Remembering The Fallen From The Great War

When President Woodrow Wilson addressed a joint session of the U. S. Congress on 02 April, 1917, he found himself reversing his previous position that the United States would remain neutral in the raging conflict that was sweeping across Europe. As German aggression on the seas had escalated into attacks on U. S. ships and the Zimmerman telegram’s existence became known, Wilson found himself unable to ignore the pleas of European allies that the U.S. should join in the fight against tyranny and German expansion.

In his most famous speech, Wilson asserted “Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved and the freedom of its peoples, and the menace to that peace and freedom lies in the existence of autocratic governments backed by organized force which is controlled wholly by their will, not by the will of their people.” While acknowledging Germany’s threat to peace and freedom, he was not unaware of the potential cost to the American people.
“There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts. . .” In a strongly worded echo of the Founding Fathers, the president reminded the members of Congress - - and the American people - - of those principles most dear to the American Dream: “. . .democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments. . .” 

Congress responded to Wilson’s call to arms by approving a Declaration of War on 06 April, 1917 and the nation began to prepare for war and the creation of an American Expeditionary Force that would join the Allies in the European theater. General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing was chosen to command U. S. forces and the call for “volunteers” rang out across the nation.

One hundred years ago, President Wilson had only days remaining in his second term in office and his perceived failure to secure Congressional approval for the Versailles Treaty and the formation of the League of Nations continued to haunt him, along with the almost 120,000 military deaths.

While Hamilton County does not currently have a comprehensive World War I Memorial, it seems most appropriate to remember the men from this region who died in service to their nation and the fight to “make the world safe for democracy.” 

The roll call of honored dead, first published in a memorial edition of The Chattanooga Times on May 25, 1919 and hopefully soon to be prominently displayed in the proposed Chattanooga War Memorial Park, are listed below. 

