PVT Ernest Ward

courtesy of SoilSister

PVT Ernest Ward was born in 1900 in Lynchburg, Virginia.  His adoptive mother was Ida Cornelia McCormack Woody but he may have simply been left with the Woody family.  While his adoptive parents did various things to support their family from working on the railroad to dealing in illicit alcohol, we know that Ernest was working for the Virginia Railway and Power Company.

Ernest had enlisted in B Company 1st Virginia Infantry in 1915 or 1916. He was apparently serving with that unit when it was called up for the coal strikes, Mexican border service and, in 1918, for the war in France. When his unit was reorganized for the European war, PVT Ward was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 116th Infantry.  He was with that unit when he was killed in action on 24 Oct 1918.

PVT Ward is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.