|
|
PVT AARON EVANS Jr., USMC
23rd Co., 6th Machine Gun Battalion.
Born Wathena, Kansas, April 22, 1896.
Son of Mr and Mrs
Aaron Evans,
Bellingham, Washington.
Entered service at Bellingham, December 11, 1917.
Engaged in battles of Champagne, Chateau Thierry, Soissons,
Pont-a-Mousson, St Mihiel, Argonne.
Mustered out April 20, 1919, at Philadelphia, Pa.
Thanks to Therry Schwartz for the above information &
photograph,
which he found in the memorial volume:
With the Colors from Whatcom, Skagit and
San Juan Counties: an Honor Roll.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Further information, and a slightly different enlistment date,
is provided below by Gilles Lagin.
His serial number was 305552, he enlisted on Decmber 19, 1917,
and was in the 3rd Replacement Battalion USMC which arrived in
France by end of April 1918; they had a very short training
period with the French near Dijon area, and were then sent in
June as replacements for the 5th & 6th Regiments
and 6th MGB at Belleau Wood. Evans was in the 140th Company
from the 3rd Replacement battalion, then was
transferred into the 23rd Company of the 6th MGB on June 12,
at which time 23rd Company was engaged in support of the June
11th attack on Belleau Wood by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines.
So it was that, on his first day in the company, Evans received his
baptism of fire, assisting in the establishment & consolidation
of a support postion in Belleau Wood
for the 2nd Bttn, 5th Marines & the 1st Bttn, 6th Marines.
Evans arrived at Belleau Wood ten days after the fighting
had begun.
23rd Company during those ten days had lost 59 men: wounded, gassed or killed.
Evans was reported wounded on November 5, 1918 near La Belle
Tour farm, where the company was in support position for the
5th Marines on a wooded hilside
near the River Meuse.
|
|
