The Grandfathers. World War 1. 1918. PART ONE

1918 through June 1918

I have worked on my husband’s Sesma, and my Adams family trees for more than 30 years and still have many mysteries to solve. But as the centennial commemoration of World War 1 comes to a close in 2018 (the Armistice was signed November 11, 1918) I’ve wanted to collect what I know about our grandfathers and what they did during the war. This is PART ONE covering their 1917 Selective Service registration or re-enlistment, to the end of June 1918.

On April 6, 1917, when the United States declared war against Germany, the nation had a standing army of 127,000 officers and soldiers. The first U.S. 14,000 U.S infantry troops landed in France at Saint Nazaire on June 26, 1917. These early troops did their training on French soil and entered combat on October 21, 1917. The U.S. needed more troops and they needed them fast! The Selective Service Act was passed May 18, 1917. June 5, 1917 was the first of three registration dates. (See https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww1/draft-registration)

THE GRANDFATHERS

My husband, Mike Sesma’s grandfathers

Mike’s maternal grandfather, Tokuju Suetsugu (Japan) lived in Japan and while I have no information about him, I assume he served in Japan’s military at some point.

Mike’s paternal grandfather Albert Sesma (born Alberto Sesma in Sacramento) lived in Hanford California when he registered on June 5, 1917.

Albert Sesma, WW1 registration card

(Registration card found on Ancestry. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.)

My grandfathers

I know the most about my maternal grandfather, Verne Russell, and have written about him twice here on Honeylights. See April 17, 1917 which is the story about getting gassed and his letter home; and February 27., 2018 which is the story about him shipping out to France.

Prior to World War 1, Verne Russell had already served one enlistment from May 21, 1914 to 1916. According to a service record document we have, he re-enlisted at Jefferson Barracks in October 1917. So we don't have a WW1 registration card for him. He didn't have to register. We also have this news article from 1965, saying before going to France early in 1918, he served as a non-commissioned officer and instructor at Jefferson Barracks. (I think he was trying to apply for veterans benefits, due to health issues, all related to his WW1 injuries. In that process he sent for verification of his Purple Heart awards.) This newspaper clipping below is from my mother's family history files.

From the Daily American Republic; Poplar Bluff, Missouri, December 1, 1965.

Finally, we have a document dated November 13, 1916 at Jefferson Barracks, MO that says Verne C Russell has been appointed Corporal in General Service Infantry in the service of the U.S. — signed at Head Quarters of the Depot at Jefferson Barracks MO. The Commanding Officer of the General Service Recruit Depot Infantry.

My paternal grandfather, Sam Adams (born Sotirios Adamopoulos in Greece) arrived in America in 1910 and lived in Ohio when he registered on that first registration date, June 5, 1917.

(Registration card found on Ancestry. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.)

THE STORIES

Albert Sesma

Albert Sesma in uniform, undated. From family history files.

We probably can assume that Albert continued working in Hanford between June 5, 1917 and June 26, 1918, when he “reported for duty” or shall we say it was the “date of acceptance of enlistment or place of notice for duty” — according to his final pay voucher that I received from the National Archives in 2012. That record also listed him as a private with the 115th Ammunition Train. An ammunition train is exactly that. Not always a literal train, but they moved ammunition from one location to another in support of troops. But I couldn't find much information beyond that. Until 2018.

Then, recently, I happened upon a record for Albert on a Army transport record that showed him on a ship leaving Hoboken for France in August 1918! I found this record while doing a sort of wild-card search for Albert’s mother’s name. Dolores Sesma showed up as Albert’s emergency contact! He was listed as Alberto.

So! Finally! After 30 years of Sesma research, I finally had new clues. Over the years, I’ve hired AncestryProGenealogists twice to research Albert and Maria Sesma and their origins. Thanks to that research I visited Bakersfield, California this Spring to followup on a few of their finds. Finally, though, this Army transport record showed he went to France during the War! Now I also know he was assigned to Company A, 115th Ammunition Train, 40th Division of the U.S. Army. I finally know what he was doing between June 26, 1918 and the date of his discharge in 1919 shown on his final pay voucher. I can do research about the 115th Ammunition Train and about the 40th Division. I can search for Albert on RETURN transports for that last data point before his final discharge. More about Albert in PART TWO.

Verne Russell

Verne Russell, probably 1916 1st enlistment, from family history files

Apparently, sometime after his October 1917 re-enlistment at Jefferson Barracks, Verne was sent to Leavenworth Kansas to join with Company C, Fifth Field Battalion, Signal Corps. On February 19, 1918 they left Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for Camp Merritt in New Jersey. 

