1
WAR HISTORY COMMISSION
STATE OF VIRGINIA
MILITARY SERVICE RECORD
Name in full
(family name): Benson
(first name): Willie
(middle name): Given
Date of birth
(month): March
(day): 8th
(year): 1896
Place of Birth
(town): Vanderpool
(county): Highland
(state): Virginia
(country): U.S.A.
Name of father: James M. Benson
Birthplace (country): U.S.A.
Maiden name of mother: Virginia H. Gibson
Birthplace (country): U.S.A.
Are you White, Colored, Indian or Mongolian: White
Citizen (Yes or no): Yes
Voter (yes or no): Yes
Church (denomination): Presbyterian
Married:
year:
at:
To (maiden name):
Born:
year:
at:
Children
(name):
Born:
year:
at:
Children
(name):
Born:
year:
at:
Children
(name):
Born:
year:
at:
Fraternal Orders: Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Free Mason
College Fraternities:
Previous military service or training:
Education
(Preparatory): High School
(College):
Education
(University):
(Degrees):
Occupation before entry into service: Farmer, Surveyor
employer: Willis Gibson, Deputy County Surveyor
Residence before entry into the service
(street number):
(town): Monterey
(county): Highland
Present home address
(street number):
(town): Monterey
(county): Highland
(state): Virginia
2
WAR RECORD
Inducted into service or enlisted on (date): Sept. 18
at (place): Monterey Va.
as a (rank): Private
in the: National Army
section of the :
Identification number: 1803364
Assigned originally to
(company): D
(regiment): 317th
(division): 80th
(or)
(ship):
at (place): Camp Lee
Trained or stationed before going to Europe:-
School, camp, station, ship: Camp Lee
From (date): Sept. 18th 1917
to (date): Feb. [Illegible], 1918
School, camp, station, ship: Camp Meade
From (date): Feb. 22
to (date): Mar. 25
School, camp, station, ship:
From (date):
to (date):
Transferred to:-
Company: B
Regiment: 301st
Division: Bn.
Ship: Heavy Tank Corps
Date: Feb. 22,
New Location: Camp Meade
Company: A
Regiment: 302
Division: "
Ship: "
Date: Nov. 30,
New Location: Langres France
Company:
Regiment:
Division:
Ship:
Date:
New Location:
Promoted:-
From (rank): Private
to (rank): Sergeant
Date: March. 12, 1918
From (rank):
to (rank):
Date:
Embarked from (port): Hoboken
on (ship): Olympic
(date): Mar. 27, 1918
and arrived at (foreign port): South Hampton, Eng.
(date): Apr. 8th
Proceeded from : South Hampton
to: Wareham
(date): Apr. [Illegible]th
From: Wareham
to: Le Havre
(date): Aug. 20
From: Le Havre
to: Cambria
(date): Sept. 1st.
Trained or stationed abroad:-
Country: England
Place: Wareham
From (date): Apr. 8th
to (date): Aug. 20
Country: St. Pol
Place: France
From (date): Aug. 22
to (date): Sept. 10
Country: France
Place: St Laurent
From (date): Feb. 8, 1919
to (date): Apr. 13.
3
WAR RECORD
First went into action (place):
(date): Oct. 8th, 1918
Participated in the following engagements: St. Emile, La Catelet, Le Cateau
Cited, decorated, or otherwise honored for distinguished services (give circumstantial accounts of exploits, including dates and places where performed, also by whom and in what manner the honors were bestowed): :
Killed in action, killed by accident, died of wounds, died of disease, wounded, gassed, shell-shocked, taken prisoner:
Nature of casuality: Gassed
(place): Le Quesnoy
(date): Nov. 10, 1919
Nature of casuality:
(place):
(date):
Nature of casuality:
(place):
(date):
Under medical care:-
Name of hospital: English Field
Location: St. Pol
From (date): Sept. 5, 1918
to (date): Sept. 30
Name of hospital: American Field
Location: St. Lament
From (date): Feb. 21, 1919
to (date): Mar. 6th.
Name of hospital:
Location:
From (date):
to (date):
Name of hospital:
Location:
From (date):
to (date):
Permanently disabled (through loss of limb, eyesight, etc.) (specify disability):
Arrived at (American port): Newport News
on (ship): Sesquehanna
Date: May 3rd
(from): Bordeaux
Discharged from service at (place): Camp Meade
(date): May 18, 1919
as a (rank): Private
RETURN TO CIVIL LIFE
Occupation after the war: Farmer & Surveyor
If a change of occupation was occasioned by reason of disability acquired in the service, describe the process of re-education and readjustment, and indicate the agencies or individuals chiefly instrumental in furnishing the new occupations::
4
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
What was your attitude toward military service in general and toward your call in particular?:
What were the effects of camp experiences in the United State upon yourself -- mental and physical?:
What were the effects upon yourself of your overseas experience?:
What effects, if any, did your experience have on your religious belief?:
If you took part in the fighting, what impressions were made upon you by this experience?:
What has been the effect of all these experiences as contrasted with your state of mind before the war?:
Photographs-- If possible enclose one taken before entering the service and one taken afterwards in uniform, both signed and dated.
Additional data:
Signed at (place): Monterey, Va.
on (date): Aug. 27, 1920.
year:
(full name): Willie G. Benson
(rank):
(branch of service):
The information contained in this record, unless otherwise indicated, was obtained from the following persons or sources:: Self
