Sunday, November 11, 2018

Honoring Those Who Served in World War I


As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I, it is time to take a moment to remember the soldiers from Erie County who gave their lives for their country during the war.

Harold Blancke


Harold Blancke was born on January 10th, 1900 in Perkins Township. He enlisted long before the United States entered the war. He enlisted in the 6th Ohio, a National Guard unit, on July 7th, 1915. Once the war started the 6th Ohio was stationed around the state guarding railroad bridges and railroad yards. Harold was stationed outside of Port Clinton guarding the New York Central Bridge. On the night of April 15th, when Harold was relieving another soldier of guard duty, Harold was struck by a train and killed instantly. He was buried in Oakland Cemetery Sandusky, Ohio on April 17th. Harold Blancke was the first soldier from Erie County to die during World War I.

Elmer Reese

Elmer Reese was born in Niles, Ohio on August 12th, 1896. He eventually moved to Sandusky to work for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. He enlisted in the Marines on May 19th, 1917 and was assigned to the 6th Regiment, Company A. He was promoted to Corporal on November 30th, 1917. He was shipped to Europe with his units on February 20th, 1918. During the Battle of Belleau Wood Elmer was killed in action on June 8th, 1918. He became the first Erie County soldier killed in combat during the war. His family was notified of the death on September 20th, 1918. Corporal Reese was originally buried in France but in 1921 his body was returned to the United States to buried. His body arrived in Sandusky on September 12th, 1921 with funeral services and burial in Oakland Cemetery Sandusky, Ohio the next day.

John Risch


John Risch was born in Sandusky, Ohio on October 31st, 1891.  John enlisted in the Coastal Artillery on November 21st, 1913 long before the war even started. He was stationed at several forts on the west coast, but mainly in Washington state. On June 11th, 1918 he was discharged with a 100% disability due to an illness. After discharged he returned to Sandusky. In January of 1919 he was admitted to the Sandusky Soldiers' Home and was discharged on March 1919. John was the first soldier to be admitted to the Sandusky Soldiers' Home who served in World War I. He died May 12th, 1919 and was buried in Oakland Cemetery Sandusky, Ohio.

Edward Roth


Edward Roth was born in Sandusky, Ohio on May 24th, 1893. He enlisted in the regular army on October 5th, 1917. He was sent to Camp Sheridan in Alabama and stayed there until his discharge on June 19th, 1918. Edward was discharged with 100% disability due to a chronic illness. After discharge Edward returned to Sandusky and eventually died in Good Samaritan Hospital on June 24th, 1919. This marks the last soldier to die from Erie County whose cause of death was linked to his time in the service during the war. Edward’s funeral was June 27th, 1919 and was buried in Oakland Cemetery Sandusky, Ohio.

In total 56 soldiers died in the service of the country during the war from Erie County. Twenty-three soldiers died due to combat related injuries. The rest either died from illness (26), accident (3), or cause of death is unknown (4). Exactly half of these soldiers died during the month of October in 1918. There is no better way to honor these men than to remember them. Below is a list of the soldiers who died during their service.

First Name
Last Name
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Harold E.
Blancke
4/14/1917
Killed by Train
John
Knupke
5/31/1917
Scarlet Fever
Harry J.
Colvin
1/21/1918
Pneumonia
Elmer A.
Reese
6/8/1918
KIA
Lowell C.
Hein
7/20/1918
KIA
Millard M.
Moore
7/28/1918
KIA
Charles W.
Scott
7/29/1918
Died of Wounds
Charles A.
McCormick
8/11/1918
Illness
Joe
Horvath
8/14/1918
Died of Wounds
John
Leaver
8/14/1918
Died of Wounds
Herbert Le Roy
Stanton
8/16/1918
Unknown
Rufus R. D.
Smith
8/30/1918
Illness
Thomas C.
Curtis
8/31/1918
Died of Wounds
Charles J.
Reilly
9/6/1918
KIA
J. Ralph
Cookson
9/18/1918
KIA
Archie
Birch (Burch)
9/29/1918
Unknown
Archie F.
Burch
9/29/1918
KIA
Anthony
Dantonio
9/29/1918
KIA
Fred
Ritz
10/3/1918
Pneumonia
Lee P.
Magill
10/4/1918
Bronchopneumonia
James H.
White
10/4/1918
KIA
Nelson C.
Geise
10/5/1918
Pneumonia
James H. (Hall)
Friday
10/6/1918
Influenza
Walter T. (Walter Theodore)
Hall
10/6/1918
Labor Pneumonia
Russell E.
Miller
10/6/1918
KIA
Edward O.
Miller
10/6/1918
Typhoid Fever
Morris J.
Platte
10/9/1918
Spanish Flu
Carl A.
Salzman
10/9/1918
Bronchopneumonia
George H.
Feiszli
10/10/1918
Died of Wounds
Ralph B.
Quackenboss
10/10/1918
Pneumonia
Chester P. (J)
Herb
10/11/1918
Pneumonia
Joseph
Orcutt
10/11/1918
KIA
Clarence A.
Popke
10/11/1918
Tetanus
Ralph T.
Saunders
10/11/1918
Unknown
Joseph F.
Baier
10/12/1918
Pneumonia
Clarence P.
Howard
10/12/1918
Accident Overseas
August W.
Meyer
10/12/1918
Influenza
John
Sattler
10/13/1918
Influenza
Joseph
Dewhirst
10/14/1918
Pneumonia
Fred
Dale
10/18/1918
pneumonia
Lester C. (Lester Conrad)
Kautz
10/20/1918
Labor Pneumonia
Carl A.
Link
10/21/1918
KIA
Max
Schnittker
10/21/1918
KIA
August H.
Speer
10/23/1918
KIA
Robert
Adkerson
10/27/1918
Unknown
Austin J.
Atwood
10/31/1918
Accidental Drowning
Carl F.
Fedderson
11/4/1918
KIA
John A.
Michel
11/8/1918
KIA
Emil
Strickler
11/11/1918
Died of Wounds
Albert F.
Schlett
11/21/1918
Influenza
George A.
Scheid
12/10/1918
Unknown
Charles H.
Parker
12/20/1918
Pneumonia
Gaius (Gains)
McDowell
1/19/1919
Flu
Ernest H.
Wankey
3/2/1919
Died of Wounds
John A.
Risch
5/12/1919
Illness
Edward Frank (F.)
Roth
6/24/1919
Illness

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