Lt. Frank H. Atlee, Chattanooga
Corp. John Acuff, Ooltewah
James C. Adkins, Flat Rock, AL
James F. Barnes, Cleveland
Charlie Blair, Chattanooga
Arthur N. Bacon, Riceville
Albert A. Bowman, Harriman
Paul A. Bunn, Sherwood
Albert C. Burton, Birchwood
John Henry Burchfield, Rockwood
Lake Clifton Boyd, Chattanooga
Gainsarvil Boydston, Sulphur Springs, GA.
Lt. R. F. Buchanan, Chattanooga
Sgt. Fred W. Brady, Dayton
Nathan Brewer, Chattanooga
Lionel LaFayette Camp, Chattanooga
James F. Collins, Birchwood
Roy E. Campbell, Woodville, AL
Vince Riley Choate, South Pittsburg
Otis Cloud, Stevenson
Osborne L. Colville, Chattanooga
Lt. Charles William Loaring Clark, Chattanooga
Jones A. Childress, Paint Rock, AL
James H. Curtis, Pikeville
Roy Conner, Ringgold
Thomas C. Cate, Ocoee
Thomas M. Cain, Alton Park
William W. Carson, Rossville
Winslow Edward Cowan, Whitehall
Clinton F. Dellus, Chattanooga
Robert A. Dykes, Whitwell
Jesse M. Durham, Kensington, GA
Arthur Bryant Douglas, Rockwood
Sgt. Marshall Barron Dudderer, Chattanooga
George Dillard, Chattanooga
Thomas Earl Dempsey, East Lake
Corp. Earl E. Dodson, Clifty
John Donahoo, Chattanooga
Benn W. Elbon, East Lake
Joseph Holloway Evans, Rockwood
Floyd Edge, Chattanooga
WillardJ. Eskew, Rossville
Thomas J. Freeman, Chattanooga
William L. Freeman, Chickamauga
William Dean Faris, Chattanooga
Capt. Leonard I. Frank, Chattanooga
Capt. Fred W. Fritts, Chattanooga
John W. Finney, Rhea Springs
Charlie Fitch, Sweetwater
John G. Foster, Stevenson, AL
Ollie Goins, Chattanooga
Lt. C. B. Grayson, Chattanooga
Capt. Jonathan F. Gafney, Chattanooga
Fred C. Guth, Evansville
James H. Gholston, Chattanooga
Victor H. Greene, Chattanooga
John Garrison, Spring City
Roy Ulric Grider, Stevenson, AL
James Humphrey, Ooltewah
James Elmer Hunter, Kensington, GA
Corp. Henry Houston, Chattanooga
Edward H. Hickey, Rockwood,
Corp. William J. Humphreys, Menlo, GA
John Henley, East Lake
Lida M. Hackworth, Cedar Springs
William E. Hamilton, Chattanooga
David G. Hickey, Niota
John W. Haynes, Chattanooga
David Clifford Hickey, Sweetwater
Lt. J. P. Hunt, Chattanooga
Corp. A. B. Holdam, Chattanooga
Sam M. Hill, Decatur
Edwin Hale, Chattanooga
Carl E. Harrison, Hixson
James Harrison, Whitwell
Ernest H. Johnson, Chattanooga
Corp. E. L. Johnson, Chattanooga
Victor S. Johnson, Dunlap
Grundy B. Johnson, Decatur
Lt. James A. Johnson, Chattanooga
John Warren Jillson, Sunnyside
Sgt. Homer Jenkins, Riceville
Sgt. Roy B. Johnson, Stanford
Abe L. Kennedy, Chattanooga
John Franklin Keys, Cleveland
Lt. H. A. Kroeger, James County
Sam. B. Kennerly, Decherd
Xaviet T. Kuss, Chattanooga
Thomas Cobbs Kyle, Scottsboro, AL
Oscar Kibble, Charleston
Lt. Jacob Long, Chattanooga
Frank Lockard, Larkinsville, AL
Lt. James C. Lodor, Chattanooga
Leonard Lee Liner, Calhoun
Sgt. D. A. Ledford, Etowah
Fred T. Lyle, Sale Creek
Sgt. T. J. Lowry, Gurley, AL
Corp. Fred R. Losey, Ridgedale
Edd Lane, Birchwood
Claude Levi, Soddy
George W. Levi, Soddy
John A. Levi, Soddy
A. B. Littleton, Chattanooga
John A. Lewis, White Co., TN
Bratcher H. Long, Peakland
William Light, Chattanooga
Columbus McNelly, Benton
Francis Arthur Mason, St. Elmo
Gail A. H. McKinley, Kensington, GA
John Herbert Mishler, Chattanooga
Claude Merony, Chattanooga
Corp. Harner Moore, Chattanooga
James McIssac, Chattanooga
Cliffort M. McCary, Summerville, GA
Eastly Maxwell, Whiteside
Buford McCullough, Shepherd
Ben H. McClary, Benton
Lt. William A. Ohis, Chattanooga
Sgt. H. L. Payne, Riceville
Samuel D. Picklesimer, Chattanooga
Corp. E. A. Powers, Guntersville, AL
J. Clyde Price, Chattanooga
Lt. S. M. Prothro, Tunnel Hill, GA
J. L. Paris, Bridgesport, AL
Corp. W. F. Ramsay, East Lake
Carlton H. Randall, Highland Park
Lt. Lonus Reed, Helenwood
James J. Roberson, Ringgold, GA
Edward Earl Reaveley, Sale Creek
George Foster Ridley, Stevenson, AL
Pritchard Reynold, Rockwood
Sgt. Charles C. Robson, Chattanooga
Sgt. Thomas O. Roy, Tasso, Bradley County
H. F. St. John, West Sherwood

Capt. H. A. Seymour, Cleveland
George D. Sheridan, Sherwood
Eugene Sharpe, Chattanooga
Richard Sharp, Rhea Springs
Sgt. Jesse Simms, Athens
Bert J. Smith, Rising Fawn, GA
Curtis Elmer Smith, Rockwood
Corp. Harry E. Smith, Tyner
Corp. John F. Smith, Chattanooga
Nathan Smith, Shepherd
William Wells Smyth, Wildwood, GA
John Springer, Chattanooga
Clifford T. Stegall, Kingston
Richard Sharp, Rhea Springs
Lt. D. K. Summers, Chattanooga
Charles N. Tatum, Cleveland
Charles H. Taliaferro, Ooltewah,
Lt. C. S. Timothy, Chattanooga
Corp. Jesse Tucker, Chattanooga
Corp. Earl W. Vickery, Chattanooga
Dr. M. M. Wagner, Chattanooga
Claud Thomas Walker, Soddy
Clifford Orin Waller, Chattanooga
Reuben R. Wallin, Harriman
George Edward West, Oliver Springs
Corp. Rae West, Calhoun
Thomas R. West, Oliver Springs
Thomas C. Williams, Ringgold, GA
David L. Wilson, Winchester
Ray Wilson, Chattanooga
Joyce Winker, Cleveland
Claud Womac, Athens
John J. Womble, Chattanooga

If readers know of other Hamilton County residents who died in service during the Great War, please email the Linda Moss Mines, Chattanooga and Hamilton County historian, at localhistorycounts@gmail.com.