Classroom

Recalled from retirement to active duty upon the United States entry into the War, Edward Daniel Edgar would be promoted to 1st lieutenant in order to place more experienced soldiers in leadership roles in the 3rd division of the United States Army. Edgar would depart for France from Hoboken, New York on March 29th after completing training at Camp Greene, North Carolina. This camp experience was critical preparation, even for experienced soldiers like Edgar. Edgar had been serving as an instructor at the Gordon Institute in Bonnyville Georgia at the time of his recall, but was not above being instructed himself. He would describe his time in training camp as “very instructive and helpful, both physical and thoughtful”. 	Edgar first saw combat on June 4th, 1918, and would see major action in the 2nd Battle of the Marne, St. Michel, and the Argonne-Meuse Offensive. Edgar would advance with the 38th regiment until suffering a gunshot wound near Cierges, France on November 8th, 1918, just three days before the armistice ended the War. He would remain under medical care January of 1919, before shipping home and being discharged in late March. 	Like so many other veterans of the Great War, Edgar maintained strong pride in his service towards the country he loved, but also bore the lifelong consequences of war. He describes himself as “20%” disabled after the conflicts end, and comments on how he is physically marked for life. Edgar would also grapple with the mental toll combat inflicts, remarking that he has gone through, and continues to imagine “things that before the war never entered my mind”. Edgar would be able to at least somewhat reconcile these experiences through his presbyterian faith and camaraderie with other veterans. He would describe God as being available even in the worst circumstances on the battlefield. Edgar would join the American Legion after the war, where he was able to enjoy the company of the “loyal men of whom I was under and who were under me”.<div> </div>

The Freemason st Church is near the 1920 address of World War 1 veteran Edward Daniel Edgar. Edgar Resided at 262 W Brown St, a residential area that has since been bulldozed to make room for much of Downtown Norfolk. 

Freemason St Church, Edward Daniel Edgar 

Collectively, these entries help to share the story of Norfolk in World War I. Each entry was written by a student and reviewed by Dr. Hametz before being placed on the map at a location that is related to the people and events discussed. Recognizing that each entry was a small piece in a larger story, the entries were later placed into this interactive tour so that users will be able to read each entry together.

This heritage trail shares events and people that are part of Norfolk's history during World War I. The heritage trail also serves as an interactive visualization that allows users to explore various aspects of the war and local history. The trail consists of individual entries that were created by students in Professor Maura E. Hametz's course at Old Dominion University in the spring semester of 2019.

Before the outbreak of
World War I, Raleigh Bagley was a very accomplished man. He was a graduate of
the American School of Osteopathy (the study of bones) and was a doctor in New
York City. His office was at 120 E 34th street which is just down
the road from the word famous Macy’s on 34th street. 

When the United States entered
the war, Bagley joined the Virginia National Guard as a private. His unit, the
2nd Virginia Infantry Regiment would be deployed to France in July
of 1918. By the end of the month on July 25th they were in the trenches
holding off the Germans. The area they were sent to was known as Vosges and
while Bagley was there, there were no major offensives. This did not make the
trenches any less dangerous as Bagley would suffer two broken legs on September
15, 1918. This would make the end of his war as he was taken out of the line
and sent back to the United States. 

Raleigh Bagley would also
loose 5 teeth during the war in addition to his broken legs. These hardships
did not faze him however because after the war he testified that his faith in
the church had only strengthened as a result of his time in combat.

Norfolk has long been the place where American service members leave the county and for Raleigh Bagley that was the case as well. He was stationed in Norfolk for a few months before and after his time in France where he had seen a significant amount of contact. In his words, “No training abroad; nothing but fight.” Bagley would see more than his fair share of combat as well as suffer the consequences. 

Raleigh Allen Bagley

<blockquote>When Americans discuss or
remember wars we often like to talk about the more romantic aspects like
personal heroism and courage, or the feeling after a great victory. What is
often over looked are the more brutal aspects of war like the carnage and destruction
that is inflicted. For Robert Anderson this was the only side of war that he
saw.

Anderson was born on
December 28th, 1893 in Norfolk Virginia. He lived and average life,
getting married and working at the Ford factory downtown. However, his life was
altered when the United States entered World War I and he was thrust into the artillery
service. This would have been a blessing for married man who would want to avoid
the meatgrinder that was trench warfare. In his position Anderson would have
been miles back from the front line and often out of harms way. 

He however, arrived in
France on November 9th, 1918, just two days until the end of the
fighting. Although the fighting had ended, many in the allied camp did not
trust the Germans and so troop that had just arrived were still being sent to
the front in order to defend against an imaginary German offensive. Robert Anderson
was one of those troops and when he arrived he was appalled by what he saw. There
was utter devastation in a part of France that 4 years before had been picturesque
farm county. This was a jarring experience for Anderson who soon soured to the
idea of military service.

After the war he returned
to the Norfolk area and began working at the Buick factory instead of Ford. He never
forgot how awful the war was and he hoped that the United States would never
send young men off to such a sight again. </blockquote>

The story of Robert Anderson is one that is not often talked about when discussing the men who served in World War I. Anderson never saw combat, having arrived in France just 2 days before the armistice, but he did see its destructive capacity. What he says horrified him and he was not happy with what he experienced.

