PVT Harry Bloom was born 23 Sep 1896 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the 3rd of 7 children born to Abraham and Elizabeth Bloom. Both parents were natives of what is now Poland, then Russia, his father being born in Bialystok, Poland. His father worked as a salesman among other things. When Harry registered for the draft in 1917 the family was living at 104 Orchard Street, New York, New York.
Harry was inducted on 28 Apr 1918. He was first assigned to the 4th Recruit Company of the General Service Infantry at Fort Slocum, New York. He was reassigned to the 6th Recruit Company at Camp McClellan, Alabama on 7 May 1918. PVT Bloom was finally assigned to Machine Gun Company 116th Infantry on 22 May 1918. He was with that unit when it sailed for France aboard the USS Finland from Hoboken, New Jersey on 15 Jun 1918. The unit went through trench warfare training and was then moved into the front line in a "quiet" sector. On 8 Oct 1918 the entire 29th Division was part of an offensive in the vicinity of Verdun. PVT Bloom was apparently wounded at sometime in that effort. PVT Bloom died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 19 Apr 1919.
PVT Bloom was repatriated and likely re-interred in the New York City area.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Thursday, April 18, 2019
PVT Eldar Fred Jaekel
PVT Eldar Fred Jaekel was born 31 Aug 1893 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the 3rd of 5 children born to Charles Frederick and Amelia (Schultz) Jaekel. Sometimes the name is spelled Jackel and one will find some members of the family using that spelling. Both parents were natives of Germany. His father was a Chicago policeman and retired from that service.
When Eldar registered for the draft in 1917, he was working as a drill press operator for Aermotor Company. PVT Jaekel was serving in B Company 122nd Infantry when he sailed for France on board the Kroonland on 7 Oct 1918. Sometime after arrival in France, he was re-assigned to M Company 116th Infantry. PVT Jaekel died by drowning on 18 Apr 1919 at Saint Nazaire, France.
PVT Jaekel was repatriated in September 1920, returning aboard the Princess Matoika. He was re-interred in Concordia Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.