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    army historian

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    Posts posted by army historian

      WW1 Uniforms...all nations

      in The Great War 1914 to 1918

      Posted

      Hello all, here is a WW1 period group (medals, photos, uniforms, and extras) to one man. The man was Master Sergeant (and WW1 Major Air Service Reserve) Samuel Schofield Van Schermerhorn. He was born in Odessa, Ontario, Canada on 2 Dec 1880. He enlisted in the US Army on 9 July 1898 at Madison Barracks N.Y. for 3 years, he was described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, blue eyes, “light” hair – listed as in the1st US Cavalry Regiment, Discharged 3 March 1899 at Fort Yates, North Dakota. Reenlisted on 7 March 1899 at Fort Yates, North Dakota for 3 years, with the 1st Cavalry Regiment Signal Corp Detachment, discharged 18 March 1902 at Camp Angels Island (San Francisco Bay) California by exam aero 2nd Class Pot ???.(missing data, probably served and was stationed at Angel Island (San Francisco Bay) Before he was transferred to Company E Signal Corp at Benicia Barracks. During his service with the 1st Cavalry he was sent to the Philippines and then to the China Boxer Rebellion in 1900-1901 as part of the Signal Corp Detachment for the US Contingent. A total of only 4 Officers and 19 enlisted men from the US Signal Corp served in the China Relief Expedition of 1900-1901.

      He enlisted in Company E Signal Corp from 12 April 1904 to 13 April 1907. He Served during the 18 April 1906 Great San Francisco Earthquake. Luckily, due to the new stationing plan, the Signal Corps had storehouses and two companies (E and H) located at Benicia Barracks, only thirty-six miles away. Local National Guard units, to include the 2d Company Signal Corps, assisted in the relief efforts. This company laid telegraph lines connecting the city's Guard headquarters with subordinate units. On 1 May, Company A, Signal Corps, commanded by Capt. William Mitchell, arrived from Fort Leavenworth to provide additional men and material. They remained on duty in the city for a month. In the burned areas, military telegraph lines remained in use until 10 May. Citywide, Wildman set up a system of forty-two telegraph offices and seventy-nine telephone offices that connected all the military districts, federal buildings, railroad offices and depots, the offices of the mayor and governor, and other locations as needed. Because the cables in the harbor had been destroyed, the Signal Corps employed visual signals, including flags, heliographs, and acetylene lanterns, to communicate between Angel Island and Alcatraz. To restore the cables, the Corps called upon the Burnside, usually on duty in Alaska. General Funston, in his report, commended Wildman for his proficiency and ability "in establishing and maintaining telegraph and telephone communication under the almost impossible conditions existing during the conflagration and immediately afterwards." Greely echoed Funston's praise.

      Schermerhorn was Discharge from Company E Signal Corp on 13 April 1907. Reenlisted on 28 September 1907 at Slocum (?) New York for 3 years as a lineman in G Company Signal Corp. Discharged 28 September 1910 at Fort Leavenworth Kansas – Experienced soldier Pvt. (?) Very Good (h of f). Reenlisted 28 September 1910 at Wood, New York for 3 years, G and H Companies Signal Corp, Discharged 27 September 1913 at Fort Omaha, Nebraska, Experienced service 1st Class Sergeant Electrician (h o f)? Reenlisted 28 Sep 1913 to 20 Sep 1917 at Fort Omaha, NE – I believed he was a weather man. This is where the first Army dirigible was operated for training. At the outbreak of WWI, all the enlisted men at Ft. Omaha weather station were commissioned as officers, and sent to teach at various schools. An ancedotal record states that all of them were promoted to captains and majors, but does not list them by name. It is evident that he (Schermerhorn) was in that group in 1917. He was discharged on 20 September 1917 at North Island (San Diego Air Service Training Facility) to accept a commission in the Signal Corp Reserve as a Captain.