Robert Eastwood Anderson

Herbert Ulysses White was born in Norfolk, Virginia on October 6th, 1896 to N.S. White and Lena Moore. He attended Norfolk High School on 15th Street, soon to be known as Maury High School on the renamed Shirley Avenue. After graduation, he attended Hampton University and was a member of the Tau Delta Sigma's Alpha Chapter. While still a student, White enlisted in army infantry and began his training at Camp Meade, Maryland on October 4th, 1918 and serving there until June 28th, 1919. Though originally attached to 40 Co. 154th Depot Brigade, due to his level of education and ability he was promoted from Private to Corporal on November 9th and transferred to Co. B 417th Reserve Quartermaster Corp on November 26th, 1918. There he assisted in administrative duties for the duration of his service, being promoted from Corporal to Sergeant on December 1st, 1919. After being released from service, White completed his degree and relocated to the economic boomtown that was Detroit where he lived and worked as a lawyer. The memory of World War I has begun to fade from our collective consciousness. The events and emotions of that conflict have been over shadowed by the wars that have happened since. During his military service, Herbert White faced complex emotions about race and democracy in the United States. When asked in 1920 what was his attitude towards his camp and overall military experience, he wrote "I didn't feel justified in going into the service to fight for so-called democracy which I could not myself enjoy as an American citizen."This sentiment was shared by many African Americans returning from what was touted as a war for democracy, a reality far from equal and democratic. Racism and increasing white nativism during and in the immediate aftermath of the First World War led to widespread violence and rioting in cities across the United States, including Norfolk, Virginia on July 21st, 1919. The experiences of African American soldiers in Europe and on the home front influenced the growing movement of resistance to Jim Crow on the part of the African American community. When asked about the effects of his experiences on his mental state, Herbert White responded that "the race prejudice displayed in camp breeded contempt in my heart." The First World War became an integral, yet unsung, influence on the future development of the Civil Rights Movement through the lives of men like Herbert Ulysses White.

Beneath the waving flags and patriotic rhetoric, there lies a nuanced experience of participation of African Americans in the American Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Herbert Ulysses White, a Norfolk native who lived at this address, attended Norfolk High School before going on to Hampton University. After the War, he finished his degree and went on to become a lawyer. 

African American Dissent in World War I

By the time the United States would declare war on Germany in 1917, public sentiment had largely shifted against the Kaiser, and many Americans were happy to see the United States do its part for the Allies. Maury High School alum Walton Marshall Ellingsworth was no exception. A senior in the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Ellingsworth would enlist with the US Army Field Artillery at Fort Meyer at the conclusion of the VPI spring term in May. Ellingsworth would train for the rest of the year at Fort Meyer and Camp Merritt, New Jersey, before embarking for Europe in January, 1918. Ellingsworth would see action in several major engagements, and soon had the opportunity to act upon the “anxieties” he had felt about war with Germany.Ellingsworth’s 12th Field Artillery Regiment would participate in heavy fighting as part of the US 2nd Division. Ellingsworth saw action in defensive sectors at Verdun and Chateau Thierry, along with Belleau Wood, Soissons, and Port a’ Mousson. It was neary Vierzy, on July 21st, that Ellingsworth would truly rise to the occasion he had imagined in the build up to the war. Ellingsworth would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix de Guerre for his actions as a forward observer and reconnaissance officer. Official citations of his actions that day cite Ellingsworth’s “Great courage and coolness” under “heavy shellfire” that “aided materially in the efficient firing of his battallion”. Ellingsworth denied to provide any narrative accounts of his actions that day, or any account of his post war state of mind on his war history questionnaire. Like so many ordinary men who have been called to extraordinary duty in war time, Ellingsworth likely did not consider himself a hero. However, the United States Army recognized his capabilities as an artillery officer to be so great he was selected to be an instructor on preparative and reconnaissance duties at Field Artillery Brigade Training Center at Camp Knox, Kentucky after the wars end.

Maury High School alum Walton Marshall Ellingsworth served with distinction in the Army's 12th Field Artillery Regiment in the Great War. In his duties as a forward observation/reconnaissance officer Ellingsworth would be cited for extraordinary courage and coolness under fire. Earning a Distinguished Service Cross and French Croix de Guerre, Ellingsworth would serve as an instructor for future artillery observers after the war. 

