Above: Walter H. Young’s draft registration card; Young’s name as it appears on the Gratiot County All Wars Memorial in Ithaca, Michigan.
Walter H. Young was born on January 27, 1895, in Ithaca, Michigan to Peter and Cynthia Young. Walter had one brother, James, who died in 1905. His parents made a living as farmers and Walter worked on the family farm when he entered the service. Young spent time on the Texas – Mexico border at Camp Jones, and he served as a private in Battalion B, 10th Field Artillery.
The 10th Field Artillery fought in 1918 in battles such as Champagne-Marne, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne. At the Meuse-Argonne, the 10th Field Artillery attained the title “The Rock’s Support” because it helped the 3rd Division, famously known as “The Rock of the Marne.” Somewhere Walter Young was severely wounded, and he ended up being in several hospitals before he came home. Walter continued to suffer from his wounds for over a year. In April 1919, Walter’s mother died which put more pressure on Walter and his aging father to maintain the family farm. Tragedy struck in mid-September 1920 and Walter Young had to be sent to Dr. Hall’s Hospital in Pompeii.
After struggling for several days, Young succumbed to the hemorrhaging of gastric ulcers. The doctor concluded that the wounds Young suffered in Europe somehow caused this death.
Funeral services took place at the North Star Methodist Church, and Walter Young was buried in the North Star Cemetery.
Walter Henry Young was a World War veteran who came home severely wounded, and who paid the ultimate price for his service to our country.
Walter Young was only twenty-five years old when he died.
Copyright 2018 James M Goodspeed
Goodspeed's Gratiot County Historical Blog 