166th Infantry Regiment

Thomas L. McWade, Former D Company Member, Gives Look at Life of Wounded Soldier Returning Home, 1918

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Thomas Lawrence McWade was born 25 December 1898, in Middleburg, Ohio. McWade’s address on the D Company Roster from World War One, list him at Bellefontaine, Ohio. He was not shown on the list of those leaving with D Company when they left Marion. It is not known if he enlisted and was assigned to D Company or if he was transferred in from another company.

We do know that Private Thomas L. McWade served with the D Company boys in hard combat and was seriously injured during the Second Battle of the Marne. He gives some description of his experience in Europe in the attached article.

We also see in the article that the government was urging wounded veterans to learn a trade. McWade was making plans to learn auto mechanics. We also must note that McWade would live on to the age of 74 years old. He died on 17 August 1973, in Logan County, Ohio. He is buried in the Bellefontaine City Cemetery, Bellefontaine, Ohio.

THOMAS M’Wade, SHOT
IN BOTH LEGS, IS HOME

D Company Boy Arrives in
Bellefontaine Saturday

Remembers Apple Pie He Gets
Last Thanksgiving Day Back
of Verdun.

Private Thomas McWade nineteen, member of D company, 166th infantry, Rainbow division, reached his home on south Detroit street in Bellefontaine Saturday evening where a joyful welcome awaited, says Monday’s Bellefontaine Examiner.
Private McWade was wounded in both legs on July 29 when struck by portions of a Hun shell near Chateau Thierry. The flesh of the calf of the left leg is entirely gone and the right leg has a hole the size of a half dollar. He is not lame but must exercise great care of his physical condition.
The soldier lad lay from 2 o’clock on the day that he was wounded until 10:30 the following morning on that stretch of terrain known as No Man’s Land. The Germans were shelling the town to the rear so fearfully, having obtained almost perfect range, that to remove the wounded was impossible without great loss of life.
He Stays With Him.
Elmer King, son of Samuel King and wife, West Liberty, stayed by the side of Private McWade when he could, of necessity being forced to go to the fighting line at intervals, dressing his wounds and being instrumental with others in getting him to a dressing station. Many wounded men were left on the field that day and suffering was fearful.
Private McWade has been in a number of hospitals in France and came here directly from the Walter Reed hospital in Washington D. C. to which he must return on December 20, provided an extension of furlough is denied. He has signed up to take a course in auto mechanics there, the government acting at once to urge all wounded soldiers to learn a trade.
“Last Thanksgiving season I spent the time in the little town of Oel, back of Verdun, and remember that the cook was able to get some apples to make us fellows a fine pie,” said young McWade who remarked that about the only difference in the observance of holidays, when in the army, to mark them from other days, was that the men did not drill and frequently did not fight.
Uses Automatic Rifle.
Private McWade used an automatic rifle all of the time that he was at the front, the accuracy of which is good for at least half a mile. Certain squads of men in the different companies were drilled for this kind of attack and D Company was ready, at least fairly so, when the men left for France in October of 1917. They went from Camp Mills, New York.
Concerning the brutality and trickery of the Germans, Private McWade had considerable to say. He remarked that they would throw a bayonet and yell “Kamerad” at the same time, taking a chance upon the mercy of the one against whom the fight was being made. “I took no chance with any of them,” he remarked adding that the confidence of the Germans was fast falling when he left France in October. I only wish that they were driven out of the world,” he added, meaning that he has no faith in the people as a race. He said that the Chateau Thierry drive was the beginning of the end for the enemy. “They constantly put more men at the front after that drive and they were just constantly pushed back by the allies.”
Private McWade is being given a warm welcome as will be accorded all of the members of the Rainbow division and of all other divisions who return. What is there in the world so grand as the reuniting of kindred about the family hearthstone.”

From The Marion Daily Star dated 11-26-1918

Private Clifford B. Fetty Dies of Bronchial Pneumonia After Surviving Major Combat, 1919

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Clifford B. Fetty was born on 25 October 1898, in Prospect, Ohio. His parents are W. B. & Ollie (Snyder) Fetty of near Prospect, Ohio. Clifford B. Fetty enlisted into the Ohio National Guard, on 23 May 1917, in Marion, Ohio. He was a member of D Company, 4th Ohio Infantry, Ohio National Guard (ONG). When the ONG was inducted into federal service, the Fourth Ohio was redesignated as 166th Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division “Rainbow.”

Private Clifford B. Fetty was a veteran of the battles at Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne. Sadly, after surviving combat from the beginning of the war until the end. Pvt. Fetty appears to have departed France on 26 January 1919, aboard the USS Rijndam. He then arrived at on 9 February 1919, at Newport News, Virginia. Pvt. Fetty became ill and died of bronchial pneumonia only two days after his return to the United States.

Private Clifford B. Fetty died on 11 February 1919, at Camp Stewart, Newport News, Virginia. Clifford B. Fetty is buried in the Marion Cemetery. Local soldiers served as pall bearers; Clay Parr, Reuben Severns, Hubert Taylor; Lloyd Garver and Harris Schaub, members of D Company; Perry Miller. Miller has recently returned from Camp Taylor, Kentucky, where he was attending the officers’ training. Hiram Schneemilch will serve as bugler. The firing squad was composed of Spanish American War Veterans, J. D. Shultz, Edward Mayes, E. O. Call, William Smith and James Sharrock.