Walton Marshall Ellingsworth

<blockquote>Born on January 8th, 1895, Reginald Steward was a highly educated man. Attending high school at Norfolk High School in Virginia then continuing his education to Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Prior to World War 1 Reginald Stewart worked in the tobacco business. The company that employed him was Old Dominion Tobacco Co. Today this company still exists, and if a person is familiar with the Hampton Roads area of Virginia they may have seen Atlantic Distribution Company before. Reginald Steward enlisted in the United States Navy on June 5th, 1917. Unlike most people that enlist in the military as a lower rank, due to his high education and business background he enlisted as Chief Master at Arms.&nbsp; During the war, due to his high ranking position he did not participate in any combat during the war. However, his position required him to train and prepare recruits for combat. Since the start of his enlistment he worked at several different bases training recruits and even military officers. He took advantage of the opportunity that was presented to him and moved up the ranks to become a 2nd Lt j.g. in the United States Navy.&nbsp; After the conclusion of World War 1 Reginald Steward, war experiences were very positive. "Strictly in Favor of Military service and very glad that I had the opportunity to serve." Although he did not fight the war physically he did however train people that did. His education allowed him the opportunity to gain the position he did during his enlistment however his drive is what allowed him to become 2nd Lt.&nbsp;</blockquote>

World War One allowed opportunities for individuals that in some cases may not have had any. However, World War One also gave arise and more influence to people in influential positions. Reginald Whitehurst Steward was a World War One opportunist. 

World War One, Opportunists Arise 

VMI graduate Charles Antonio Etheridge served with great distinction in France, and was one of countless gallant United States Marines who earned the Corps its “devil dog” nickname at the Battle of Belleau Wood and other western front engagements. Etheridge was a lifelong resident of Norfolk, and his family’s residence at 811 Colonial Avenue still stands. Etheridge would commission into the Marine Corps upon his graduation from VMI in May, 1917, and spent only a few short months at Parris Island and Marine Corps Base Quantico before shipping off to Europe in September, 1917. He would first see action in March of 1918, and served with distinction at the Aisne defensive sector, Chateau-Thierry, Champagne, and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. 	Etheridge’s war record is emblematic of the brutality Marines and other troops saw on the frontlines. Etheridge would be promoted twice in two days due to casualties sustained at Chateau-Thierry. He would be promoted from 2nd to 1st Lieutenant on July 1st, and received the rank of Captain on July 2nd. Etheridge would first be cited for “inborn ability, cool courage, and unerring judgement”, and awarded a Silver Star for his actions at Belleau Wood June 10th-13th of 1918. Spotting German machine gunners setting up position at a vulnerable spot in the American lines, Lt. Etheridge led eight privates of the Army engineers against this position and killed or captured all the Germans, bringing two captured machine guns back to the Allied lines as trophies. Etheridge was wounded less than a month later near Vierny in July, and spent most of the remainder of the War away from the front in hospitals. Etheridge remarked later that he had always looked favorably upon military service and had been glad to be called to serve. The attitudes and actions of men like him were instrumental to the American military legacy that was forged in France a century ago. <div> </div>

Norfolk native and VMI graduate Charles Antonio Etheridge served with great distinction with the US Marines in the Great War. Etheridge would be promoted twice in two days due to the severe casualties Marines sustained on the Western Front. He would be sited for exceptional bravery at the battle of Bellau Wood, earning the Silver Star for bravery and contributing to the fierceness that earned Marines the "Devil Dog" nickname from German troops. Etheridge's family home at 811 Colonial Ave still stands today.

Charles Antonio Etheridge

Robert Baylor Tunstall was born February 9th 1880.
He was born in New York City to Richard Baylor Tunstall and Isabel Mercelin
Heiser. He was an Episcopalian and was married to Virginia Hunter Lyne on June
28th 1916 in Henderson Kentucky. He was apart of the Delta Psi
college fraternity. He went to Norfolk Academy and Bellevue High School and got
a B.A., M.A, and a B.L at the University of Virginia.Before he entered to service he was a lawyer. He entered the
service on September 10th 1918 at Camp Taylor Kentucky as a Private in
the Field Artillery Replacement Troops (Field Artillery Central Officers
Training School) of the National Army. His identification number was 4741724. He
was originally assigned to the F.A.C.O.T.S (Field Artillery Central Officers
Training School) at Camp Zachery Taylor Kentucky. He was trained at Camp
Zachery Taylor Kentucky from September 10th 1918 to December 18th
1918.

He was promoted to Commissioned Captain, Field Artillery
Reserve Corps on December 18th 1918. &nbsp;He was discharged from the service at Camp
Zachery Taylor Kentucky on December 17th 1918 as a private before he
became a Commissioned Captain. After the war he returned to being a lawyer. About
his attitude toward military service he said it was “Favorable, Was not
called-enlisted”. For both how hiss camp experience was and his experience
after the war he said it was “Beneficial”.

The house that is located 530 Pembroke Ave. Norfolk Virginia was built in 1895. The house has 6 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms. The house has 6,182 square feet. The house was once the residence of Robert Baylor Tunstall.

