News of Richmond County Soldiers, Jan. 16, 1919

From The Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Jan. 16, 1919

Richmond County Soldiers

The casualty list Wednesday contained the name of Henry McRea of Ellerbe as having died of disease in the forces overseas.

Sam McIntosh was released from Camp Jackson Dec. 1^st and is again at his old job with the Express company at Greenwood, S.C.

The announcement was made from the war department Monday that Sam Gibson was among those released by the Germans, he having been a prisoner.

Lt. G.G. Simpson arrived here Monday from Camp Wadsworth, from which camp he has been honorably discharged. His friends trust he will make his home here.

James Covington, writing from over yonder, says that those who speak of their sons and brothers coming through the war “without a scratch” forget about the cooties.

Sgt. H.T. Prosser has received his honorable discharge from Camp Hancock. He was sent to camp July 22^nd. For six weeks previous to his discharge, he was at an officers’ training school.

Hal Ledbetter came home Tuesday from the Naval Training Station at Charleston and is now enjoying civilian clothes again, having received his honorable discharge from the service.

Lt. (Dr.) William Moncure is in charge of surgical work in the government general hospital at West Baden, Indiana. The government had taken over the famous West Baden Springs hotel for the treatment of wounded soldiers. This is one of the largest hotels in the world.

Hunter McQ. Fowlkes has received his release from Camp Taylor, and came home Monday for a visit. Effective Feb. 18^th he will act as an instructor at Bingham’s School, Asheville, and as athletic coach. He will go to Raleigh Monday and assist the State Chemist until the middle of February.

Mack M. Dunn and wife came home last Thursday to visit his relatives. They will return the 24^th. Mr. Dunn has been in the navy six years, serving more recently on the battleship Wyoming, a 25,000-ton dreadnought. The Wyoming was part of our North Sea fleet that kept the German navy bottled in; and returned to New York Christmas Day.

There were 63 “aces” in the American air fighting forces. To become an “ace” an aviator must have downed five or more enemy machines. The leader was Capt. Edward Rickenbacker of Columbus, Ohio, who had 26 enemy machines to his credit. North Carolina had one “ace,” Lt. Robert O. Lindsay of Madison, who had six machines to his credit.

Lt. Victor Pegues received his honorable discharge from Camp Greene on the 8^th. He was stationed at Camp Pike for quite a while and last fall was transferred to the tank camp at Raleigh, where he was promoted to first lieutenant. To all intents and purposes he is a Richmond county man, though his home is just across the State line.

American forces operating in Siberia number 7,522, while in Northern Russia we have 5,419.

Pharmacist-mate Willie M. Fowlkes and Miss Lula Rowe of New Bern were married at Norfolk Tuesday morning. Mr. Fowlkes is a son of Mrs. J.D. Cameron and volunteered in the navy last summer. At the time he was a druggist in Charlotte. His friends back home will be glad to congratulate him upon joining the brotherhood of Benedicts.

Lt. John Q. Baldwin, had he stayed in the army until next June, would have completed seven years of military service. He attended the Camp Taylor field artillery school last year and came out with the rank of second lieutenant. At the time of the Armistice, he was at Camp Meade, Maryland. He received his honorable discharge in early December and is now at work for Z.V. Pate, at Gibson.