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Last week I received an email from a gentleman that read my article about my great uncle Herman that I posted on Ancestry.com. I found this to be a rather amazing story. Here is his email as received.
I read your article on Herman Bartels at the battle of Juvigny. My father's history parallels Hermans very closely except that my father made it through the ordeal. He enlisted in the Wisconsin National Guard in May of 1917 and in July was drafted into the US 128th Infantry, and took basic at Waco, Texas the same as Herman. He was trained as a bugler, messenger, and stretcher bearer and carried a side arm. He left the US in Feb 1918 and arrived in Brest, France. Both the 126th and 128th were part of the 32nd Division known as the "Red Arrow" devision.
According to my father's discharge records he was in the American Expeditionary Forces, Alsace Sector, 2nd Battalion of Marne
Soissons Sector. He was (also) in the battle of Juvigny. This is where he was wounded on August 30th, the same day Herman was shot and killed. My dad was shot while carring a wounded soldier off of the battlefield. He lived, but was shot through the torso, the bullet going through his back and exiting through his groin area. He lay in a crator in "No Mans Land" all night long going in and out of counsciousness and as the foggy morning was approaching he became aware of a German soldier taking jewelry off of the dead. My dad slowly unholstered his side arm and as the German approached and was looking down at my father, my father shot him and his body fell upon him. He dreamed this scene everynight for the rest of his life. When the morning forces, on a body detail, found out that my dad was not dead they got him to an aid station and later transferred him to a hospital somewhere in France.
My father was hospitalized for quite a periond of time and arrived back inthe states in November 1918. He was paralyzed in his right leg and he suffered from mustard gas. They kept him hospitalized continually until he was able to get discharged in July 1920. His condition was poor and and they didn't think he would live much over two years. He immediately got married to his sweetheart he was engaged to and managed to father eight kids until his death at the age of 67.
I have the book "The 32nd Division in the World War" which was presented to my father. You know, people in that war did not recieve Purple Hearts like they do now. The one that is now issued was started in 1932. Instead they got a "Columbia" award. My daughter wrote to our senator with copies of dad's records wondering why her grandpa didn't get a Purple Heart. Three months later a soldier knocked on the door and delivered one to her. I have attached a picture of my father's "Columbia" award.
I thought you might find my letter newsworthy regarding the parallel between your great uncle Herman and my dad, Evan John Norgord.
Jim Norgord
I emailed Jim back and thanked him for the story of his father that linked to Hermans life (and death) I also learned that 2 of his brothers, his sister and Jim served in the armed forces either during WWII or the Korean War.
Jim said it was OK with him to share this story on my blog.