Robert Baylor Tunstall

Lawrence Butler Wales was born October 3rd 1893.
He was born in Norfolk Virginia to John Edger Wales and Mary Lee Hepple. He was
an Episcopalian and was apart of the Fraternal Order Royal Arcanum. He went to
Norfolk High School and went to collage at Washington and Lee University in
Lexington Virginia. His college fraternities that he was apart of where Kappa
Sigma (National) and Phi Alpha Delta (Legal).&nbsp;

He was a banker before he entered into the service where he
worked at Merchants &amp; Mechanics Savings Bank, Norfolk Virginia. He entered
the service on April 28, 1917 in Norfolk Virginia as a Private in the United
States Marine Corps. After nine months he as was transferred to Seaman 2nd
Class in the United States Naval Reserve Force. He was originally assigned to Supply
Office, Fifth Naval District in Norfolk, Virginia. He was trained at the
Officer Material School for the Pay Corps in Princeton New Jersey from October
1, 1918 to December 31, 1918.&nbsp;

He was transferred to the USS Plattsburg on March 1, 1919 as
an Assistant Supply Officer. He was promoted to Seaman, Yeoman, 3rd
Class, Yeoman 2nd Class, Yeoman 1st Class, Chief Storekeeper,
and an Ensign. He was on transport duty from New York to Liverpool to Brest for
eight months. He was relieved from active duty on October 9th 1919
in New York City as an Ensign. Pay Corps in the U.S.N.R.F. After the war he
returned to being a banker.&nbsp;

About his general attitude towards military service he said
that he “Had a great dislike for military service in general and particularity the
Navy, but my attitude towards same has undergone a great change, since having
been in the service”. On the effects of camp exercises he said, “Broadens the
mind and develops physical fitness, both for military service and any civilian
occupation”. On the effects upon himself of his overseas experience he said, “Travel
in foreign lands. An education in itself, leads to a better understanding of
international questions and conditions”. He said that his experience strengthened
his religious beliefs. About the effect of the experience on his state of mind
he said that it gave him “A broader vision of the questions and conditions of
the day”.

This home that is located on 412 Pembroke Avenue, Norfolk, VA was built in 1888. The house has 7 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The home has 3,393 square feet. The home was once the residence of Lawrence Butler Wales.

Lawrence Butler Wales House

Norfolk was a hub for military service during World War I. Nurses who trained at local hospitals Sarah Leigh and St. Vincent de Paul were enlisted into the Red Cross, the United States Army, and the Naval Reserve. Norfolk drew people from across the state, North Carolina, and Maryland to the nursing schools and economic opportunities in the area. Many women sought nursing as an outlet of patriotism and duty. Lillian E. Bohlken was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and attended public school before moving to North Carolina and Littleton College for higher education. On June 1st, 1911, Miss Bohklen graduated from the Sarah Leigh Hospital nursing program in Norfolk, Virginia.&nbsp; In April of 1918, she enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corp at Portsmouth, Virginia. She was stationed at Camp Dix, New Jersey before embarking from New York to Liverpool. From Liverpool, she proceeded to Southampton and from there to Le Harve, France before moving on to Paris and being stationed at St. Dennis, France. Nurses at St. Denis were centered at L'ecole de la Legion d'honneur. Miss Bohlken returned to New York in March 1919 and was discharged from the Army Nurse Corp in April 1919. Harriet Leila Arrington was born in Granville County, North Carolina on March 28th, 1890. She attended grammar and high school, as well as post high school private tutoring before enrolling in the St. Vincent de Paul nursing training program, graduating on March 21st, 1913. She was employed predominantly as an Operating Room nurse. On March 18th, 1918, Miss Arrington enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corp at Oxford, Granville County, North Carolina. She was stationed at Camp McClellan, Alabama where she continued to work in the Operating Room and on the Surgical Ward. Embarking from Boston, Massachusetts on July 19th, 1918 and arriving in Liverpool, England, she followed the same route as Miss Bohlken from Southampton to Paris, and from Paris before being stationed at St. Denis. Returning to New York on March 12th, 1919, she was discharged from the Army Nurse Corp on January 19th, 1920. The lives of these two women demonstrate the thirst for education and the drive of duty and patriotism during the First World War. Nurses during World War I acted as invaluable members of medical staffs but also as symbols of the home and catalysts for the male soldiers struggling to fight on. The women's stories show the struggle of war is a shared one, and help us to understand the experiences and realities of the War, offering a glimpse of the lives and roles of women who raised their hands and joined the fight when duty called.

Nurses were integral to the advancing medical care during World War I. Sarah Leigh Hospital was built in 1902 on Mowbray Arch in the Hague District. St. Vincent de Paul Hospital, originally located on Church and Wood Streets, was established in the home of a patient, Miss Ann Plume Behan Herron, who willed the house for the creation of a hospital in 1855. They both served as nurse's training schools locally and for the Red Cross, the U.S. Army, and the Naval Reserve during the War. 

Nurses in Norfolk WWI

Albert Sidney Johnson Tubb was born on January 1st
1889. He was born in Portsmouth Virginia to M.W.A. Tubb and Barnes. He was a
Catholic and was married to Marion Mallory Sinclair on October 22, 1912 in
Hampton Virginia. They had 4 children Sarah Louise Tabb, Anne Stewart Bruce
Tabb, Mary Custus Lee Tabb, and Albert Sidney Johnson Jr. His previous military
service was 9 years in the National Guard of Virginia as a Sergeant in M.D. and
a Corporal 4th Va. Company A.

