First Americans Killed in WW I-- Part 5: Thomas F. Enright

Thomas Enright reenlisted in the 16th Infantry at Fort Bliss, Texas. On 26 June 1917, he and his regiment disembarked in France.

He and the two others were killed 3 November 1917.  On their first burial they had the inscription "Here lie the first soldiers of the illustrious Republic of the United States who fell on French soil for justice and liberty."

His body was returned home and on 16 July 1921 he was honored in Pittsburgh with his casket lying in state at the Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial.

He is buried at St. Mary Cemetery.

--Cooter

First Americans Killed in Action in WW I-- Part 2

Continued from November 6.

The three men killed:

**  THomas F. Enright, private:  Sister Mrs. Mary Irwin, No. 6641 Premo St., Pittsburgh.

**  James P. Gresham, private:  Mother, Mrs. Alice Dodd, No. 1001 West Ohio street, Evansville, Indiana.

**  Merle D. Hay, private:  father, Harvey D. Hay, Glidden, Iowa.

All three enlisted, not drafted.  Enright joined in 1909, Gresham 1913 and Hay in May 1917.  Enright was 30, Greshan and Hay in their early to mid-20s.

All were members of the First Division, Co. F, Second Battalion, 16th Infantry.

--Cooter

The First Americans Killed in Action During World War I-- Part 1

From the October 27, 2017, Orlando (Florida) Sentinel "Commentary:  Honoring the first to fall in World War I:  A Story of U.S. sacrifice"  Thomas V. DiBacco.

I wrote about this Sunday in the WW I chronology.

One hundred years ago this week, three American soldiers became the first to lose their lives in front line combat during the war on November 3, 1917.

News of it broke in early November 1917 without much emotion.  The Washington Herald had a story about it on the front page with the headline "U.S. Soldiers Were Trapped: Caught In Dugouts by Germans, Officers' Belief Here."

The story continued on page two with their names and facts about each one.

Sadly, the First of Many.  --DaCoot