World War I - Gold Star Men

During the first World War, families with servicemen overseas adopted a blue star flag to show the household was home to a fighting man. When soldiers died, families wanted to find a way to mark the special nature of sacrifice. With encouragement from the federal government, families changed the blue stars to gold. This is the origin of the Gold Star Mother, a special term and symbol to honor a mother’s sacrifice.

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 George Baird                  Rank: Private 

Son of Alfred   and Emma Baird; born September 8, 1887, Reserve Township, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Enlisted June 27, 1917, Paris, Illinois Trained at Camp Taylor, Kentucky, and Beauregard, La. Embarked in August, 1917; assigned to Company B, 125th Infantry, 32nd Division. Killed in action October 10, 1918, in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Buried in Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France. 

 Forest N. Burns              Rank: Sergeant 

Son of Westin H. and Emma Burns ; born January 7, 1898, Rockville, Indiana Spent his childhood in a State Orphanage. Laborer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army February 23, 1917, Terre Haute, Indiana Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; assigned to Company M, 9th Infantry. Saw service on the Mexican Border. Transferred to Company M, 47th Infantry. Embarked May 10, 1918. Participated in battle northwest of Verdun. Killed in action September 28, 1918. (Place of burial unknown.) 

 Perley Cecil Carty                    Rank: Private 

Son of Albert and Rosie Alice Carty; born March 12, 1894, Raccoon Township, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army, August 13, 1915, St. Louis, Missouri Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Served on the Mexican Border. Assigned to Company A, 18th Infantry, 1st Division. Overseas in June, 1917. Fought at Chateau-Thierry. Killed while on patrol duty July 18, 1918. (Burial place unknown.) 

 Lonnie Clore                   Rank: Private 

Son of Albert and Lucinda Clore; born September 1, 1892, Howard Township, Parke County, Indiana Teacher. Entered service July 22, 1918, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; assigned to 29th Company, 159th Depot Brigade. Transferred to Camp McClellan, Alabama, where he died of influenza January 25, 1919. Buried in Wolf Creek Cemetery, Parke County, Indiana 

 Clifford F. Cox               Rank: Private 

Son of Edward and Laura Cox; born October 9, 1894, Coloma, Parke County, Indiana Laborer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army April 9, 1917, Wagner, S. D. Sent to Fort Logan, Colorado; assigned to Company I, 16th Infantry, 1st Division. Embarked June 12, 1917. Participated in battle in the Artois Sector. Killed in action July 18, 1918. Place of death and burial unknown. 

 Charles Elsworth Daniels                    Rank: Private 

Son of James and Elizabeth Daniels; born August 15, 1888, near Coxville, Parke County, Indiana Coal miner. Entered service July 22, 1918, Clinton, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; assigned to 45th Company, 12th Training Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade. Transferred to Camp McClellan, Alabama; assigned to Battery F, 9th Brigade, 27th Regiment Field Artillery. Died of pneumonia January 22, 1919, Camp McClellan, Alabama. Buried at Clinton, Indiana Survived by widow, Charity Daniels,  

 Vivian B. Davies              Rank: Private 

Son of Neil and Malissa Davies, born April 7, 1893, Penn Township, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Entered service May 25, 1918, in North Dakota. Sent to Camp Lewis, Washington Assigned to Battery C, 316th Field Artillery, 81st (Wildcat) Division. Embarked August 4, 1918. Died of pneumonia October 4, 1918, probably at Camp Hospital No. 12, in France. Buried, Le Valdahon, France. 

 George Franklin Dill                 Rank: Private 

Son of Alva E. and Elizabeth Jane Tucker Dill; born October 1, 1887, Johnstown, Greene County, Indiana Moved to Parke County, February, 1897. Farmer. Enlisted October 4, 1917, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; assigned to Company C, 151st Infantry. Sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Embarked June 11, 1918; assigned to Company K, 26th Infantry, 1st Division. Killed in action at Soissons, France, July 20, 1918. (Burial place unknown.) 

