wound as being “slight”. Nevertheless, McMeekin received his Columbia Acolade (a paper award granted for combat wounds) and honorably discharged after the war in 1919. It would be roughly another 13 years and the lobbying of numerous famous WWI Veterans (including Douglas MacArthur) before the Columbia Accolade would finally be upgraded to a wearable Medal, the Purple Heart we all know of today. After being made aware of the newly instituted award, McMeekin applied for his Purple Heart and finally received it in June of 1935. Unfortunately, I have not found more information on McMeekin, thankfully however, a photo of him was included with the medal grouping. Hopefully with time, more information on him may be found. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdogchristy90 Posted January 1, 2021 Share #2 Posted January 1, 2021 Great grouping, sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share #3 Posted January 1, 2021 Great grouping, sir! Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted January 1, 2021 Share #4 Posted January 1, 2021 Ditto, that is a great pair of medals, with the WWI Victory Medal having the proper clasps for the 28th ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertmedals Posted January 1, 2021 Share #5 Posted January 1, 2021 Excellent set of medals. Always a great find when there is a photo of the soldier. Thanks for posting it. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertmedals Posted January 1, 2021 Share #6 Posted January 1, 2021 You've probably already seen this but here is what the 110th Infantry Regiment history has listed for Pvt McMeekin (Pg 244-245): "McMEEKIN, ROBERT (1240631) PFC. Co. F; Wounded Oct. 1, '18; Ret. to D. Feb. 19, '19; Disch. May 23, '19; (74-8) 1225 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, Pa." He may have been wounded "slightly" but he was out of action for over 3 months. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share #7 Posted January 1, 2021 Ditto, that is a great pair of medals, with the WWI Victory Medal having the proper clasps for the 28th ID.Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share #8 Posted January 1, 2021 You've probably already seen this but here is what the 110th Infantry Regiment history has listed for Pvt McMeekin (Pg 244-245): "McMEEKIN, ROBERT (1240631) PFC. Co. F; Wounded Oct. 1, '18; Ret. to D. Feb. 19, '19; Disch. May 23, '19; (74-8) 1225 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, Pa." He may have been wounded "slightly" but he was out of action for over 3 months. DennisThank you! And thanks for the info on him! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottplen Posted January 1, 2021 Share #9 Posted January 1, 2021 nice ! a Phila guy ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertmedals Posted January 1, 2021 Share #10 Posted January 1, 2021 1 hour ago, LYONSJ9 said: Thank you! And thanks for the info on him! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Happy to help. I have an item in my collection from a soldier in the 109th Infantry Regiment (Pvt Charles Walther of Lodi, CA) who was killed in action on October 1, 1918 about a mile from where Pvt McMeekin was wounded. It appears to me that they were both casualties resulting from a German counterattack against the 28th Division at 0545 on Oct 1 which preempted the 28th Division's attack planned for 0600 that morning. Pvt Walther was reported to have been killed by machine gun fire. I walked that ground in October 2018. If I have a picture of the area where I think Pvt McMeekin was wounded I'll post it. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share #11 Posted January 3, 2021 Happy to help. I have an item in my collection from a soldier in the 109th Infantry Regiment (Pvt Charles Walther of Lodi, CA) who was killed in action on October 1, 1918 about a mile from where Pvt McMeekin was wounded. It appears to me that they were both casualties resulting from a German counterattack against the 28th Division at 0545 on Oct 1 which preempted the 28th Division's attack planned for 0600 that morning. Pvt Walther was reported to have been killed by machine gun fire. I walked that ground in October 2018. If I have a picture of the area where I think Pvt McMeekin was wounded I'll post it. DennisThank you Dennis! That would be awesome to see! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Arendall Posted January 3, 2021 Share #12 Posted January 3, 2021 I saw this on Facebook, what an amazing group! Always lovely to see a picture of the solider with the group. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share #13 Posted January 3, 2021 I saw this on Facebook, what an amazing group! Always lovely to see a picture of the solider with the group. Well done!Thank you Trevor! I’m pretty excited to have my first Purple Heart Group!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Arendall Posted January 3, 2021 Share #14 Posted January 3, 2021 11 hours ago, LYONSJ9 said: Thank you Trevor! I’m pretty excited to have my first Purple Heart Group! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk That's a really good first group to have! I am glad you are the caretaker of it. I know it will get the respect it deserves! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted January 3, 2021 Share #15 Posted January 3, 2021 A really nice group...congratulations! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share #16 Posted January 3, 2021 A really nice group...congratulations! MikeThank you Mike! