Edwin Richardson Kimble
No. 5314; Class of 1915 Died of Wounds in France April 9, 1918, aged 25.
Edwin R. Kimble was born in Portland, Oregon, September 24, 1892; his father Edwin R. Kimble died when he was but nine years of age, and the boy went to Texas with his mother and younger brother when ten years of age. He spent his boyhood days in Galveston, graduating from the Ball High School in the class of 1908. He then attended the University of Texas, Austin, during the winter of 1910-1911, entering the United States Military Academy in June, 1911; graduating therefrom in 1915.
Mater for one month as an assistant instructor in the Department of Tactics during that summer. His first regular post was Vancouver Barracks, and while stationed there he received his first promotion to First Lieutenant the following January: promoted to Captain in May 1917, and in August of the same year he received his Majority, shortly after his arrival in France.
In October of the same year he was Battalion Commander of the U. S. Engineers, composed of the first of our soldiers on the firing lines. In letters to his mother Major Kimble spoke of occupying a comparatively quiet sector along the French front, but was near to the first Boches taken prisoners by the American soldiers, and very near to the first of our men who were first wounded in battle.
The following announced the death of Major Kimble:
ARMY GENERAL, STAFF COLLEGE- A.E.F.- FRANCE.
April 9, 1918.
It is the sad duty of the Director of the General Staff College to announce the death of Major Edwin .R. Kimble, Corps of Engineers, Assistant Instructor.
Major Kimble entered the United States Military Academy in June, 1911, and. graduated second in the class of 1915. He was a student at the Engineer School, Washington Barracks, during the course of 1915-1916, and, when school was discontinued, came with the First U. S. Engineers to France in June, 1917, serving with that organization until he entered the Army General Staff College.
Major Kimble was a student officer in the First Course at the Army General Staff College and was retained as an assistant instructor in the Second (present) Course. As part of his work he was sent - to the British Fifth Corps Staff to study the work of the Corps Intelligence Service. He was with this corps during the first ten days of the Battle of Picardy (March 21-30, 1918). A few days after his return to the Staff College he was admitted to hospital and died April 9.
A. W. BJORNSTAD, Lieutenant Colonel, G. S.
"Major Kimble from his entrance to the Academy in 1911 until his graduation in 1915 was a leader in many class and corps activities. The following lines written by him of another cadet for the Howitzer could equally well be said of him: "He is a staunch supporter of everything that is best in cadet life, and in Corps tradition. There is no one who does not like him and there can be no one who does not admire him. He has made a record for himself in everything that he has touched that makes all of us feel sure that the future holds nothing but success for him." By his pleasing personality and genial disposition he early won his way into the hearts of all who knew him. He has always proved a true and sincere friend, especially when it came to helping the goats. There are probably several men that would not be counted among West Point graduates today but for his assistance. He showed these same qualities during his short but full career as an officer in the service. He was the first member of the class of 1915 to die in France".
"In the death of Major Kimble the class of 1915 loses one of its most popular members, the Academy one of its most loyal sons and the Army one of the most efficient of its younger officers".
"Major Kimble was unmarried, but leaves to mourn his loss a devoted mother, Mrs. Elvira V. H. Kimble, whose home is in Galveston, Texas, and a younger brother, Second Lieutenant Frederick von H. Kimble, a member of the Class of 1919, graduated from the Academy in June, 1918."
Battery Kimble (1925) was built during the post World War I period, using a combination of earthworks, concrete and brick. The earthworks were placed on the side of the battery facing the Gulf Coast, providing both protection and camouflage. The battery is a reinforced concrete and steel beam structure, approximately 40.8 feet high, with brick masonry inside the shell and gunpowder chambers. The battery has two gun emplacements, a ventilation corridor, plotting rooms, officer latrines, and a large magazine divided into separate gunpowder and shell chambers. The armament of Battery Kimble was composed of two 12-inch guns, which could be elevated to gain a maximum range of 17 miles.
Battery Kimble is located in the northeastern area of the fort, away from the shore, and was built to attack ships approaching from the gulf Placing the guns on the sides of the battery (instead of on top) helped protect them from aircraft raids, a new threat that appeared during World War I and would continue to be a threat until the end of World War II. Guns were placed in circular concrete "Panama" mounts that allowed guns to rotate 360 degrees. The gun placement thus reflected the changing nature of warfare.
Battery Kimble features a concrete gallery supported by 15 concrete columns, approximately 33 feet high. On top of the gallery are two observation stations. Battery Kimble had more than magazine chambers than the previous batteries. Underneath the soft earthworks is a large concrete chamber, measuring approximately 61x57 feet. Access to this chamber is through two large steel doors on each side of the chamber. This ventilation corridor also leads into two small control rooms, one measuring approximately 10x10 feet and the other measuring approximately 19x10 feet. The large chamber is divided into two separate chambers, 61x27 feet and 61x30 feet. Each chamber features separate brick-lined storage areas used to store powder and shells. Access between these chambers was through two large folding steel doors (extant). On the north and south sides of the large chamber are four and five smaller chambers, respectively. These chambers included electrical stations that provided power to each gun emplacement and plotting rooms.
The structural integrity of Battery Kimble is good. The majority of the steel riveted external doors are still in place. Although the doors display some corrosion, they are in fair condition. Observation stations on top of the battery show some deterioration visible from stress fractures and cracks on the concrete. The observation stations and other portions of this battery have been vandalized by graffiti. The concrete floor of the shell chamber shows some cracks and in one place; a possible sinkhole. The brick roof over the powder chamber is in good condition. The Panama concrete gun emplacements show some minor cracks on the concrete. No restoration or stabilization of this battery has been conducted due to the lack of funding. Overall, the battery is still in good condition.