NEWS: Blair County Soldiers, September 10, 1918, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja and Donna Thomas Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ PORTAGE MAN AMONG THE HONOR WINNERS Washington, Sept. 9. - Home addresses of five members of the American expeditionary forces awarded the distinguished service cross by General Pershing as reported in the communique of September 5, were announced today by the war department as follows: Corporal Anthony C. Bills, DuBois, Pa. Private Walter A. Shaminski, Mount Carmel, Pa. Private Franklin D. McVickers, Portage, Pa. Private Albert S. Hartwell, Paris, France Second Lieutenant William H. Spender, St. Louis, Mo. Altoona Tribune, Tuesday, September 10, 1918, page 1 Tyrone Topics A SHOCK TO TYRONE FRIENDS Sergeant George W. Wilcox, of Wellsboro, who was murdered by Apaches at Anger, France, was a brother of Miss Dorothy Wilcox, a former supervisor of music in the public schools of Tyrone. Her many friends and acquaintances here will be shocked on learning the sad news. According to a report of the French police, Marcel Choisey, the assassin, confessed that he killed Wilcox because he refused to give him tobacco. Sergeant Wilcox was attached to a base hospital and was a former star boxer at the University of Pittsburg. Altoona Tribune, Tuesday, September 10, 1918, page 4 SOLDIER BOYS ARE WOUNDED IN ACTION Several Altoona Boys Notify Relatives of Their Being in Hospitals Private R. K. Rutherford, a mechanic with company G, 110th infantry, has been wounded in the left thigh in action on July 30, according to late word received. The wound was made by a German machine gun but was not serious and the young man is getting along nicely in a big base hospital in France. Private James Roy Taylor, member of company D, 109th infantry, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Taylor, of 213 Mulberry street, Hollidaysburg, is confined to a base hospital, recovering from the effects of being gassed on July 31. He speaks of driving the Huns out of France and thinks it will be accomplished by cold weather. One German prisoner he captured was a mere lad of 17, who began to cry when his gun was removed. Private Robert E. Wilt, aged 23, son of Mrs. Thomas Moran, of Thirtieth avenue and Ninth street, was wound in the foot in the early days of August and has been confined to a base hospital to recuperate. He was a member of company C, Fifty-eighth infantry, and has been in France six months. Private Ralph Thomas Beezer, formerly a brakeman on the Middle division and residing with his sister, Mrs. John Gettig, of 1530 Ninth street, has been wounded in action, degree undetermined. Private Roy R. Rothrock, son, of Mrs. W. L. Rothrock, with company G, 110th infantry, is confined to a base hospital, recovering from the effects of shell shock received in the Chateau-Thierry drive. He formerly resided at 106 East Seventh street. Private Josiah L. Heller, aged 27, of company G, 110th infantry, has received wounds of the right arm, according to word received by his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Heller, at Somerset. His brother Melvin is now in the officer's training camp at Jacksonville, Fla. Altoona Tribune, Tuesday, September 10, 1918, page 8 NEWS OF SERVICE MEN AT HOME AND ABROAD More Altoona Boys Have Arrived Safely Overseas to Battle the Hun Dr. Percy A. Bay, a former well known interne at the Altoona hospital and who was commissioned a lieutenant in the United States army medical corps, has arrived safely overseas. The word was received by W. T. Canan, of 1918 Third avenue, yesterday. Mrs. Nettie E. Rhoads, of 430 Fourth avenue, yesterday received a cablegram announcing the safe arrival in England of her son, Earl Rhoads. He is a member of Unit 6, Hospital corps. Before enlisting he was employed in the Juniata shops. Word has been received by relatives of the safe arrival overseas of Russell C. Boore, formerly of 1308 Seventh avenue. He left for Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va., on June 25, and left there for foreign service several weeks ago. For the year previous to his entering the service he was employed as a collector for W. S. Aaron. Frank Dauman has arrived on the other side of the Atlantic, according to word received by his father, Mr. Dauman, of 1325 Seventh avenue. He is in an infantry regiment. Mrs. J. W. Rodkey, of Washington, D. C., formerly of 1312 Fourteenth avenue, has been notified by her husband, J. W. Rodkey, a sergeant major in an infantry regiment, that he has arrived safely overseas. He enlisted last May and previous to that time was employed at the W. H. Goodfellow store. Andrew Schreiber, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Schreiber, of 2511 Third avenue, has arrived overseas with battery E., Sixty-seventh regiment. His parents received the word yesterday. Joe Shaffer, of 2513 Beale avenue, the motorcycle man formerly at Union avenue and Eighteenth street, is in Camp Lee, Va., in the motor mechanic service. Corporal James F. Dunkle, aged 20, of 636 Logan avenue, Hilltop, recently spent a ten-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Dunkle. He returned last week to training camp at Bellville, Ill., having entered the U. S. service, March 15, 1918. He was first sent to San Antonio, Tex. Joseph Elmer Cherry, son of Joseph C. Cherry, trolley car conductor, residing at 119 Lexington avenue, left for Philadelphia Saturday evening to enter the navy. He is 24 years old and employed in the Juniata machine shops. Chester O. Johnston, aged 19, of Claysburg, is serving as cook with company L, 38th infantry, now in France. He enlisted in the service April 24, 1917 and trained at Eagles Pass, Tex.; Syracuse, N. Y.' Camp Greene, N. C.; and Camp Merritt, N. J. Before enlistment he was employed with the General Refractories company at Claysburg. Jacob E. Green, of 301 Walnut avenue, has received a letter from Private Verne A. Knarr, Company G, 110th Pennsylvania infantry, who was formerly associated with him at the Wray Moore & Co., wholesale grocery house, as a driver. Private Knarr wrote on August 8, that he was well and contented although he'll be glad when the war is over. "I figure on eating my Christmas dinner at home," he wrote. "We have seen a little action over here and it was zeal while it lasted." Altoona Tribune, Tuesday, September 10, 1918, page 8 ALTOONAN IS COMMISSIONED. Francis X. Carl, of This City, I Now Second Lieutenant, Quartermaster Corps. Francis X. Carl, of this city, has been commissioned as second lieutenant in the army quartermaster corps, according to a dispatch from Washington, D. C. stating that twenty-four other Pennsylvanians who are now commissioned officers, the adjutant general's office announces, are chiefly from Philadelphia and Pittsburg. Altoona Tribune, Tuesday, September 10, 1918, page 10 SOUVENIR OF MARNE. Mrs. Helen Stephens Kocher Received German Shell Vase From Husband. An attractive souvenir of the battle of the Marne has been received in the city by Mrs. Helen Stephens Kocher, of 1718 Fifth avenue. It is a German shell pressed into the form of a vase. It is of solid brass and stands sixteen inches in height. A rose design is sketched on one side and on the other is the inscription, "Marne, 1914." The vase was sent from France by her husband, Sergeant Clair Kocher, who is now close to the front. With it the soldier sent two pieces of a German gun and two Paris newspapers, marked army editions and printed in English. Altoona Tribune, Tuesday, September 10, 1918, page 10