Messages Received
Stating That Mr. Melvin Deese of Lanes Creek Township Is Dead From Wounds and
Mr. Lonnie C. Tucker of Monroe Township Is Severely Wounded
The war has come home to Union county. Within the space of
15 minutes Sunday afternoon messages were received from Washington officially
reporting the death of Mr. Melvin Deese, son of Mr. McNeil Deese of Lanes Creek
township from wounds received in action, and the severe wounding of Mr. Lonnie
C. Tucker.
The message in regard to Mr. Deese was addressed to his
father, Mr. McNeill Deese of Lanes Creek township, and read: “Deeply regret to
inform you that it is officially reported that Private Melvin Deese, Coast
Artillery Corps, died August 14th from wounds received in action.”
It was signed “Harris,” the adjutant general.
Mr. Deese is the first native of Union county to make the
supreme sacrifice. Lt. Ball, who went West over there, although he seemed as
one of Union’s sons, was not a native. Mr. Deese was 28 years old and
unmarried. He was a member of a contingent that went from here to Camp Jackson
in December of 1917. He remained at the camp for several months. He was at home
on furlough in March.
Somewhere not far from No Man’s Land, Melvin Deese, the
first Union county man to give his life for the cause of world civilization,
sleeps today, swathed in the flag for which he died. But he did not die in
vain.
A brother of the dead man, Mr. J.S. Deese, has been in
France for some time. He was in a contingent which left here in September.
Mr. Henry Tucker received a telegram Sunday afternoon about
5 o’clock stating that his son, Mr. Lonnie C. Tucker, is officially reported to
have been severely wounded in action on July 20. The telegram informing him of
the fact read as follows: “Regret to inform you that Sergt. Lonnie C. Tucker
has been severely wounded in action on July 20th. The department has
no further information.” It was signed “Harris,” the adjutant general.
Sergt. Tucker is a son of Mr. Henry Tucker of north Monroe
township. He enlisted in the regular army about two years ago and saw service
on the Mexican border. He was a member of the American expeditionary force
which first sailed for France. The fact that he has attained the rank of
sergeant, as he was referred to in the telegram, speaks well of his record as a
soldier. The wounded man is well known in Monroe and throughout the county. For
several years he worked as a carpenter with his brother here. He was an expert
workman.
Messrs. G.M. Tucker of Monroe, W.B. Tucker of Laurinburg,
Vernon Tucker of north Monroe township and Byron Tucker of Monroe are brothers
of the wounded man. Sergt. Tucker was a member of the 26th infantry.
The Charlotte
Observer wrote about the Union County soldiers
who died in World War I. To learn more about these men, go to https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article9143849.html
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