Three generations of war service

[MWalsh]

I picked up a nice group recently, it represents three generations of military service from one family.

 

I took a number of pictures of the group, so bear with me as I post the pics and the information about the family.

 

I have a lot more research to do on this one over time, but it'll be a fun project.

 

Here goes.

 

FE was born in 1840 and at age 22 enlisted in Company K of the 136th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He enlisted in August 1862 and served until the entiure regiment mustered out in June of 1865, he was a Private. The 136th saw combat during multiple, multiple campaigns all over the south and suffered a number of battle and non-battle casualties.

 

I have no idea as to the fate of FE or if he lived his life out in New York, that will be part of my research. His items are few in this group, but they do include this large framed GAR themed rememberance of his service in the 136th. It is about 3 feet tall. A shoulder scale is also part of the group, I suspect it may be his as well.

 

 

[MWalsh]

FE's sone was William E. William E. was a Minnesotan, although at this point I do not know if he came here with his father FE from New York, or if he came to Minnesota by himself.

 

WE served in the Minnesota National Guard pre-WW1. In those pre-WW1 days Guard units were still called by their state designation. The unit that WE served in was the 1st Minnesota Field Artillery. He served with them on the Mexican Border in 1916. Here is his rememberance certificate / poster.

 

 

[MWalsh]

[MWalsh]

The 1st Minnesota Field Artillery returned from their Mexican Border Service and went back to Guard status, but WW1 started and the 1st Minnesota Artillery changed to the 151st Field Artillery. WE stayed in the Guard after their Mexican service and went on to serve in WW1, but at this time I do not know in which exact unit.

 

He is pictured here with his son Ocea V.

 

[MWalsh]

WE was in Battery C of the 1st Minnesota Artillery, OV was in the same unit with him during their unit's Mexican Border Service. Father and son served together there. OV stayed in the 1st Minnesota Artillery during it's switch over to the 151st Field Artillery, he was with Battery C when it changed to the 151st. Here is his service rememberance certificate / poster. WE is not listed on it as being a member of the unit, nor is he in the 151st's official rosters for their WW1 service. I suspect that due to his age he was sent to a non-combat post while OV stayed with the 151st.

 

 

[MWalsh]

[tarbridge]

Mike Great group.Congrats.Robert

[MWalsh]

Mike Great group.Congrats.Robert

 

Had some computer issues there, back to posting more!

[MWalsh]

OV was with the 151st Field Artillery, formerly 1st Minnesota Field Artillery. The 151st was made part of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division for WW1. The 42nd served all through much of the AEF's combat time. I believe they also did occupation duty after the war ended too.

 

OV was a "saver" - the kind of guy we as collectors just have to love.

 

Picutured next is some of what he saved. Stacks of foreign postcards he collected, of places he'd been, from the war, etc. He held on to US Army maps, I suspect from zones the 151st shot at, he saved German military maps too, he kept and saved several small little journal books too, they contain his notes on where he was and what was happening, they start I think once he was called up for active service in WW1. I have not yet had time to go through tem to see what all they say though. He also saved various small shells, then a box of German souvenirs too; pipes and parts, and glass pictures. He also saved yard longs. LOTS of yard longs. The 151st, the 1st Minn Artillery, from camps from WW1 and from Mexican Border camps too.

 

 

 

[MWalsh]

 

[MWalsh]

 

[MWalsh]

 

[MWalsh]

All those papers in there are his written history of his service and what happened to him during his service, pension claim forms, that sort of thing. A pile of it!

 

 

[MWalsh]

 

[MWalsh]

 

[MWalsh]

The War Diary book was signed by the commander of the 151st FA, George Leach, he later went on to be a Governor of Minnesota.

 

[MWalsh]

OV saved pictures of himself in various poses, as well as boxes of bits and insignia, his patches from his uniform, and his dog tags too.

 

[MWalsh]

[MWalsh]

[MWalsh]

[MWalsh]

[MWalsh]

[MWalsh]

This his overseas pin too:

 

[Kurt Barickman]

Mike,

 

Another great Gopher State group :thumbsup:

 

Kurt

[MWalsh]

Some of the other pins shown here were probably OV's dad's, there is a hodge-podge.

 

After WW1, OV stayed in the Minnesota National Guard. Once WW2 started, from what I have been able to tell so far, he was probably too old or in too poor of physical condition to get called up with the 151st again for service with the 34th Division in WW2, so instead, he stayed home in Minnesota and stayed in the Guard. Since the actual National Guard was called up to Federal Service, they were replaced with the Minnesota State Guard, which I think later was called the Minnesota Defense Force. They did the state based duties that the Guard normally would have done had they not been called away to Federal service. From some of the pictures & yard longs, I think OV stayed in the Guard in some fashion or another into the 1950's. He ended up a Major in the Minnesota Guard, some of the patches and pins shown are from that portion of his post-WW1 service. You will see mini medals for the Mexican Border Service and a Minnesota Long Service Medal in mini.