 William A. Edminsten                 Rank: Private 

Son of Rufus Farthing and Nan Ray Edmisten; born October 16, 1892, Boone, Watauga County, North Carolina. Moved to Parke County, Indiana, in October, 1913. Coal miner. Enlisted February 13, 1918, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Toledo, Oregon; assigned to Second Detachment, 8th Squadron. Died of disease January 2, 1919, Camp Toledo, Oregon. Buried at Boone, North Carolina. 

 James Blaine Fellenger                   Rank: Corporal 

Son of George W. and Amanda Fellenger; born January 12, 1893, near Catlin, Parke County, Indiana Educated in Purdue University. Farmer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army February 14, 1918, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Greene, North Carolina. Embarked May 10, 1918; assigned to Company E, 47th Infantry, 4th Division. Killed in action July 25, 1918, near the Vesle River, Champagne Sector. Buried in American Cemetery No. 1764, Belleau, Aisne. American Legion Post, Rockville, Ind,  Named in his honor. 

 August Hamm                  Rank: Private 

Son of Herman and Anna Hamm; born April 12, 1883, Stanton, Illinois Came to Parke County, Indiana in 1889. Coal miner. Enlisted May 9, 1917, Clinton, Indiana Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.; assigned to Supply Company, 16th Infantry. Transferred to Company C, 16th Infantry, 1st Division. Embarked June 17, 1917. Participated in Aisne-Marne Offensive. Wounded July 18, 1918, Chateren Woods (?). Died from effects of wounds July 22, 1918. (Burial place unknown.) 

 Forest Kenneth Hobson             Rank: Apprentice Seaman 

Son of Ira E. and Nora Hobson; born January 10, 1898, Tangier, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Entered U.S. Navy July 1, 1918, Rockville, Indiana Called into service August 13, 1918, Norfolk, Virginia. Died of influenza September 29, 1918, in Navy Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia. Buried in Rush Creek Cemetery, near Tangier, Indiana 

 Henry E. Hopper            Rank: Corporal 

Son of Frank and Stella Hopper; born February 12, 1895, near Rosedale, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army February 14, 1918, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Greene, North Carolina.; assigned to Company E, 47th Infantry, 4th Division. Transferred to Camp Mills, New York.; embarked May 10, 1918. Killed in action August 3-13, 1918, on the Vesle River, near St. Thibaut, France. Buried in Commune of Bazoches, Aisne, France. 

 Maurice C. Irwin            Rank: Sergeant 

Son of Fred and Alice Irwin; born March 31, 1896, near Bridgeton, Parke County, Indiana Bookkeeper. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army December 5, 1917, Indianapolis, Indiana Sent to Ft. Thomas, Kentucky Transferred to Camp Joseph Johnston, Florida; assigned to Field Remount Squadron No. 314. Embarked August 14, 1918; assigned to Quartermaster Corps, 333rd Field Remount Squadron. Died of pneumonia November 11, 1918, Base Hospital No. 9, Chateauroux, France. Buried, Chateauroux, Indre, France. 

 William Owen Isham                 Rank: Private 

Son of Joseph and Alice Isham; born March 1, 1896, Mackville, Kentucky Moved to Parke County, Indiana 1910. Farmer. Entered service March 30, 1918, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky Embarked May 10, 1918; assigned to Company H, 47th Infantry, 4th Division. Died of wounds July 25, 1918, received in action, Chateau-Thierry. Buried in American Cemetery No. 1764 Belleau Aisne. Survived by widow, Hershel Isham, and daughter, Agathe Isham, Catlin, Indiana 

 Gordon R. Jackson                   Rank: Private 

Son of William and Mattie Jackson; born April 15, 1895, near Tangier, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Entered service October 5, 1917, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; transferred to Camp Shelby, Mississippi; assigned to Replacement Draft; then to Company C, 12th Machine Gun Battalion. Embarked June 11, 1918. Killed in action September 30, 1918, Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Buried in American Cemetery, Brieulles-sur-Meuse. 