He got his education at Norfolk Academy. Before he entered
the service he was a nurse. He was inducted into the service on March 28th
1917 in Norfolk Virginia as a private in the Co. E. 4th Va. Regular
Infantry section of the National Guard of Virginia. He was originally assigned
to E. Company, 4th Regiment of the Virginia 29th.

He said that he was “Stationed from the beginning of the war
at Newport News, VA then transferred to Sewell’s Point until discharged”. He
never went over to Europe. He never saw action as well. After the war he worked
at Norfolk Tent &amp; Awning Co. He then left that job and went to work for
Norfolk Steam laundry.

About his attitude towards military service he said, ”I
believe it is beneficial to every young man &amp; I believe we should have
compulsory training four mouths of the year”. About the effects of camp
experience on him he said, “It benefited my health I went in weighing 130 lbs.
came out weighing 165 also gave me broader views”. He said that there was no
effect on his religious beliefs. He said about the effects on himself compared
to before the warm “I look upon it as being greater opportunities for every
young man since the war closed in agriculture &amp; mechanical lines”.

There is no longer a house at this location. This location is now the Blocker Norfolk Family YMCA.  It is located at 324 West Bute Street Norfolk Virginia. It is across the street from Omar’s Carriage House. This location use to be the residence of Albert Sidney Johnson Tubb.

Albert Sidney Johnson Tubb

Economic opportunities exploded in Norfolk during the First World War, bringing individuals from all walks of life. Stephen Konstovich was born in Austria on August 29th, 1889. On the eve of the War, he married his wife Kathleen in Norfolk, VA. Aubrey Luther Lamb was a native of Virginia, born in Southampton on March 27th, 1896. He was a boilermaker employed by the U.S. Navy Yard in Norfolk before the War and a member of the Junior Order United American Mechanics and the Boilermakers Union. Both men enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve Force and served aboard the U.S.S. Cyclops. They were lost at sea when the ship disappeared in March of 1916. The U.S.S. Cyclops was a Proteus-Class collier, or coal-carrier, built by William Cramp and Sons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1910. It served as a fuel ship for the U.S. Naval fleet. On January 8th, 1918, the Cyclops left Norfolk and headed to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She arrived in Brazil on January 28th, 1918 and departed Rio on February 15th, 1918 headed for Bahia. On February 22, 1918, the Cyclops left Bahia, headed on course to Baltimore, MD where it was to deliver its load of manganese ore. The Cyclops deviated from its course and made an unexpected stop in Barbados on March 3rd, 1918 due to indications of overloading. She departed Barbados on March 4th, 1918 and was never heard from again.&nbsp; A massive search was undertaken by both military and civilian ships along the known route of the U.S.S. Cyclops but no debris or other evidence was ever discovered. On June 1st, 1918, Franklin D. Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy, declared the Cyclops lost at sea. Fears of German sabotage abounded, fueled further by the German heritage of the Captain. In an outlandish turn, the disappearance of the Cyclops has long been linked to the Bermuda Triangle. This is given to the proximity of the ship's last known location to that region and to the World War II era disappearances of the Cyclops sister ships the U.S.S. Proteus and the U.S.S. Nereus near that area. Despite these claims, it is now believed that the loss of the U.S.S. Cyclops was due to structural failure. This class of ship was known to have issues with the I-beams and the interactions of the structural materials with the coal and other metallic cargoes being transported. Due to this structural weakness, combined with to the known overload of the ship at the time of the ship's loss, and the cracked engine cylinder known to have existed prior to the ship's departure from Brazil, it is now believed most the ship foundered in rough seas.

The U.S. Naval Reserve Force was created on August 29th, 1916 to answer the naval demands of looming American entry into the First World War. Over the course of the War, the number of enlisted men swelled from 8,000 to over 250,000. The establishment of Norfolk as a military hub during the War ensured the enlistment of men from this area. Norfolk residents Stephen Konstovich and Aubrey Luther Lamb, who lived at this address, served in the Naval Reserve onboard the U.S.S. Cyclops. They were both among the 309 men that lost their lives when the ship mysteriously disappeared near Bermuda in March of 1916. Despite exhaustive search efforts, no debris or evidence of any kind was ever found, sparking rumors and controversies related to the "Bermuda Triangle."

All Hands Lost!

Richard Henry Baker was
born in Norfolk on July 8th, 1897. He was part of a well-connected family
and took advantage of the opportunities placed before him. After graduating
from Episcopal High School, he joined the fraternal orders of Alpha Tay Omega
and Lamda Pi. He also enrolled at the University of Virginia as a medical
student. 

When the United States
entered the war Baker immediately enlisted at an ambulance driver. Once he had completed
his training he was sent to France as part of the ever-expanding American Expeditionary
Force. He first saw action on November 5th in Alsace where he
carried wounded in dead back from the front line.

His highest point came in
May of 1918 when he and his unit were in Belgium supporting the French troops
there. Baker was sent into the trenches with a stretcher to grab the wounded himself
rather than just driving an ambulance. While in the trench he came under heavy
enemy artillery bombardment and many of his friends were killed and wounded. Throughout
this however, Baker continued to drag men out of harms way and providing basic
medical care. For this act he was awarded the Croix de Guerre. Some other men
who have been awarded this metal are, Alvin C. York the famed American soldier
from the Battle of the Meuse Argonne, Dwight Eisenhower the supreme allied commander
in Europe during World War II. And Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier
of all time. 

