NEWS: Blair County Soldiers, September 10, 1918, Blair County, PA

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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