The Medals & Story of GySgt Harold TODD USMC

[bobgee]

Hello Robert. I'm the guy that posted the article about GySgt Todd.. Would like to hear more details about his helmet and see a picture. Regards.......Bobgee

[bobgee]

Today, June 6, 2015, is the 97th anniversary of the fierce fighting at Belleau Wood and the anniversary of GySgt Todd's death. We remember. We also remember June 6, 1944 and all who gave all on that historic day of liberation. Bobgee

[RobertE]

Here is the helmet -

[RobertE]

Punched hole, no EGA -

[RobertE]

Brodie type -

[RobertE]

As you would expect, didn't see a heck of a lot of war time use -

[RobertE]

difficult to photograph, but it's named -

[RobertE]

.

[RobertE]

Bobgee, do you have any Marine paperwork signed by GySgt Todd that may provide a sample of his handwriting? I'm interested to know if this was actually his helmet. Looking at the rolls of the regiment, there appears to have only been one.

 

s/f Robert

[warguy]

Robert, first a gorgeous helmet. Just wanted to point out the obvious though. If this is the Todd referred to in this thread, as he was KIA in Belleau wood, he would have never worn this helmet with insignia painted on it. So it might be interesting to see if this was perhaps his helmet that might have been named, and picked up and re-used by another Marine throughout the remainder of the war and then painted on the way home. Of course that one would show good evidence of campaign use. I might suggest checking if there is another Todd assigned to the 5th Marines HQ Battalion. Might be a better chance that is his helmet. I will check the rosters. Kevin

[warguy]

Robert, the roster for the 4th Marine Brigade in France, WWI, lists a total of 6 Marines named Todd fighting. A sad testament of the violence of that conflict is that all 6 were casualties with 3 wounded and 3 killed. I am still leaning toward your helmet belonging to a survivor, so of the 3 that came home, only one was with the 5th Marines.

 

Glenn E. Todd, 304460 Enl 21 dec. 1917 47th company 3rd battalion. Is the square on your helmet blue or black? Kevin

[RobertE]

Hi Kevin,

 

Thanks for taking the time to comment and for the research - very interesting. I agree this helmet wouldn't have been worn painted by anyone in June 1918, and believe it was probably reissued to another Marine in the same regiment. The background is black on the helmet.

 

It certainly is possible it was worn by another Todd in 5th Marines - no real way of telling. I'm hoping that the documents for GySgt Todd have a sample of his name, written in his own hand. A comparison of the two name samples would do it.

 

s/f Robert

[warguy]

Best of luck Robert, I hope you are able to id it. Really a very nice helmet for sure. Kevin

[devildog34]

Todd's remains were not recovered until July 25, 1918, most likely by the 101st Engineers so that means his helmet would likely not have been recovered until then and by then the Marines would have been long gone from the area so the chances are overwhelmingly good the helmet belongs to one of the other Todds Kevin mentioned. Hope this helps.

Semper Fi

Kevin S.

[RobertE]

Hi Kevin,

 

Sure makes sense if his helmet was buried with him. We owned the approach fields to Belleau Wood in June, and while proper interment of remains didn't take place until later, weapons and field gear could have been picked up and reissued. I don't think the Marine Corps would have left serviceable gear around - or buried it - with new drafts coming in all the time and battlefield equipment losses.

 

Common to find uniform and field items with more than one name in them - reissuing gear was a pretty common thing to do in the Corps, as we know. This helmet could have belonged to Glen or Harold Todd - there were only two of them in the fifth Marines, according to Kevin's fine research, and I continue to hold out hope that we'll find a handwriting sample for Harold Todd.

 

Thanks for the comments, Kevin.

 

s/f Robert

[bobgee]

Robert - Like devildog34 and Warguy I do not believe that this helmet belonged to GySgt Todd KIA 6/6/18 at Belleau Wood. But to satisfy your curiosity I am attcaching a copy of his signature from his enlistment contract. I can't see the name on either photo you posted so have no opinion. Regards.......Bobgee

 

[RobertE]

Thanks for posting, Bobgee. Todd's name is printed in the helmet and cursive script on his enlistment form, so it's not a good comparison. I know this is being a pain, but do you have any printed samples of his name, not his actual signature?