After the war Baker
returned to civilian life. The re-enrolled at the University of Virginia and
began to take classes again. This time however, he was taking theology courses
rather than medical. While many people go to war and lose their faith it seemed
that Richard Baker went to war and found his. &nbsp;

Every belligerent nation in World War I was in desperate need of ambulance drivers to care for the wounded. Richard Baker was one of those American drivers who volunteered to put himself in harm's way for the good of others. In his time on the front line, he would receive the French Award Croix de Guerre, which was the highest honor given to a soldier of an ally of France. He received this for his outstanding work in the trenches to save lives.

Richard Henry Baker

The building that houses the MacArthur Memorial is the historic 1850 city hall of the Norfolk. Norfolk was selected as the site of the memorial because of MacArthur's connection to the city because it was his mother's hometown and where his parents were married.&nbsp;General MacArthur gifted the City of Norfolk all his trophies, medals, prizes, decorations, uniforms, flags, swords, battle souvenirs, personal papers, documents, records and other personal memorabilia.To date the archives house upwards of 2 million documents along with 86,000 photographs. When approaching the building, one may look at the brick pathway and&nbsp;notice names of service members. The MacArthur Foundation invites visitors to purchase memorial bricks to honor family members who have served in the armed forces. Approaching the entrance, a visitor will encounter a statue of General MacArthur standing proudly. The statue is an exact replica of one standing on the parade ground at West Point.&nbsp; Inside, a visitor could occupy themselves in several ways.&nbsp;&nbsp;They could choose to&nbsp;view the&nbsp;museum, archives and research center. If one would like to learn more about General MacArthur they could stop by the&nbsp;education center or&nbsp;theater to view a series of brief films.&nbsp; &nbsp;People can enter the&nbsp;Rotunda to pay their respect to MacArthur&nbsp;as it is the final resting place for both he and his wife Jean.

The MacArthur Memorial Museum preserves the memory of the life and military career of former US General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. It also pays tribute to the personnel that served with him in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The museum features a variety of MacArthur's belongings from military artifacts and documents to  photographs and paintings. The Memorial also features a theater, exhibit galleries and a historical research center.

The MacArthur Memorial Museum

Wyckham Langley Tyler was born in Norfolk, Virginia on September 14th, 1886 to John W. and Victoria L. Tyler. Prior to World War I, he migrated to New York City where he was employed with the Post Office Department of the United States. He enlisted in the New York National Guard on October 2nd, 1916 and was assigned to the 15th New York Infantry Regiment. The 15th New York became the 369th Infantry Regiment 93rd Division of the American Expeditionary Force, an all African American Division.&nbsp; Tyler began his military service at Camp Whitman in New York from July 16th, 1917 to August 16th, 1917. From there, he traveled to Camp Dix, NJ training from August 16th, 1917 to October 9th, 1917. From October 12th, 1917 to October 20th, 1917, Tyler finished his training at Camp Wadsworth in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He departed from Hoboken, New Jersey on December 10th, 1917 aboard the Pocahontas and arrived in Brest, France on December 26th, 1917. Within weeks, Tyler and his Regiment were on the front line, seeing his first action on March 28th, 1918. The Regiment saw action at the Second Battle of the Marne, the Battle of Chateau-Thierry, and the Battle of Champagne on July 15th, 1918, at Reims. At the Battle of Champagne, Tyler took command of a unit in the absence of officers. For this he received a citation from the Company Commander and was sent to Officer's Candidate School in France from August 1, 1918 to October 3rd, 1918, becoming commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on October 1st, 1918. The merit-based training and commissioning of an African American soldier during wartime was exceptional. The 369th Regiment provided the United States with more front line service than any other unit in the A.E.F., fighting valiantly and deserving of the reputation as Hellfighters that they gained during their time in France. African Americans, despite intense racial discrimination and stigmatization, served their country with distinction. Returning home from Europe with pride and hope, they were met most often with disdain and violence. Their experiences overseas shaped the future sentiments and their struggle for equality and fair treatment in the greater African American community. Stories like those of Wyckham Langley Tyler are points of pride and strength for all Americans. They deserve our highest respect and memorialization.

Norfolk native and Post Office Department employee, Wyckham Langley Tyler, who worked at this address, was an African American serviceman with the 369th Infantry Regiment 93rd U.S. Infantry Division, known as the Harlem Hellfighters. Designated a Supply Sergeant, Tyler nevertheless "took charge of company in absence of officers and led to a position of resistance." His action brought Tyler a citation by the Regiment Commander and a field commission to 2nd lieutenant in France on September 27th, 1918. With his new commission, Tyler was transferred to Co. A 370th Infantry Regiment 93rd Division.

Exemplary Bravery and Commendation in World War I

James Coleman was born November 15th 1897. He was
born in Charlotte North Carolina to Samuel Coleman and Laure Simmone. He was a
Baptist and he was married to Leona Hart in Charlotte North Carolina. He had a
7th grade education. He was a porter before he entered the service
where he worked for Southern Express Co. 

