#52 Ancestors Week 18
Close Up Part II
I feared that a close up of Clarence Hinkley would be lost as all his siblings are gone now. I imagine that his mother, hearing he had enlisted, was both proud and devastated. She had already lost one child, her oldest son Walter, in 1912 and just 5 years later her next oldest son tells her that he is going off to fight. I believe that he assured her that he would be careful and that he would return to her.
Did Clarence have a sweet heart? Was he a part of a crowd of guys that all enlisted together? Did he write home, sharing about all he was experiencing? So much I want to know yet those Blue eyes do not let out any secrets.
June 5, 1917 is the date on Clarence’s Registration Card. He was sent to Camp Funston, Fort Riley Kansas to start his training. Enlisted men and officers were other men he knew from around Kansas. There were also men from Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexica, Arizona and South Dakota.
Ultimately, with a total of 27,114 enlisted men and 991 officers they would make up the 89th Division. Clarence was assigned to the 356 Infantry Company E.
After a year of training they began to move to camps in New York and Massachusetts and then eventually Europe their final stop was Le Havre and Cherbourg in France. Additional training took place near Rimaucourt and Toul. This gave them front line experience.
The first major action of the American Expeditionary Forces would be the reduction of the salient at St. Mihiel. This was an important task at it would take access to two railroads away from the Germans. This was also a strategic move that would affect future Allied Operations.
The following paragraphs, in italic, are a synopsis of the service of the 89th Division in the Lucey Sector, St. Mihiel Offensive and the Euvezin Sector.
“ At 5 a. m., September 12, the division attacked between the towns of Limey and Flirey with three regiments in line. By midnight the division had organized a line south of the enemy wire south of Beney. During the night, battalions moved in advance of this line to the army objective, Xammes—middle of Bois de Xammes, which was occupied on the 13th. On that day the left regiment advanced to the northern edge of Bois de Xammes, but was withdrawn, under orders, to the objective.
Reconnaissance of the outposts of the enemy’s new position, the Michel Stellung, was carried out on the 14th and 15th. On the 16th the division advanced its outposts to the northern edge of Bois de Charey, and organized its main line of resistance on the army objective.
The St. Mihiel Offensive merged into sector service on September 17. The portion of the front held by the 89th Division was called the Euvezin Sector. A raid against Bois de Dommartin was made on the night of September 21-22, and a demonstration against Charey on the morning of September 26. Successive extensions of the front followed the withdrawal of flank divisions. On October 7 the 89th Division was relieved by the 37th Division.”
Total Division losses (wounded, died from wounds and killed in action) for the St Mihiel action between Sept 12 and Oct 11 were 4,483 of all ranks.
It is during this action that I believe Clarence was injured and October 7th he passed away from those injuries. Those last days, was he aware of his surroundings? Was he able to dictate one last letter home? What was Kate doing when the telegraph man road up to their house? Did the others come running when then they saw the bicycle coming up the drive?
On June 13, 1921 under the heading “Bring Soldier’s Body Home” the Kansas City Kansan reports that Word was received by William F Hinkley, 2241 Lathrop Avenue, that the body of his son, Corp Clarence C. Hinkley had been sent here for burial. Corporal Hinkley was a member of the 356th Infantry, 89th Division and was killed in October 1918.
While my heart broke that William and Kate would have to relieve those days I find it a comfort that Clarence was brought back home to Kansas and is interned surrounded by family. Sharing a stone with his older brother Walter. I am also glad that it happened before Kate and William passed away. (William in 1928 and Kate in 1929).
P.S. William and Kate’s other two son’s also served in WWI. Albert A. Hinkley and Lesley L Hinkley both returned home safe!
Read Close Part I here.
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