      The Personnel Records Center did not have information on his Officer service from 21 Sep 1917 to 18 Nov 1920. New York Times Newspaper 26 September 1917 – Special Orders 7-219 Capt. Samuel S. V. Schermerhorn, Aviation Section, Signal Officer’s Reserve Corps, to active duty and directing him to report to the Commanding Officer, Camp Kelly, San Antonio, Texas, for temporary duty, and upon completion thereof to report to Commanding Officer, Signal Corps Aviation School, Camp Taliaferro, Fort Worth, Texas, are amended as to direct Captain Schermerhorn to report to Commanding Officer, Signal Corps Aviation School, Camp Taliaferro, Fort Worth, Texas, on September 24, 1917. New York Times Newspaper 6 September 1918 Air Service: The following Captains are to be promoted to Majors Air Service Reserve – Schermerhorn S. S.

      I believe he may have served State side since his uniform did not have any overseas stripes. I can’t explain the National Personnel Records Center listing his WW1 Victory Medal with the Defensive Sector Bar, unless he had some short service overseas which is possible, or he did not add the overseas strips to his uniform. Also they only had data on Schermerhorn’s enlistments from 1913 onwards. I also got a negative reply from the National Archives on his earlier service. On 18 November 1920 Major Schermerhorn reverts to the rank of Master Sergeant in the US Air Service.

      His next two periods of service were 19 Nov 1920 to 18 Nov 1923 and 19 Nov 1923 to 9 Jun 1925. He was assigned to the 91st Aero Squadron (Observation) at Ross Field Arcadia, CA. Ross Field is where he retired as a Master Sergeant. I believe he may have continued as an Air Corp weatherman at Ross Field Arcadia, CA even after the 91st Aero Squadron (Observation) moved to Crissy Field (Presidio of San Francisco) in 1921. Samuel S. Van Schermerhorn retired from the Army on 9 June 1925 with about 26 years Service. He did not wear service stripes for his time as an Officer (3 years).

      In 1921, the 91st moved to Crissy Field, California--the location of the present day Presidio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Here, the unit flew up and down the California coast and worked a variety of different missions, such as: flew with various Army infantry and Cavalry units; spotted fire (control) for field and coast artillery; towed targets for antiaircraft units; made maps and photographs for all branches of the Army and the Coast Geodetic Survey; and conducted fire patrols in the national forests.

      Note: the Spanish War Service Medal established in 1918 commemorates certain service during the Spanish-American War. It was awarded for military service of not less than ninety days between April 20, 1898, and April 11, 1899, to servicemen who were not eligible for the Spanish Campaign Medal.

      After retiring from the U.S. Army on 9 June 1925, Schermerhorn started a business in Arcadia where he ran many adds: “Samuel S. V. Schermerhorn Insurance and Real Estate Broker (Bonded) also Notary Public”. He ran for the City Council of Arcadia, Ca. On April 19th 1926. Sameul V. Schermerhorn was elected to the City Council of Arcadia, California. He was re-elected on 16 April 1928, for a second 2 year term. He either did not run or was defeated in 1930. He and his wife Louise Maria Neudecker raised three daughter (Teresa, Elizabeth and Elsie-Mae) in Arcatia, CA. Arcadia Tribune Newspaper (Arcadia, CA): Feb. 26, 1932: “Samuel S. V. Schermerhorn is secretary of the Aberham Lincoln Republican Club”. Aug. 26, 1932: “Major S. V. Schermerhorn is Arcadia’s candidate for the office of Republican County Central Committee”. Mr. Schermerhorn was a Rotatian, and a Mason.

      Samuel S. Van Schermerhorn died in Arcadia, CA 26 July1957, at the age of 76. Louise Maria Neudecker (Schermerhorn) died in 1973. Both are buried at LIVE OAK CEMETERY, MONROVIA, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

      Sec. Name Dates Comments

      Masonic "Schermerhorn, Louise M." 1886 - 1973 Our Beloved Mother

      Masonic "Schermerhorn, Samuel S.V." Dec 2 1880 - July 20 1957 Canada Major Air Res World War I

      Schermerhorn Obituary – Arcadia Tribune Monday 29 July 1957

      Rites Tomorrow for Arcadian, 79

      ARCADIA. Funeral services for Major Samuel V. Schermerhorn, 79, former City Councilman, who died Friday at Long Beach Veterans Hospital, will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. at glasser and Miller Chapel.

      Internment will follow at Live Oak Memorial Park.

