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Veterans of the Month for February 2018

100 years ago, the United States was at war.  It became official on April 6th of 1917 and in June of that year, young men all over America and Frankford, began registering for the draft.  The war in Europe had been going on since 1914 and was at a stalemate.  It would take the entry of the United States to bring it to an end.

American troops began arriving in France in June of 1917 and the first combat death was in November.  While the American participation in the war was ramping up, another  killer was emerging.  The first cases of the great flu pandemic were reported at Fort Riley, Kansas in March of 1918.  It would eventually kill 550,000 Americans, including many soldiers.

Frankford sent over 2,000 into battle in 1918.  Their names are listed on the Frankford War Memorial at Frankford Stadium.  21 on those young men died in service and it is those young men who we honor this month.

 

Warren John Decker – killed in action on July 16, 1918 – 30 years old

Jesse Vandergrift – died in France on August 3, 1918 – 24 years old

William Johnson – died in France on September 7, 1918

Thomas William Astbury Jr. – killed in action on September 18, 1918 – 31 years old

Benneville Wellington Bertolet – killed in action on September 24, 1918 – 27 years old

Amos Raymond Taylor – killed in action on September 26, 1918 – 21 years old

Charles Harold Redman – killed in action on September 27, 1918 – 27 years old

Howard B. Cantelly – died of influenza in October of 1918 – 21 years old

Chares Francis Elliott – died of influenza in France on October 1, 1918 – 27 years old

Joseph T. McClurg – died of influenza on October 1, 1918 – 27 years old

Elmer J. Needham – died of disease on October 10, 1918 – 32 years old

William Charles Peel – died of influenza October 13, 1918 – 26 years old

Horace Givens – died of influenza on October 14, 1918 – 24 years old

William Wilkinson Neumann – died of influenza on October 19, 1918 – 21 years old

Joseph Alexander Coyle – died of influenza on October 28, 1918 – 25 years old

Louis Redding – killed in action in November of 1918 –

George H. Cassels – died of influenza on November 1, 1918 – 21 years old

Edward Nelis – died of wounds in battle on November 4, 1918 – 32 years old

Charles J. Coyle – killed in action on November 5th, 1918 – 23 years old

Walter Carroll Brinton – died December 8, 1918 – 23 years old

Admiral Johnson – died of influenza on May 20, 1919 – 24 years old

 

More about these young men can be found in our book, Frankford Heroes at this link.