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted January 3, 2021 Share #17 Posted January 3, 2021 Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted January 3, 2021 Share #18 Posted January 3, 2021 Nice group! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share #19 Posted January 3, 2021 Nice group! Thank you Kurt!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share #20 Posted January 3, 2021 Nice!Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertmedals Posted January 3, 2021 Share #21 Posted January 3, 2021 I'm attaching one picture of the area where I think it is likely Pvt McMeekin was wounded. First, the bakgorund. On September 30 the 28th Division was ordered to go over to the defense in the area they currently held and resume the attack on October 1 with the 110th Infantry planning to jump off at 0600. On September 30, the 110th and 109th Infantries established a defense in depth in an around Apremont and south. I and K Companies, 110th Infantry were in a strongpoint in the cemetery just north of Apremont. E Company, 110th Infantry and a platoon of engineers were in strongpoint about 400 yards to the west of I and K companies. The 109th Infantry held 2 other strongpoints in and south of Apremont and the rest of the 109th was in support in Apremont. The 1st Battalion and the rest of 2nd Battalion 110th Infantry (including McMeekin’s F company) were in support at Montblainville about 1 ½ miles south of Apremont. They occupied the old German trenches there. Those were the positions held on the morning of October 1 when the German counterattack began. The German artillery began its preparatory fire at 0530 from Bois de Taille Abbe about 2 miles west of Apremont and attacked at 0545. Based on the 110th Infantry’s history, the German counterattack did not penetrate the strongpoints in and around Apremont and consequently did not get to Montblainville. It would seem to me that under those circumstances, Pvt McMeekin was wounded in the trenches at Montblainville probably by shell fire from German artillery. I think the range was too great and the terrain too intervening for him to have been wounded by machinegun barrage fire. The attached photograph shows the village of Montblainville. I took this picture on September 20, 2018 from Route D936 facing west. Montblainville is the group of buildings just to the left of center. The wooded area on the far right in the background is the approximate area the German artillery fired from on October 1, 1918. The German counterattack went from right to left in this picture. It's sunny and clear in this picture but on October 1, 1918 I think it was cold and raining. If you PM me with your email address I’ll get you a copy of the photo that you should be able to edit. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 3, 2021 Author Share #22 Posted January 3, 2021 I'm attaching one picture of the area where I think it is likely Pvt McMeekin was wounded. First, the bakgorund. On September 30 the 28th Division was ordered to go over to the defense in the area they currently held and resume the attack on October 1 with the 110th Infantry planning to jump off at 0600. On September 30, the 110th and 109th Infantries established a defense in depth in an around Apremont and south. I and K Companies, 110th Infantry were in a strongpoint in the cemetery just north of Apremont. E Company, 110th Infantry and a platoon of engineers were in strongpoint about 400 yards to the west of I and K companies. The 109th Infantry held 2 other strongpoints in and south of Apremont and the rest of the 109th was in support in Apremont. The 1st Battalion and the rest of 2nd Battalion 110th Infantry (including McMeekin’s F company) were in support at Montblainville about 1 ½ miles south of Apremont. They occupied the old German trenches there. Those were the positions held on the morning of October 1 when the German counterattack began. The German artillery began its preparatory fire at 0530 from Bois de Taille Abbe about 2 miles west of Apremont and attacked at 0545. Based on the 110th Infantry’s history, the German counterattack did not penetrate the strongpoints in and around Apremont and consequently did not get to Montblainville. It would seem to me that under those circumstances, Pvt McMeekin was wounded in the trenches at Montblainville probably by shell fire from German artillery. I think the range was too great and the terrain too intervening for him to have been wounded by machinegun barrage fire. The attached photograph shows the village of Montblainville. I took this picture on September 20, 2018 from Route D936 facing west. Montblainville is the group of buildings just to the left of center. The wooded area on the far right in the background is the approximate area the German artillery fired from on October 1, 1918. The German counterattack went from right to left in this picture. It's sunny and clear in this picture but on October 1, 1918 I think it was cold and raining. If you PM me with your email address I’ll get you a copy of the photo that you should be able to edit. Dennis Wow! Thank you Dennis! I’ll PM you. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermanus Posted January 4, 2021 Share #23 Posted January 4, 2021 Wow, nice full story with the history of the unit, day and surroundings included. Regards Herman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYONSJ9 Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share #24 Posted January 13, 2021 Wow, nice full story with the history of the unit, day and surroundings included. Regards Herman Thank you Herman! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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