Before he entered the service he lived at 100 N. Johnson St.
Charlotte North Carolina. After the war he lived at 366 E. Bute St. Norfolk
Virginia. He was inducted into the service on March 29th 1918 in
Charlotte North Carolina as a Private in the Machine Gun Battalion of the
National Army. He was originally assigned to the 15th Co. 4th
Battalion 155th Depot Brigade at Camp Grant, Illinois. He was trained
at Camp Grant from March 29th 1918 to June 9th 1918.

He was transferred to the 350th Machine Battalion
at Camp Upton New York on June 12, 1918. He embarked Mineola. L.I. New York on
the USS Vidock on June 28th 1918 and arrived at Brest France on July
20th 1918. From Brest he went to Nance and from there he went to
Belmont and then to St. Die, France. He was stationed in Belmont, France for
three months. He first went into action on December 29th 1918 in the
Argonne-Forest.

The engagements that he participated in where the St. Die
Sector, Argonne Forest, Marbase, A.E.F. from June 10th 1918 to March
6, 1919. He arrived at Mineola L.I. on March 1st 1919. He was
discharged from service at Camp Lee Virginia on March 18th 1919 as a
Private. His occupation after the war was as a Clerk at the Post Office. He was
indifferent towards military service.

He said about the effects on him of his overseas
experience that it “Increased efficiency and education improved”. On his
experience and its effect on his religious beliefs he said it “Increased faith
and caused renewed determination to dedicate life to God”. About the fighting
he said, “Brought face to face with death was surprised to find that I
experienced no fear”. About the effect on his state of mind he said, “Practically
no change expect to increase interest in Government affairs”.

This location is now the parking lot next to The First Baptist Church. It is now the Brambleton Lot. It is right across the street from the Norfolk Scope. It is also just down the street from Chrysler Hall The address use to be the address of James Coleman.

James Coleman

Dudley Payton was born on
July 24, 1895, in Middlesex Virginia. He was a citizen of the United States but
due to the implementation of Jim Crow Laws, he was unable to vote. He came from
a poor family and did not receive much education, only completing grammar school.


&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He took this grammar school education and joined the Navy
in October of 1913. Being African American again limited him and instead of
being given a combat role or training he became a Ward Room Steward. These men
would serve the officers their meals much the same way a butler would. Their
position existed only as a benefit of rank for the officers. There were some
perks to the job however. The men would hear conversations the rest of the crew
was unaware of and could have one on one conversations with officers. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He would server on the USS Mississippi, the USS Franklin,
and the USS Scorpion. It was his time on the Scorpion that was the most
noteworthy. In April of 1917 the ship was stationed in Constantinople, Turkey,
(Modern Istanbul) when the US declared war on the Central Powers, Germany,
Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. The Turks gave the Scorpion a 24-hour
notice to leave port, but the captain refused to leave American civilians
behind, and so the ship was interned for the duration of the war. He wrote of
his time in Turkey as being good. He and the crew were often restricted to the
ship for weeks on end but were still allowed to come ashore and see the city
once in a while. During this time Payton managed to learn French, both reading
and writing. This is an amazing accomplishment for any enlisted man at this
time let alone an African American one. Moreover, his English education was average
at best which surely put him at a disadvantage when trying to learn a new
language. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When the war ended he and his crewmates were returned to
the US. They were all awarded the POW award for their time in Turkey as well as
a Minesweeping award. Finally, at the time he wrote out his war questioner he
was still serving in the Navy which would suggest that he enjoyed his time. &nbsp;

Dudley Allen Payton was an African American man who joined the US Navy in 1913 at the age of 18. His job options in the navy were severely limited by the color of his skin, so he was assigned as a ward room steward. The ship he was serving on in 1917 was the USS Scorpion. The ship, along with its crew, were interned by the Turks when the US declared war. 

Dudley Allen Payton

Paul Washington Alexander was born in Norfolk, Virginia on January 16th, 1889. What separates Paul Alexander from most of his African American peers is that he was a registered voter during time when it was almost impossible for American Americans to vote. Although, Paul Alexander education only reached the 7th grade, he still was a prominent member of American society. Prior to World War One, Paul Washington worked as a longshoreman on the Norfolk Naval Base. As a married man and an expecting father, enlisting into military service had to be a daunting task.&nbsp; During the war Paul Alexander enlisted in the United States Army as a rank of private on June 20, 1918. While most African Americans that joined the war effort during World War were given odd jobs due to their race. Paul Alexander actually enlisted as a member of the Army's infantry unit. He was stationed at Camp Alexander in Newport News, Virginia. Starting out as a private Paul Alexander ranked up to private 1st class on August 14, 1918. it is possible due to his mos being infantry, he was not chosen to go abroad during the war because America did not want to put guns in the hands of African Americans. Paul Washington Alexander can be described as a very patriotic man. He loved the United States of America although the United States may not have loved him. Once the war was over he continued to work at the Norfolk Naval Base as a longshoreman.&nbsp; A limited education did not prevent Paul Washington from serving his country nor did the color of his skin. Paul Alexander&nbsp;is not just a role model for the African American community but of America itself. During an era when most African Americans could not vote he made sure that he could, more importantly during an era his country did not love him he loved his country.&nbsp;

During a time of racism and prejudice, African American enlisted to fight during World War One. Paul Washington Alexander, of Norfolk, Virginia was a member of the United States army during the Great War. Although, Paul Washington had limited education and faced many prejudices during his life, he still embodied the feeling of patriotism and fought during the war. "My attitude was patriotic and I felt that my call to the war was a blessing from God to give me a chance to serve my government and country in its greatest crisis". 