 Tony E. Kashon               Rank: Private 

Son of Oscar and Della Kashon; born August 31, 1895, Batavia, Ohio. Moved to Parke County, Indiana, in 1907. Coal miner. Enlisted in Company H, 1st Infantry, Indiana National Guard, July 6, 1917, Terre Haute, Indiana Sent to Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; assigned to Battery F, 150th Field Artillery 42nd (Rainbow) Division. Embarked from Long Island, New York. October 18, 1917. Killed in action July 28, 1918, near Beauvardes. Buried in American Cemetery, Seringes-et-Nesels, Aisne, France. 

 Earl A. Litsey                 Rank: Wagoner 

Son of Elmer and Myrtle Litsey; born November 29, 1895, near Marshall, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Entered service September 19, 1917, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky Transferred to Camp Shelby, Mississpppi; assigned to Supply Company, 151st Infantry. Overseas in October, 1918. Contracted pneumonia on board ship; sent to Military Hospital, Gravesend, England, where he died November 7, 1918. Buried in Poplar Grove Cemetery, Rockville, Indiana American Legion Post, Marshall, Indiana,  Named the Litsey-Price Post.  

 Paul H. Long                   Rank: Sergeant 

Son of Strand and Nola Long; born October 12, 1897, Marshall, Parke County, Indiana Trackman. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army, in August, 1913, Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; assigned to Company E, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Saw service on Mexican Border. Embarked in June, 1917. Participated in battle of Lorraine Sector. Killed in action March 16, 1918. Buried at Mandres, France. 

 Peter Lucak, Jr.             Rank: Private 

Son of Peter and Ella Lucak; born November 29, 1894, Flensburg, Morrison County, Minnesota. Moved to Parke County, Indiana, May 20, 1898. Coal miner. Enlisted October 5, 1917, Cleveland, Ohio. Sent to Camp Talyor, Kentucky Embarked May 8, 1918; assigned to Company F, 348th Infantry, 4th Division. Killed in action July 18, 1918, at Chateau Thierry. Buried in Cemetery No. 1764, Grave No. 66, Section M, Plot 2, Belleau Aisne, France. 

 William Ray Martin                  Rank: Private 

Son of James S. and Martha Martin; born May 14, 1895, Union Township, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Entered service July 21, 1918, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; assigned to 29th Company, 8th Training Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade. Transferred to Camp McClellan, Alabama; assigned to Battery A, 25th Field Artillery. Died of lobar pneumonia November 4, 1918, Camp McClellan, Alabama. Buried in Martin's Cemetery, Parke County, Indiana 

 Jesse H. Moore              Rank: Private 

Son of Charles and Hannah Smith Moore; born January 4, 1888, Frankfort, Indiana Living on a farm in Warren County, when he enlisted in U.S. Regular Army May 27, 1916, Lafavette, Indiana Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Overseas in June 1917; assigned to Company K, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Killed in action May 28, 1918, battle of Cantigny. Buried at Bonvillers, France. 

 Otis Morris                   Rank: Private 

Son of James and Mary E. Morris; born August 8, 1894, Edgar County, Illinois Moved to Parke County, Indiana in 1899. Laborer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army May 11, 1917, Terre Haute, Indiana Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; transferred to Ft. Bliss, Texas; assigned to Company B, Second Engineers. Embarked August 1917. Died of wounds June 20, 1918, received in battle of Chateau-Thierry. Buried in Glorieux Cemetery, Glorieux, France. 

 Floyd E. Nevins              Rank: Sergeant 

Son of Robert and Mary Nevins; born December 14, 1894, Catlin, Parke County, Indiana Laborer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army August 4, 1914, Chicago, Illinois Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; transferred to Ft. Douglas, Arizona. Served on the Mexican Border. Stationed at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, and Camp Taylor, Kentucky Embarked in June, 1917; assigned to Supply Company, 45th Brigade. Killed in action October 9, 1918, in Meuse-Argonne Offensive. (Burial place unknown.) 

