JAMES BETHEL GRESHAM
N 37° 37.544 W 087° 26.652
16S E 460802 N 4164383
First American killed in Action.
Waymark Code: WM5WB2
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 02/19/2009
Views: 7
JAMES BETHEL GRESHAM
First American killed in action, World War1. Born Beech Grove,1893, moved to Indiana, 1901, and enlisted there,1914. Served under Gen. Pershing on Mexican border, 1916. Sent overseas June14, 1917. Pfc. Gresham killed, Nov. 3, 1917, in Battle of Sommerviller, Lorraine. French honored him with monument there. Buried in Indiana. Silver Star citation, Jan. 1920.
More Details:
James Bethel GRISHAM and parents. He is the son of Green Gresham and Alice DODD; born August 23, 1893, McLean County, KY. Moved to Evansville, IN in 1901. Enlisted in U.S. Regular Army, April 23, 1914 at Evansville, IN. Sent to Jefferson Barracks, MO. Assigned to Company F, 16th Infantry. Saw service on the Mexican Border. Embarked for Europe June 14, 1917. During the early morning of November 3, 1917, a German battalion attacked a group of Americans who were in trenches on a muddy battlefield near Artois, France. Three men were killed, one of them Corporal James Bethel Gresham of Evansville. They were the first Americans killed in the World War. Of the three, Gresham was said to have died first, making him the first American soldier killed in the World War. Gresham was first buried in France at Bathelemont-les-Bauzemont, but in July 1921 his body was returned to Evansville and buried in Locust Hill Cemetery
Marker Name: James Bethel Gresham
Marker Location: Roadside
Type of Marker: Person
Marker Number (for official markers): 664
Group(s) Responsible for placing Marker:
KENTUCKY HISTORICAL SOCIETY... KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS
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