      Survivors are his wife Mrs. Louise M. Schermerhorn; three daughters, Mrs Theresa M. Flanagan of Bakersfield, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Handy of Newport Beach, and Mrs. Elsie Mae Minkley of Arcadia; a sister Mrs. Alice Simpson, and a half brother Theodore Norwood, both of Monterey Park, and six grandchildren. Group is below, Cheers Captain Albert

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      WW1 Uniforms...all nations

      in The Great War 1914 to 1918

      Posted · Edited by army historian

      W0w! Great tunic and cap. Very nice (rare) Signal Air Service Collar insignia and what look like "Dallas" wings. Thanks for posting Cheers Captain Albert

      Uniform, cap, squadron pin to 1LT Bill Doran. Bill was assigned to the 99th Aero Squadron flying Salmson 2A2's during the war. He was at one point, withdrawn from the squadron to Corps level along with 3 other pilot/observer teams from teh 99th, and 4 pilots from the 104th Aero Squadron. These pilots were assigned to the 37 division for recon of their sector during the Argonne offensive. This detachment was, as far as I can tell, then assigned to the 32nd and 3rd Division's sectors for the remainder of the battle.

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      Sacramento, California, USA, California Military Museum

      in Museums & Shows

      Posted

      Sacramento, California, USA, California Military Museum (mid State location). This is the official Military Museum of the State of California. It is also an US Army System Museum. I as an Army Field Historian for the California Center for Military History support this museum. Most of the historical research we do ends up on this site under "California Military History".

      Site: http://www.militarymuseum.org/

      Cheers Captain Albert

      post-8299-081839700 1295411578_thumb.jpg

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      Advice for a novice?

      in Russia: Soviet: Other Militaria

      Posted

      Gunner and Murphy are very correct - at worst they are probably leftover soviet items from Russia (the quality is a factor) copies would not be well made (especially from China). Again $10.00 sounds about right. You must remember that after WW2 the German jewelers turned out a lot of WW2 Iron Crosses (all levels) for sale to the GI's, today these are almost impossible to tell from original WW2 production. Cheers Captain Albert

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      Mercenaries in the Bosnian War

      in Modern Campaigns and Conflicts

      Posted · Edited by army historian

      It is obvious that we are talking about "people" who are for whatever reasons fanatical sociopaths (sp) with rabbit minds, that are (In my option as dangerous and useless as a rabbit animals) and should be treated as such (exterminated.) If society would do that, and not tolerate them, then the world would be a better place. It does not matter what they themselves or we call them (usually incorrectly) - "Freedom Fighters, true believers, mercenaries, neo-nazis, supremest, etc. The truth of the matter is they are not "Human", they are neo-humans creatures. :speechless1: : violent: Cheers Captain Albert

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      Research help request from a family member

      in Germany: Third Reich: Research, Documentation & Photographs

      Posted

      I received this PM from Irene cooper of Great Britain.

      Since I am not an Expert in this field WW2 German. Could our members please help. Thanks Captain Albert

      Hello,

      This is my first letter to the Military Interest Forum and i hope that you don't mind me writing to you?

      I am researching my family tree and have come across two photograph's on my uncles that served in the Luftwaffen Air Force in Germany.

      Alwin Alfred Geppert bn 15 July 1917 in Korsenz and his brother Erwin Georg Geppert bn 19 November 1919 in Korsenz..

      I would like to know were i could find out any more information about them, please?

      Kind Regards,

      Irene Cooper.

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      Weimar Period Long Service

      in Germany: Weimar Republic & Deutsche Freikorps

      Posted

      I do not think this is accurate. I am positive I have seen officers LS awards during Weimar- CERTAINLY in 1919-22.... and the older imperial medals were used.

      Thanks Ulsterman, That is what I thought. I guess some of it might depend on the recipient pushing a little. I have a group where the man served 1901 to 1914, prisoner of War 1914-1918, and reentered service 1918 to 1932. He served twice in East Asia Squadron (1903-1905, and 1913-1914). he also served 6 months in German East Africa 1905-1906, medal). He had a lot of Sea time probably at least over 6 years. The 1928 rangslist only lists him as having an Officer's 15 year service Cross? What do you thinks? Thanks Captain Albert

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