 Carlisle Grover Price                Rank: Captain 

Son of Dr. G. C. and Maggie E. Price; born February 23, 1888, Woodstock, Kentucky Moved to Parke County, Indiana in 1913. Graduate of Louisville Medical College. Physician. Entered service January 1918, Rockville, Indiana Trained at Camp Greenleaf, Georgia., and Camp Greene, North Carolina. Embarked August 30, 1918. Assigned to Base Hospital No. 78. Died of pneumonia October 30, 1918, Toul, France. Buried near hospital. Survived by widow, Maggie Price, and daughter Fallaye Price, Judson, Indiana American Legion Post, Marshall, Indiana,  Named the Litsey-Price Post.

 William E. Robbins                   Rank: Corporal 

Son of James and Frances Crowder Robbins; born February 8, 1895, Sugar Creek Township, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army September 5, 1916. Sent to Columbus Barracks, Ohio; transferred to Eagle Pass, Texas. Served on Mexican Border. Embarked June 14, 1917; assigned to Headquarters Company, 26th Infantry, 1st Division. Died of wounds May 31, 1918, received in battle of Cantigny. Buried in American Cemetery between Blois and Chepoix. 

 William Bryan Settles              Rank: Private 

Son of W. F. and Emma Decken Bryan; born February 11, 1897, Guion, Parke County, Indiana Student in Wabash College. Entered service March 26, 1917, Crawfordsville, Indiana Assigned to Guard Duty, Gary, Indiana, then at Jeffersonville, Indiana; assigned to 152nd Infantry. Discharged from service October 4, 1917, because of physical disability. Died April 5, 1918, from tuberculosis contracted while in service. Buried at Guion, Parke County, Indiana 

 Onia L. Shoaf                 Rank: Sergeant 

Son of James L. and Margaret Shoaf; born December 21, 1892, near Kingman, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Entered service April 3, 1918, Covington, Fountain County, Indiana Sent to Ft. Hamilton, New York. Transferred to Ft. Amador, Panama; assigned to Coast Artillery. Drowned November 9, 1918 Ft. Amador, Panama. Buried in Lutheran Cemetery, near Wallace, Fountain County, Indiana 

 Lloyd Shoemaker            Rank: Private 

Son of Thomas and Laura A. Shoemaker; born September 10, 1895, Alvin, Illinois Moved to Parke County, Indiana, in 1899. Farmer. Entered service March 5, 1918, Hoopeston, Illinois Sent to Camp Greene, North Carolina. Transferred to Camp Mills, New York. Embarked May 3, 1918; assigned to Machine Gun Company, 39th Infantry, 4th Division. Died of wounds July 21, 1918, received in second battle of the Marne. Buried in American Cemetery at Juilly, Seine-et-Marne, Cemetery No. 247, Grave No. 137. 

 Vance Vestal                   Rank: Private 

Son of James and Alice Vestal, born March 1, 1890, Coloma, Parke County, Indiana Bookkeeper. Enlisted September 20, 1917, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; assigned to Company D, 151st Infantry. Sent to Camp Shelby, Miss. Embarked June 11, 1918. Assigned to Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Division. Killed in action October 9, 1918, Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Buried in Argonne American Cemetery No. 1232, Romagne, France. 

 Earl F. Wakeland            Rank: Sergeant 

Son of Oscar and May Wakeland; born May 9, 1897, Tangier, Parke County, Indiana Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army May 2, 1917, Rockville, Indiana Sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; transferred to Ft. Douglas, Arizona., then to Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia. Embarked April 24, 1918; assigned to Company K, 11th Infantry, 5th Division. Killed in action November 5, 1918, in the Verdun Sector. Buried in Argonne American Cemetery No. 1232, Romagne, France. Cited for bravery in action, and recommended for Distinguished Service Cross. 

 James Williamson           Rank: Private 

Son of Wesley and Nannie Williamson; born March 9, 1895, Tangier, Parke County, Indiana Farmer. Entered service July 29. 1918, Parke County, Indiana Sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky; assigned to 29th Company, 8th Training Battalion, 159th Depot Brigade. Transferred to Camp McClellan, Alabama.; assigned to Battery A, 25th Field Artillery, Horse-shoeing school. Died of pneumonia October 5, 1918, Camp McClellan, Alabama Buried in West Union, Parke County, Indiana