Beckham County, OK - Obits: James L. Bass, 1919
11 Aug 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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BASS, JAMES L.
(2 Jan 1919, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
JAMES BASS KILLED BY THE ENEMY SHARPNEL.  A letter written to Andy Bass
and sent to Erick, Okla., was sent back to Elk City by the postmaster
there, and opened by J. L. Bass, father of James and Andy Bass.  It seems
that the writer did not know that Andy was also in France.  The letter was
written from France and written November 10th and is as follows:
My Dear Sir: - I presume you know of the death of your brother Jim.  He
was killed October 11th soon after his Division went into action on the
Campagne sector by enemy sharpnel (sic) and was buried in the newly made
American cemetery near the river Alane, a few miles south of the little
city of Rethel.  He died like he lived - a man.
I am trying to do for the dead, what I feel he would do for me if he were
alive - offer a word of sympathy.  I met your brother at Camp Bowie, when
we were in the detention camp.  It so happened that we were both
instructors there in the same company at the same time.  We had been
together a great deal since we came to France and grew to be great
friends.  To know him was to love him.  He made friends in the army like
he did in the civilian life.  I feel a personal loss in the death of your
brother and my friend.  I have heard him speak of several of his friends
and relatives, but your address is the only one I recall.  You are at
liberty to have this published if you wish and send copies of this
publication to relatives and friends.
Again expressing my deep sympathy for you and all his relatives, I am. 
Yours sincerely, Jed J. Johnson.  Hdqrts. Co. 144  Inf. American Ex.
Force.
(22 Sep 1921, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
BODIES OF SOLDIERS HERE.  The bodies of Jas. Bass and Ivan Bell (as noted
on first page) arrived last night escorted by Capt. R. E. Shannon, Q.M.C.
of the U.S.A.
The funeral of Mr. Bass will be held this afternoon at four o'clock with
services at the cemetery.  After a short service by Rev. Hamilton, the
Legion will be in charge.
The funeral of Mr. Bell will be held Sunday afternoon at the Doxey-Sayre
cemetery.
(23 Sep 1921, Friday, SouthWest Press, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
AMERICAN LEGION HONORS J. F. BASS.
The remains of James F. Bass were received by his brothers here last
Wednesday and military services were held at Fairlawn cemetery Thursday
afternoon by the local Legion post 181, Rev. Hamilton officiating.
James F. Bass was born August 17, 1890.  He was killed in action in
France, October 10, 1918.  At the time of his death considerable notoriety
was given for the reason that his picture fell off the wall at his
mother's home, and his mother remarked that she was sure something had
happened to James, and that she would soon get the bad news.  Apparently
the picture fell at the same time that he fell, serving his country most
nobly.
Most of the business houses were closed Thursday afternoon in respect to
his honor.  Many citizens attended his funeral.  James Bass has two
brothers in business here to mourn his loss.
(29 Sep 1921, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
JAMES F. BASS.  Born August 18, 1890.  Died in France, Oct. 10, 1918.
The funeral of James F. Bass, whose body arrived here from France last
Wednesday night was in charge of the Elk City American Legion Post No 181.
 The body was transferred from the Robinson Undertaking Parlors to the
American Legion Home Thursday morning, where it lay in state with a
military guard until the hour of the funeral at 4 p.m.  The Red Cross
ambulance led the procession to the cemetery followed by the motor truck
bearing the casket, accompanied by military escort.
As they left the American Legion Home the band played "Nearer My God to
Thee."  It was a beautiful tribute when all business houses closed and a
large number followed the remains to the cemetery to pay their last
respects to one who made the supreme sacrifice on the field of battle for
the sake of his country.
At the cemetery, Rev. Hamilton spoke words of comfort to the bereaved
family, paying a tribute to the boys who had fought and died for their
country; to those who had been spared to carry on the work at home, and to
the beauty and significance of the flag which covered the casket.
Following the services by Rev. Hamilton, the firing squad, which was
composed of nearly all overseas boys, fired a salute to the dead, after
which the impressive ritualistic services of the American Legion was given
by Frank Gilkerson, and flowers, a token of the American Legion, were
placed on the casket.  The casket was lowered into its last resting place
as taps was sounded by the bugler.
The following ex-soldiers in uniform acted as pall-bearers:  Donnie
McClain, Robert Levi, E. J. Story, Virgil Hill, Roy Sloan and Tom Bellows.
The colors were borne by Ward Ulmer and Ruskin Shaw, with E. A. Grubitz
and Chas. Glazner, as guards.
James F. Bass, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Bass of Elk City, was born in
Magazine, Arkansas, August 18, 1890 and moved with his parents to Elk City
in 1906, where he resided the greater part of the time until he was called
into Uncle Sam's army May 26, 1917.  He was sent to Camp Bowie where he
was in training only two months when he was ordered overseas with his
company (Co. B, 144 Infantry, 36th Division).  Word of his death was
received here the day after the Armistice was signed and on the same day a
letter from James was received.  It had been written at a Red Cross Hut as
he was on his way to the Champagne Battle Front, at Mount Blanc, St.
Etienne.  Immediately on arriving there the Regiment went into action.  In
relating the details of his death, a comrade said that James seemed to
have a premonition that death was near, for at supper time he remarked.
"This is the last supper I will eat with you,"  The comrade who was a
sargeant (sic) asked if he were not well and he had that feeling that he
would be relieved for a time, but James refused any favors and shortly
after six o'clock, he was assigned to duty, and as he was dispatched
across the field of battle with a message from his captain, he was struck
in the head by a piece of flying shrapnel and killed instantly.  This same
comrade helped to lay him to rest in the French Cemetery No. 1232.
A peculiar coincidence happened here on the date of James death.  His
picture, which was hanging on the wall, fell to the floor and his mother
felt sure it was an ill omen of some kind.  Afterwards they learned that
the picture had fallen about the same hour of the same date James was
killed.
An aged father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Bass, of this place, four
sisters and five brothers are left to mourn his untimely death, Mrs. M. A.
Hise of Forgan, and Mrs. J. C. Daily, Mrs. Robert Dugan, Mrs. W. C. Burr,
C. C. Bass, Andy Bass, G. M. Bass and Noah Bass, all of this place.