Oswego County WWI Veterans Honored in France And European Cemeteries On 100th Anniversary of Armistice

The Oswego County World War I Commemoration Project has been working with the American Battle Monuments Commission along with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and the Royal British Legion to place an Oswego County commemorative flag at the grave markers of thirty-three Oswego County World War I service members buried overseas in eleven cemeteries in France, Belgium, and England.

“We are deeply indebted to these organizations for their endorsement and direct support in making this overseas commemorative initiative possible,” said Dan Allen of the World War I commemoration project.

           “An artificial poppy will be attached to flag stick of the Oswego County flag placed at each grave site,” said Allen. “The flag will have the words, “Honored and Remembered” beneath the county insignia.”

            “Our intent is to have the appropriate number of flags delivered to each cemetery by no later than Oct. 18,” Allen said.  “Once placed at the grave site, we are asking that digital photos of each marker be forwarded to us. We will publish them on our Facebook page (Oswego County WWI Commemoration), and keep them as an historical record. We were able to locate 33 casualties of the war who are buried overseas. The names of three Oswego County Servicemen are inscribed on “Tablets of the Missing” placed on the chapel walls of two cemeteries in France. They names of these servicemen include:

I. Cemeteries Under Management of The American Battle Monuments Commission:

 Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France

Corporal William M. Barnett, U.S. Marines  Tablets of the Missing

Sergeant Clifford L. Brockway, U.S. Marines Plot A, Row 9, Grave #39

Corporal Leon M. Goodrowe, U.S. Army      Tablets of the Missing

Corporal Leslie M. Stone, U.S. Army            Plot B, Row 4, Grave #55

Sergeant Neil Evans Wheeler, U.S. Marines  Plot B, Row 3, Grave #23

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France

Private Henry M. Bassett,U.S. Army           Plot B, Row 4, Grave #37

Private Otto W. Berlin, U.S. Army               Plot H, Row 8, Grave #22

Private John L. Bryce, U.S. Army                Plot 9, Row 19, Grave #29

Corporal Frank Gallagher, U.S. Army                   Plot C, Row 6, Grave #35

Private Kosta Kamponies, U.S. Army          Plot H, Row 11, Grave #35

Private Gerlando Lagapia, U.S. Army          Plot H, Row 28, Grave #35

1st Lt. Edward N. Leiboult, U.S. Army         Plot F, Row 14, Grave #34

Private Benjamin Q. Mastin, U.S. Army       Plot E, Row 25, Grave #17

Corporal William McKinstry, U.S. Army       Plot C, Row 4, Grave #36

Private Joe V. Rapacki, U.S. Army              Plot E, Row 36, Grave #37

Sergeant Archibald E. Robbins, U.S. Army Plot A, Row 19, Grave #31

Private Frederick J. Sullivan, U.S. Army      Plot H, Row 28, Grave #13

Private George W. Sweeney, U.S. Army      Tablets of the Missing

Private George A. Tyson, U.S. Army           Plot A, Row 6, Grave #2

Private Earl D. Wilder, U.S. Army                Plot B, Row 24, Grave #23

 Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, Seringes-et-Nesles, France

Sergeant Patrick F. Crowley, U.S. Army      Plot D, Row 36, Grave #15

Private Lenerd H. Snyder, U.S. Army          Plot C, Row 14, Grave #20

 Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France                                

2nd Lt. Frank H. Breitbeck, U.S. Army        Plot D, Row 14, Grave #11

Corporal George C. Culeton, U.S. Army      Plot D, Row 14, Grave #12

Private John R. Devins, U.S. Army              Plot B, Row 16, Grave #6

Sergeant Jesse M. Hewitt, U.S. Army         Plot C, Row 2, Grave #12

1st Lt. Levi S. Morehouse, U.S. Army          Plot B, Row 17, Grave #14 Private Mike Yacuro, U.S. Army              Plot C, Row 17, Grave #12

St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France

Private Sam Fabrez, U.S. Army                           Plot D, Row 3, Grave #35

Private William T. Hill, U.S. Army                Plot  C, Row 18, Grave #30

Suresnes American Cemetery, Suresnes, France

Major Willard D. Straight, U.S. Army           Plot B, Row 16, Grave #1

II. Cemeteries Under Management of The Commonwealth War Graves Commission:

Nivelles (Nijvel) Communal Cemetery, Brabant Wallon, Belgium

Private William H. MacLeod, Canadian Army, Buried among 27 Grave Sites

 Somme Toronto Cemetery, France

Albert Edward Lambe (Lamb)                     B.2.

Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneus, France

Private Wilford A. Washburn, Canadian Army, Cemetery/Memorial

Reference:  XVII BB. 9.

Zouave Valley Cemetery, Souchez, Pas deCalais, France

Sapper James Arthur Ranger, Canadian Army, Cemetery/Memorial

Reference:  II D. 18.

III. St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Bregar, Kent, England

Corporal Arthur Ingram, Canadian Army

The signing of the Armistice between the Allies and Germany, ending WWI took place at Compiègne, France, taking effect at the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month,” in 1918.

This year and especially on November 11, 2018, the 100th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, will be a time and day of remembrance and commemoration, as we honor those who served and who died during WWI, and reflect on the toll of war.

The Oswego County WWI Commemoration Project has worked with the county and City of Oswego, as well as local veterans’ organizations, to prepare special program at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 at Oswego County Veterans Memorial Park (West Linear Park along the river), where a bronze plaque, commissioned by the Oswego County Legislature, with all the names of 132 Oswego County veterans who died in the war will be installed.

The ceremony will include remarks by Oswego City Historian, Mark Slosek, and guest speakers, Hon. William J. Barlow, mayor, City of Oswego; and Hon. Shane Broadwell, chairman, Oswego County Legislature. There will also be a performance of “God Bless America” by Oswego Girl Scout troops, and an echo “Taps” will be played by Emily and Corey King.

For more information, please call or text Allen at 315-591-2842, or email [email protected].

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