Heritage \ Writings \

Bay County Soldiers Who Died in WWI.
Article in The Bay City Times.

Contributed by Leslie Hammond.

Transcribed November 2007

The Bay City Times - February 28, 1937.

MANY BAY CITYANS PAID SUPREME
SACRIFICE IN WORLD WAR.

MANY FOUGHT IN 32ND DIVISION

Full Report of Those Killed in Action Never Compiled.

That Bay City’s soldiers during the World war played a valiant part in the memorable engagement is shown in the list of those that were decorated for valorous performance of duty and those that died heroically in the major battles of the war.

An accurate report of those killed during the war is almost impossible to obtain due to many enlisting at varied points and others being assigned immediately to the regular army, Bay Cityans losing track of them.

For the most part Bay City men were placed in the famous 32nd Division which earned the French title, “Les Terribles.” This division soon became known both to the Allies and their opponents as worthwhile combatants and continuing as a unit throughout the war, were in the act of an attack when the order came to cease firing at 11 o’clock Nov. 11, 1918. The 32nd division is also credited with being the first American troops to engage in actual battle in the war.

First Slaughter

At the battle of Aisne Marne, 66 officers and 715 enlisted men were killed in the 32nd division. Bay City felt the loss as several of its boys were killed in this battle. Among those were:

Robert E. Craidge, Company I, 125th infantry;
Peter Van Wert, Company I, 125th infantry;
A. A. Wajeichowski, Company I, 125th infantry;
Walter Etue, Company A, 128th infantry; and
Omer Derdowski, Company I, 125th infantry.

In the Oise Aisne battle the 32nd Division saw 15 of its officers and 470 enlisted men killed. Among those were

John Olk, 128th Ambulance company, and
Frank Mienkwicz.

Only one woman from Bay county,

Miss Goldie Travis, lost here life during the war.

List of Dead

The following list represents as complete a summary of service men who lost their lives during the war as is possible to obtain from war records.

A. V. Fowler,
Leo Sczcepanski,
Herman Otto Pardee,
Martin Kiah,
Emil Weiss,
Joseph Prybylski,
Alfred G. Besnette,
John Legg,
Jerome E. Trombley,
Francis McCauley,
Bert B. Grappin,
Athony J. Guzal,
George Elmer Degereaux,
William Johnson,
F. Foontas,
Glenn Roy Abrams,
Louis Konkas,
Arthur Heritier,
Henry C. Warmbler,
Albert T. Ratell,
Dominic Fulco,
Frank J. Waselesiki,
Joseph Staley,
Frank Beebe,
Caro Benson,
Lawrence Zual or Qaul,
William Donnaghue,
Charles Young,
Floyd Harding,
Joseph B. Wazny,
Sidney R. Shue,
Henry P. Grove,
Anthony Kowalck,
Captain Louis Knack,
Eric A. Bergman,
Louis Wekert,
Joseph Kasper,
Frank Paul Mienkwicz,
Simon Van Voohees,
Harry T. Dollars,
Frank Krause,
G. Netowski,
W. R. Bryce,
John Redburn,
Henry Anderson,
C. Patterson,
James Powers,
Valentine Kukla,
Sydney James Spinner,
Martin Koler,
Robert M. Schemm,
Louis Squires,
James R. Clements,
Henry Etue,
Casimer Natajicak,
Robert O’Neil,
James Dopp,
Arthur R. Lewis,
Clarence Field,
G. G. Amley,
Charles Maurer,
Julius H. Staley,
J. D. Eschenback,
Henry R. Lauson,
Otto F. Beglick,
Irwin Wm. Revien,
John A. Groya,
Ario G. Sagle,
Frank Charters,
Joseph L. Pickvit,
August Kukla,
Stanley Sprygada,
Louis T. Maus,
Otto J. Wendt,
Clyde B. Allen,
Leo J. Cyr,
Frank Reinstadler,
Frank Satkowiak,
Harry Pilditch,
William M. Dipen,
Michael Tanney,
Henry Gohm,
Floyd Van Tuyl,
Albert F. Lutz,
Arthur Knight,
Otto Denkhaus,
Charles Thomas,
Wilbur Whitman,
Edward J. Haarer,
Stanley Kruszynski,
Joseph Staley,
Floyd D. Bommer.