 

I am lucky to have found your posting, Bobgee, as it is either your Marine or the other Todd who served in the regiment according to Kevin's research of the battle roster. I don't want to miss an opportunity to possibly identify the wearer of this helmet, as it is one or the other Marine of the same name. It would be a shame to have a named but unattributed piece of headgear.

 

The Marine who painted the helmet may be the same one as the one who wrote their name in it, or not - either way I'm happy with it. Since we have no physical documents from the second Marine, this is my best way forward.

 

s/f Robert

[devildog34]

Todd's remains were not recovered until July 25, 1918, most likely by the 101st Engineers so that means his helmet would likely not have been recovered until then and by then the Marines would have been long gone from the area so the chances are overwhelmingly good the helmet belongs to one of the other Todds Kevin mentioned. Hope this helps.

Semper Fi

Kevin S.

 

You'd be very surprised what these men were buried with. More times than not, from my research, they were exhumed in 1918-1919 from their initial burial with their helmets, cartridge belts, boots etc. I've even found many were buried with bayonets and holstered pistols- all gear that was likely servicable. Most burials were done hastily and under fire or in combat conditions by random men on burial detail, and proper identification and surveying equipment were very often the last things on the minds of those on burial detail and accounts for an overwhelming majority of those reported 'missing.' Most of the missing are buried but in graves where misidentification or no identification accompanied the initial burial and caused all sorts of problems. There's even a case of a 3/5 Marine who was buried, exhumed in 1919 and his remains brought home and the family buried him in a private cemetery only to find 2 years later that their son's remains had been misidentified and buried back in the U.S. as another set of remains were found that were undoubtedly id'd as the remains of the man already buried back in the states. The remains the family buried were exhumed and replaced with the correct ones. The repatriation process was often a complete cluster from some areas.

 

The 45th Co.'s position and avenue of approach on June 6, 1918 was from the NE quadrant of St. Martin Woods and they crossed at a particular vulnerable spot where they were not only accosted by MG fire from the western tree line of Belleau Wood (directly in front of them) but well within view of German artillery spotters in the village of Belleau and even Torcy (To the north and Northeast). To send burial parties towards this open area at anytime in June or even the first half of July when the 26th Div. was fighting to take Torcy and Belleau villages would have been suicidal. The late recovery of Todd is testament to the nature under which these burials were taken.

Semper Fi

Kevin

[bobgee]

Thanks for posting, Bobgee. Todd's name is printed in the helmet and cursive script on his enlistment form, so it's not a good comparison. I know this is being a pain, but do you have any printed samples of his name, not his actual signature?

 

I am lucky to have found your posting, Bobgee, as it is either your Marine or the other Todd who served in the regiment according to Kevin's research of the battle roster. I don't want to miss an opportunity to possibly identify the wearer of this helmet, as it is one or the other Marine of the same name. It would be a shame to have a named but unattributed piece of headgear.

 

The Marine who painted the helmet may be the same one as the one who wrote their name in it, or not - either way I'm happy with it. Since we have no physical documents from the second Marine, this is my best way forward.

 

s/f Robert

That's it. No printed name in his file. You can always order the other Todd's service record to continue your forensic investigation. Good luck. Bobgee

[RobertE]

That's it. No printed name in his file. You can always order the other Todd's service record to continue your forensic investigation. Good luck. Bobgee

Thanks Bobgee, I will. I appreciate you checking and will request the records.

 

Kevin, thanks for the background on early internment practices; very informative. Including this June, I have been to Belleau Wood six or seven times; we actually spent two weeks there with a large group of Marines clearing fallen trees off the guns and fighting positions that had been felled by strong winds. We found quite a bit of material that was unearthed when the root clusters tipped up, mostly small arms ammunition and grenades.

 

The monuments administrator has a room filled with recovered material, and some very interesting anecdotal information on treatment and recovery of remains at the wood and follow-on fighting in the vicinity. They logged the recovery sites and items; gear helped them ID whether it was one or more probable Marines, Army, or Navy Corpsmen and artifacts helped with personal IDing.

 

Thanks for all the help developing possibilities for this helmet.

 

s/f Robert

[bobgee]

BTT - Remembering Belleau Wood 99 years ago today. Semper Fi, Marines! Bob

[devildog34]

Such an unbelievable reminder of the sacrifice that unfolded in that hastily orchestrated charge across the wheat field against the western face of the woods. Todd's memory and story could not have a better guardian.

Semper Fi