United States Soldier. He served in the United States Army during World War I, and when he died in January 2004 he was the last living combat wounded veteran from that war. He had enlisted in 1917, serving with the 77th Infantry Division. Because he spoke French, he was used as an interpreter in his first days overseas, but was soon thrown into the grind of the 1918 Muese-Argonne offensive. While in combat in the Argonne forest, he inhaled mustard gas that left him unconscious and gave him chronic laryngitis for the rest of his life. He was a recipient of the Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honor given by the French Government in honor of the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in 1998.
United States Soldier. He served in the United States Army during World War I, and when he died in January 2004 he was the last living combat wounded veteran from that war. He had enlisted in 1917, serving with the 77th Infantry Division. Because he spoke French, he was used as an interpreter in his first days overseas, but was soon thrown into the grind of the 1918 Muese-Argonne offensive. While in combat in the Argonne forest, he inhaled mustard gas that left him unconscious and gave him chronic laryngitis for the rest of his life. He was a recipient of the Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honor given by the French Government in honor of the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in 1998.
Bio by: Erik Lander
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