Of the words spoken at the funeral in part were:

“But it is not our purpose today to speak of the glorious victory which our nation has won, Our text speaks of another victory, a victory vastly greater and more glorious, a victory which can fill our souls with joy even in the hour of death, a victory whose fruits we shall enjoy to the end of time, and throughout all eternity, the great victory to which Christ won over death itself. Death is swallowed up in victory. This victory is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
By Reverend J. W. Schillinger

Marion Daily Star

Clifford B. Fetty is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War One Honor Roll, located on the second floor of the Marion County Courthouse.

PFC Charles W. Shuster of LaRue, Ohio, Killed in Action, 1918

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Charles W. Shuster was from the LaRue, Ohio area. His parents are Charles Sheldon “Sell” & Samantha (Wygle) Shuster. Charles W. Shuster had a cousin, John E. Shuster, Jr., who also died while serving in World War One.

Charles was a former member of Marion’s D-Company. He transferred to A Company based in Cardington, Ohio. Charles attained the rank of Private First Class (PFC), while serving with A Company, 166th Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division “Rainbow Division.” PFC Shuster had sailed to Europe with the regiment aboard the transport USS Henry R. Mallory (ID-1280), which departed Hoboken, New Jersey, on 10 October 1917. He was listed as killed in action on 27 September 1918, in France.

PFC Charles W. Shuster is buried in Saint Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial, Thiaucourt-Regnieville, Departement de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Lorraine, France.

Charles W. Shuster is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War One Honor Roll, located on the second floor of the Marion County Courthouse.

Cpl. Carl S. Shepherd Died of Wounds Received in Action, 1918

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Carl S. Shepherd was born on 2 October 1894, in Franklin County, Ohio. His parents are Sam & Mary E. Shepherd of Marion, Ohio. In the 1917 Marion City Directory, Carl was listed as a machinist. On his draft card he was listed as employed as a repairman with the Able Auto Company, in Marion, Ohio.

Carl entered service with the Ohio National Guard (O. N. G.), in Marysville, Ohio, on 14 July 1913. He was serving as a private with E Company, Fourth Infantry, O. N. G. The Fourth Ohio later entered federal service and was reorganized as the 166th Infantry Regiment with the 42nd Infantry Division “Rainbow.” On 5 April 1918, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal (Cpl). Cpl. Carl W. Shepherd was a veteran of the Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne.

Cpl. Carl S. Shepherd died of wounds received in action. His death occurred on 2 August 1918.
Carl S. Shepherd was first buried in a temporary grave in American B/A Cemetery, Mareuil-en-Dole, Aisne. His remains were disinterred and on 28 September 1918, reburied in an American Cemetery, Seringes et Nesles, Aisne.

On 3 May 1921 Cpl. Carl S. Shepherd’s remains were once again disinterred and later transported back to the United States aboard the U. S. A. T. Wheaton. His remains arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey on 2 July 1921. Cpl. Carl S. Shepherd then arrived in Columbus, Ohio, on 5 August 1921 and was laid to final rest at Union Cemetery, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.

Carl S. Shepherd is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; and on the World War One Honor Roll, located on the second floor of the Marion County Courthouse.
Note: his last name is spelled “Sheperd” on the Marion memorials. He signed his name “Shepherd” on his draft card.

Lt. Paul J. Tron, Former D Company (Marion) Member, Killed in the Vosges Mountains, 1944

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Paul J. Tron was born on 17 November 1916, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are Joseph Tron & Margaret E. (Strine), of near Big Island, Marion County. His mother preceded him in death. Paul J. Tron attended Harding High School and was a 1935 graduate. He had a brother, Staff Sergeant Keith L. Tron, station with the United States Air Force, in India. Prior to entering active service Paul was employed with farming. Paul married Twila M. Tron, on 25 April 1943. Together they had a son, Gene Tron.

Paul J. Tron was a member of Marion’s D Company, Ohio National Guard. D Company was activated under the 166th Infantry Regiment and sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in October 1944. Paul J. Tron was at that time serving as a Corporal. While at Camp Shelby, he was promoted to Sergeant (Sgt.). Sgt Tron was then transferred to Curacao, Dutch West Indies, in February of 1942.

Sgt. Tron was then selected for Officers Candidate School (O. C. S.). He then attended a prep school at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, in October of 1942. Upon completion of prep school, Tron was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, to attend O. C. S. He graduated O. C. S. and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant on 25 February 1943.

As a 2nd Lieutenant, Tron in March of 1943, was sent to Camp Perry, Ohio, where he was later promoted to First Lieutenant. In March of 1944, Lt. Tron was again sent to Camp Wheeler. Lt. Tron then spent a brief time with his family before he left for Fort Meade, Maryland, to await transfer to his overseas assignment.

Lt. Tron arrived in Italy and was later transferred to France. On on 26 September 1944, he met up with Company A, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne,” in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France. After only four days with the unit in combat, Lt. Paul J. Tron was reported as missing in action. Later the family would be notified he was killed in action, on 30 September 1944, near Rupt-sur-Moselle, France.

Lt. Paul J. Tron is buried in Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France.

Paul J. Tron is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War Two Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.