Colored "White Hat" World War One 

The Great War marked a large cultural shift in American views of military service. Service in the armed forces was no longer solely the domain of southern aristocrats from wealthy backgrounds. As calls went out for every citizen to do their part, military service became a means for Americans of diverse backgrounds to advance themselves in society. The contributions of African Americans, women, immigrants, and other marginalized groups to the war effort was critical in shifting societal views of these groups traditional roles, enabling later civil rights victories. Norfolk native John Webb Johnson expressed enthusiasm for his service in the army that was linked to this unifying view of military service. Johnson, an African American, served alongside white troops in France as a medic attached to Field evacuation hospital 4 neari Caigny. Johnson arrived at the front on July 18, 1918, and would see action in the Aisne-Marne, St. Michel, and Meuse-Argonne offensives leading up to the end of the war. Johnson viewed his selection in the draft with the exuberance of “every patriotic citizen”. Johnson’s time in the medical corps enabled him to receive extensive training, and was a confidence building and self actualizing experience for the high school graduate. Johnson described training as having a great physical and mental impact on him, and attributed a “new value and a new pride in [his] physical strengths” to his overseas experience. Johnson’s war experience certainly had a positive impact, though he is also not shy about sharing the less glamorized impact of the traumas of war on him. Unlike most Norfolk veterans of the First World War, Johnson does not describe his religious belief as having been strengthened by his time overseas. Johnson declared the impact of his war experience on his religious views as “difficult to describe or analyze”, suggestive of personal difficulty in aligning the brutality of war with his Roman Catholic upbringing. Johnson’s enthusiasm for service was tempered by the brutality of the Western Front, reflecting how “...weeks of bitter struggle, not only with the enemy, but with the elements as well” had left him with “something he is crying to let slip from his grasp.” This contrast in pre and post war attitudes that is evident in Johnson’s post war questionnaire would form the foundation of the philosophy of the Double V campaign that would emerge in the Second World War. The Double V campaign sought to win victory not only fascism and racism abroad, but also against the systemic racism and racially motivated violence African Americans faced at home. The Double V campaign argued that if Black Americans like John Webb Johnson were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for freedom abroad, they ought to be guaranteed it when they returned home. Despite the work he did saving the lives of American soldiers of every race and creed in France, Johnson would return to heavily segregated Norfolk after the war, and be unable to access the same public facilities as the white servicemen he served alongside. Unable to find employment in the still heavily segregated medical field, Johnson would work as an artist after the war. His home at 1676 Church Street still stands today. <div> </div>

This marks the 1920 address of John Webb Johnson. Johnson was an African American who served with distinction in the US Army Medical Corps in France in World War 1. Johnson saw extensive action evacuating front line casualties. 

John Webb Johnson

Born on a Friday in March of 1874 William Augustus Stuart, lived in Norfolk, Virginia. Unlike most of his peers during this era of history William Stuart was an&nbsp;active voter. Although, society viewed him as colored man, he identified himself as colored but also part Indian. Although his age may seem to be a problem, his age came with experience. Unlike most of his peers William Stuart participated in the Spanish American War, therefore he witnessed first hand the victories and defeats of war. Unfortunately however, being that he was a colored man in the early 1900s prior military experience did not account for anything. William Augustus Stuart's journey to World War One is quite unusual. His age, prior war experience, and education, should have impact on his enlisting status in 1917. In contrast, William Stuart enlisted on April 26, 1917, as a first class cook. During the war however he did become an instructor for colored cooks. This position possibly a made up position given to William Stuart because of his prior war experience and age. While living on the ship during the war, William Stuart does state, the ship was attacked by Germans leaving him with permanent headaches. He finished his military career in 1920, he was 46 years old.&nbsp; His attitude towards the war is a direct reflection of his attitude towards America. "Believe it my duty to serve my country when needed. Also believe that all people should have military training." William Augustus Stuart was a highly educated man with war experience. In today's time he would have been a high ranking officer during the war. However, he was a colored man during World War One. Nonetheless his efforts did not go without vain.&nbsp;

During the Great War, the American youth was fascinated with the idea of serving one's country. So much in so, that thousands of young men lied about their age to serve. William Augustus Stuart however, was the complete opposite. William Stuart served in the United States Navy at the tender age of 43 years old.

Remembering WWI in Norfolk

Freemason St Church, Edward Daniel Edgar

Introduction

Backstory and Context

Sources