Memorial Day 2024. This day is to honor all service personnel who died while in service to our nation. There is a tendency, mainly among non-service people, to use this day to honor all veterans rather than specifically those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Veterans Day is the day set aside to honor all veterans who have served in our military.
Does that matter? It does, especially to the service personnel who have served in combat situations, no matter which conflict they were involved with. These living veterans realize that it is because of those who did not come home that we have the freedoms we mainly take for granted. We do still have young people who will, at risk of their own safety, protect our Flag. With all that is going on the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina stood together to protect the American Flag.
Seven years ago a series was completed in this column recording the stories of those from Cumberland County who gave their lives in World War I, and it seems today would be a good time to list those names again:
Private Arthur T. Allison, Killed in Action
Thomas Bruce, Died of wounds
Private Urious I. Burgess, Died of wounds
Private William W. Campbell, Died in accidents
Private James E. Caudill, Killed in Action
Private Neal G. Clifton, Died of wounds
Private Virgil Ford, Died of disease (flu)
William Godsey, Unknown cause
Private Ernest B. Henry, Died of disease (flu)
Private Alf Hillis, Died of disease (flu)
Private Phillip Howard, Died of wounds
Private Thomas R. Jordon, Died of disease (flu)
Sargent Milo Lemert, Killed in Action (Medal of Honor)
Sargent Allen (John A.) Lewis, Died of disease (flu)
Corporal James F. Linkous, Killed in Action
Private Mack (James L. ) Loden, Died of disease (flu)
Private James T. (F.) McCormick, Killed in Action
Private 1st Class James B. Norris, Died of wounds
Private Jimmie G. Norris, Killed in Action
John Norris, Unknown cause
Ray T. Parker, Died in accident while recovering from wounds
Corporal Joseph Patton, Killed in Action
John Victor (Fred) Reese, Unknown cause
Private Will Sherrill, Died of disease (flu)
Private George R. Swafford, Died of disease (flu)
Private William Mose Wilson, Killed in Action
The flu ran rampant through the troop ships transporting our American service personnel to Europe. Cumberland County did not escape the loss of men due to the flu epidemic. Many men were taken off the transports dead or near death when they arrived.
Let us remember and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and laid down their lives for our freedoms.
God bless them all, and God bless America.
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Old Uncle Gib is a weekly historical feature published each week. Old Uncle Gib is a pseudonym that was used by S.C. Bishop, who founded the Chronicle in 1886. Bishop actively published the Chronicle until 1948.