This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Norton, Burke, Carr Classification: Military Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/Qi3.2ACIB/1892 Message Board Post: Thomas Patrick Norton I (1891-1968) b. February 28, 1891, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, USA d. January 12, 1968, Paul Kimball Hosp., 600 River Ave., Lakewood, Ocean Co., NJ, 08701-5281, USA Military Service Number: 1760271 Social Security Number: 714075711 World War I Veteran Delaware, Lackawana & Western (DL&W) Railroad Yard Master in Hoboken, NJ Military: Service Number: 1,760,271, Division: Lightning, Address: 31 Germania Avenue, Jersey City, NJ Enlistement: RA Fort Slocum, New York, June 12, 1917 Transfers: MD Ambulance Company 310, 303 Sanitary Train to April 25th, 1919; Headquarters 303 Sanitary Train to discharge Foreign Service: June 04, 1918 to May 27, 1919 American Expeditionary Forces as of June 11, 1918 Battles: St. Mihiel: Meuse-Argonne: Defensive Sector Promotion: Private First Class on October 25, 1917, Discharge: June 02, 1919 Note: Original dog tags exist with Vincent Norton Note: In 1973 number of military-era records were destroyed in a massive fire at the National Records and Personnel Center in St. Louis, MO. For the Army 80% of the records of personnel discharged from 11-1-1912, to 1-1-1960 were destroyed. Toms records were destroyed. Source: Military Service Record, NJ State Archive, 1918 Source: Contemporary Letters in the Collection of Vincent Norton Military Discharge: Honorable Discharge from The United States Army. To Whom it May Concern: This is to Certify That Thomas Norton #1760271, Pvt 1st Class, Hq 303 Sanitary Train, 78th Division, The United States Army, as a Testimonial of Honest and Faithful Service is hereby Honorably Discharged from the Military service of the United States by reason of [Circular #106?]. Said Thomas Norton #1760271 was born in Jersey City in the State of New Jersey. When enlisted he was 26 years of age and by occupation a switchman. He had Blue eyes, Black hair, Ruddy complexion, and was 5 feet, 2 inches in height. Given under my hand at Camp Dix this 2nd day of June, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninteen. Source: Honorable Discharge, 1918, Photocopy via Railriad Retirement Board, 1998 Miltary Battles: St. Mihiel, September 12, 1918 - September 16, 1918 Meuse-Argonne, October 16, 1918 - November 05, 1918, Defensive Sector Source: Military Service Record, NJ State Archive, 1918 The 78th or Lightning Division: The 78th or Lightning Division is a National Army Division composed of men from New Jersey, New-York and Delaware, with several of the southern and western states also well represented. Landed in England May 31st to June 5th 1918, in France June 1st to June 11th, 1918. Commander: Major General James H. Mc Rae. AREAS: Behind Hazebrouck, Nielles-lez-Blequin, to July 19, 1918. Behind Arras, Roellecourt, July 19th to August 20th, 1918. Bourbonne-les-Bains, American zone, Aug. 21st to Aug. 31st 1918. Camp de Meucon (Morbihan) F.A. Brigade, to Aug. 17th 1918. Semur-en-Auxois (Cote-d'Or) American zone, Nov 15th. SECTORS: Limey and Puvenelle sector, Saint-Mihiel Front. Sept. 16th to Oct. 4th. Grandpre, St-Juvin Sector, Argonne Frnt, Oct. 16th to Nov. 5th. BATTLES: St-Mihiel Attack, sept. 12th to Sept. 16th 1918. Limey sector. St-Mihiel Front, Sept. 16th to Oct. 4th Argonne-Meuse Battle, Oct. 16th to Nov 9th 1918. Source: Postcard, circa 1920 History of the 78th Lightining Division: The 78th Infantry Division was activated on August 23, 1917 at Camp Dix, New Jersey. It consisted of four Infantry Regiments - the 309th, 310th, 311th and 312th and three Artillery Regiments - the 307th, 308th and 309th. Twenty thousand soldiers made up the original division. In France, during the summer and fall of 1918, it was the "point of the wedge" of the final offensive which knocked out Germany. The 78th was in three major campaigns during World War I - Meuse-Argonne, St. Mihiel, and Lorraine. Demobilization at the end of World War I took place in June 1919. URL: http://www78div.pica.army.mil/78div/hist.htm Source: US Army, 1998