Juadalcanal Posted November 5, 2022 Share #1 Posted November 5, 2022 On a contractor tag from NY there is the name Benjamin Abner, and I acquired it as a stateside uniform that belonged to a KIA veteran. I got this from a trade with a close friend, and I was already a little skeptical but my friend assured me that vet’s can sometimes have their name on the contract tag, as he owns one to a 28th Division vet and the names 100% match up. After I did some more research though I discovered there was another Benjamin Abner born around the same time of 1895 in Massachusetts and later moved to NY and in the 1920 census it lists him as an operator of mens clothes, however he’s listed as Bennie and some things are off so I have no idea if they’re actually related or if Bennie is somebody completely different. The name is “BENJ ABNER” on the tag. So, now I’m incredibly worried it’s really just the contractor but I don’t know the job specifications. Could somebody please help me out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted November 5, 2022 Share #2 Posted November 5, 2022 I don't have an answer for you if whether or not it was common practice for WW1 veterans to write their name down on the contact label of their uniforms. A photograph of the uniform and the tag would be nice when asking a question like this as you will probably get more responses. I did a quick check and I saw a number of different muster rolls for a Pvt. Benjamin H. Abner, #1564571, who served with Company E, 28th Infantry in France. It shows him being treated at a hospital since December 29, 1917 and absent due to being wounded on all the other muster rolls in 1918. There were no other Ben or Benjamin Abner who served during WW1 that I could locate. These muster rolls has his middle initial as H for Harrison. He is listed on Find-A-Grave (see link) which is where I copied the newspaper's account of his death. He is also listed on the Martin County, Indiana, Honor Roll (see link). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22784294/benjamin-harrison-abner https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=47482 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
268th C.A. Posted November 5, 2022 Share #3 Posted November 5, 2022 What's strange is he is not listed in the book ? DOW or KIA. But that doesn't mean anything. Post some pics when you can.... love those 1st Division tunics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juadalcanal Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share #4 Posted November 5, 2022 Yes he was actually a replacement rifleman I believe, he was wounded on the first day of the Aisne-Marne campaign and died the next day on July 19th. He was with Company E of the 28th IR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juadalcanal Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share #5 Posted November 5, 2022 35 minutes ago, Tonomachi said: I don't have an answer for you if whether or not it was common practice for WW1 veterans to write their name down on the contact label of their uniforms. A photograph of the uniform and the tag would be nice when asking a question like this as you will probably get more responses. I did a quick check and I saw a number of different muster rolls for a Pvt. Benjamin H. Abner, #1564571, who served with Company E, 28th Infantry in France. It shows him being treated at a hospital since December 29, 1917 and absent due to being wounded on all the other muster rolls in 1918. There were no other Ben or Benjamin Abner who served during WW1 that I could locate. These muster rolls has his middle initial as H for Harrison. He is listed on Find-A-Grave (see link) which is where I copied the newspaper's account of his death. He is also listed on the Martin County, Indiana, Honor Roll (see link). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22784294/benjamin-harrison-abner https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=47482 Gotcha. I’ll prove some photos!!! Thank you. I’ve found just about all the info on Benjamin H Abner, and I know he’s the only one who served during ww1 so maybe that helps? The photo of the tag is very hard to see but it definitely is BENJ ABNER. This was a stateside tunic that was probably issued to another soldier, which is why it has an honorable discharge chevron and the 3rd army patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinO Posted November 5, 2022 Share #6 Posted November 5, 2022 If it is stamped on the tag, then it is the government inspector's name. The name is familiar, so I would lean towards it being an inspector versus the soldier. Thats the Army of Occupation patch (not stateside). It looks like the soldier returning used a discharge stripe instead of one overseas stripe (for 6 months overseas). I do not believe your coat belonged to the WWI KIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juadalcanal Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share #7 Posted November 5, 2022 The tag is much better to see in person of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juadalcanal Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share #8 Posted November 5, 2022 2 minutes ago, AustinO said: If it is stamped on the tag, then it is the government inspector's name. The name is familiar, so I would lean towards it being an inspector versus the soldier. Thing is I know my friend has another uniform that has the vet’s name 100% stamped on the tag. I know you’re experienced with ww1 uniforms, but I’d just like to see other people’s opinions as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militariaone Posted November 5, 2022 Share #9 Posted November 5, 2022 Greetings, Would have been helpful if you had simply posted the pictures in your first thread. Not mad, just a suggestion for the future. Best, V/r Lance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juadalcanal Posted November 5, 2022 Author Share #10 Posted November 5, 2022 2 minutes ago, militariaone said: Greetings, Would have been helpful if you had simply posted the pictures in your first thread. Not mad, just a suggestion for the future. Best, V/r Lance I apologize. I just got the uniform today, and wasn’t sure if I should post it there (I feared nobody would see it) or make a new post just to confirm I actually have a uniform that belonged to him, if that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAC1901 Posted November 10, 2022 Share #11 Posted November 10, 2022 That is 99.9% likely the inspectors name Benj. Abner. Also, it is applied from an inkstamp right where inspectors names are routinely placed. The likelihood that a young private had an inkstamp made to mark his property, and happened to put it right where inspectors names are found, weighs heavily against this being the privates coat. The vast majority of soldier marked clothing and gear is hand written. Note too that the stamped name has no middle initial. When researching veterans it is amazing how often same first and last names come up - even with identical middle initials and in a few caes same middle names. In my opinion this is not the deceased soldiers coat. Nice coat nonetheless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juadalcanal Posted November 10, 2022 Author Share #12 Posted November 10, 2022 3 hours ago, CAC1901 said: That is 99.9% likely the inspectors name Benj. Abner. Also, it is applied from an inkstamp right where inspectors names are routinely placed. The likelihood that a young private had an inkstamp made to mark his property, and happened to put it right where inspectors names are found, weighs heavily against this being the privates coat. The vast majority of soldier marked clothing and gear is hand written. Note too that the stamped name has no middle initial. When researching veterans it is amazing how often same first and last names come up - even with identical middle initials and in a few caes same middle names. In my opinion this is not the deceased soldiers coat. Nice coat nonetheless! But it is quite possible it could be his yeah? If there was more info on the other guy I found who worked in New York and what he specifically did I’d 100% assume it would be a coat he inspected, but it lists him as an operator of men’s clothes on the 1920 census. Would they be inspectors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atb Posted November 10, 2022 Share #13 Posted November 10, 2022 I agree with CAC190, and I think you can be pretty much 100% assured that is the inspector. The label was prone to becoming faded or is missing and was not where I have ever seen soldiers mark their coats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Miller Posted November 11, 2022 Share #14 Posted November 11, 2022 8 hours ago, Juadalcanal said: But it is quite possible it could be his yeah? If there was more info on the other guy I found who worked in New York and what he specifically did I’d 100% assume it would be a coat he inspected, but it lists him as an operator of men’s clothes on the 1920 census. Would they be inspectors? Zero possibility the name on the tag is the KIA soldier. The census speaks volumes. The inspector worked in the clothing industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juadalcanal Posted November 12, 2022 Author Share #15 Posted November 12, 2022 On 11/11/2022 at 12:26 AM, Chris Miller said: Zero possibility the name on the tag is the KIA soldier. The census speaks volumes. The inspector worked in the clothing industry. That makes sense. Thank you so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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