   They departed from Hoboken on February 27, 1918 on the “Agamemnon”, arriving in France on March 9th. (see February 27, 2018 which is the story about him shipping out to France.) They arrived in Brest, France on March 11, 1918, where they were given a few days of rest to recover their “land legs” before moving on.

My information about Company C, Fifth Field Battalion, Signal Corps comes from the “The History of the Third Division" which gives an idea of the kind of work Verne did with the Signal Corps in preparation for the battles they knew were coming. Obviously, the work of the Signal Corps was essential for communication.

https://archive.org/stream/historyofthirddi00unse#page/288/mode/2up

  "March 16th, 1918, the battalion entrained at Brest, France, and proceeded to Marmesse, near Chateauvillain, taking “station at that point on March 19th, 1918, and reporting to the Third Division for duty. The following month was spent in the erection of Base Hospital 19. No other troops being present, this work devolved on the Signal Battalion, sixteen buildings of which institution were completed by this organization. The period from about April 15th, 1918, to the German drive from the Aisne to the Marne, was utilized in familiarizing the personnel of the battalion with the construction and operation of French equipment with which we were supplied. Elaborate trench systems were constructed and wired for an entire Division. An extensive overhead telephone system was installed, connecting the different elements of the Division with Division Headquarters.
   The battalion left Marmesse, France, on May 30th, 1918 (Company "C" from Essey-le-Ponts) by truck-train and disembarked at Viels Maisons, 2 P M., May 31st, 1918, taking station at la Charmois Farm. A line was immediately laid from Division Headquarters at Vieis Maisons to a provisional Brigade of mixed elements of the Third Division, under command of General Crawford, who were holding a general line between La Chapelle and Rozoy.
   On June 1st, the 7th Infantry took position at Manthurel and trunk lines were secured from the French to connect this organization to Division Headquarters.
   On June 2nd the 4th Infantry took position at Nogent-sur-Marne and was connected to Division by our own lines to Viels Maisons.
   These relative positions were maintained until about June 15th.
   About June 15th the Division took station at Chateau-la-Doultre; the Fifth Brigade at Bochage Farm and the Sixth Brigade at a small farm south of Courboin, the 4th Infantry at Grand Ballois, the 30th Infantry at Bois d'Aigremont, the 38th Infantry at St. Eugene.
   The 7th Infantry was detached from the Division and attached to the 2nd Division; the regimental headquarters was at La Voie du Chatel; this regiment relieved the 6th U. S. Marines and took over the regimental system in the 2nd Division system, performing its duties well. On June 15th, regimental headquarters and one battalion of the 4th Infantry crossed the Marne River during the night and were attached to the 28th French Division on Hill 204, west of Chateau-Thierry. A signal platoon laid a line from regimental headquarters on Hill 204 to Brigade Headquarters at Bochage Farm, swimming the Marne River at Nogent-sur-Marne and carrying the wire across from this point.
   All elements of the Division were connected to the Division board after June 15th, 1918, except the 7th Infantry, which was temporarily detached. This regiment joined the division on June 23rd and took station at La Roque Farm, where a direct line was laid to the 5th Brigade switchboard at Bochage Farm.
   This was the position of the elements of the Third Division on the night of July 14th, 1918, when the German drive began. The 125th French Division was on the right and a Colonial 10th, Senegalese Division on the left. Contact with the right and left Divisions and the right and left regiments of these Divisions was maintained by telephone and radio to the First Corps to the rear."

Sam Adams

Sam Adams, from a 1921 emergency passport while in Greece

(From Ancestry. Original data: Selected Passports. National Archives, Washington, D.C. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Volume #: Volume 003: Athens, Greece.)

When Sam Adams registered on June 5, 1917 he was living and working in Datyton, Ohio. According to records I’ve found, he “enlisted” or reported for duty on July 11, 1918 at Fort Thomas, Kentucky. We don’t know if he trained there, but his record in "The Official Roster of Ohio Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the World War, 1917-18" as well as other records, indicate that by October he was at Fort Barrancas Florida with the Coast Artillery. More about Sam in my next post, PART TWO.

The Grandfathers' status at the end of June 1918:

Mike's maternal grandfather Tokuju Suetsugu was somewhere in Japan.
Mike's paternal grandfather Albert Sesma was reporting for duty somewhere in California.

My maternal grandfather Verne Russell was in France with the Signal Corps; Third Division, Fifth Field Battalion, Company C.
My paternal grandfather Sam Adams was probably working in Dayton, Ohio; perhaps preparing to go to Fort Thomas, Kentucky to report for duty in early July.

Next up: More about Albert Sesma, Verne Russell, and Sam Adams through discharge and post-war.