OUR HEROES DON’T ALWAYS COME HOME, PART III: Remembering William Hendershott

July 18, 2018

Erie, Pennsylvania

Another New Friend/Arcade, New York

A few months ago, I was contacted by Carole J. from Arcade, New York, who knew that our Presque Isle Chapter, NSDAR, was a partner with the United States of America Vietnam 50 Commemoration, a program authorized by the last three U.S. Presidents and the Department of Defense. The program was developed to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War and all those who served in the Armed Forces on active duty regardless of location from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975. 

The American Legion and the VFW in Arcade, New York, wanted to honor the Vietnam veterans they could reach out to who were living in their area and served in the U.S. Armed Forces between those dates.  Since our DAR Chapter was already a partner, we were happy to assist Carole with getting the lapel pins and accompanying literature, decals, and stickers for their great program. Their event in June 2018 was very significant.

When the Vietnam Veteran lapel pins and the accompanying materials arrived, Carole and I cooked up a plan to meet at one of our favorite restaurants, Sprague’s Maple Farms in Portville, New York. As it turned out, Sprague’s was closed that day for parking lot paving. Fortunately, Carol and her husband Mike knew about the Beef and Barrel in Olean, New York, a new restaurant for Tim and me. Both Tim and Mike are U.S. Navy veterans, so in a short two hours we all became fast friends!

Mike, Carole, Mary Jane, Tim at Beef and Barrel in Olean, New York

How does that narrative fit in with World War I?

As it turns out, the Hendershott Manness VFW # 374 in Arcade, New York, was named after two Arcade “boys” who lost their lives in World War I. I mentioned to Carole that I was going to France on a World War I tour and I mentioned that  I would be visiting the St. Mihiel American Cemetery where William Hendershott was buried. I wanted to know more about these two men who served in The Great War and lost their lives.  I am honored that my new friend Carol J helped with providing me with the research and photographs from The Arcade, New York Historical Society and for permission to write about and post the photographs about him. I truly appreciate this effort! (http://www.arcadehistoricalsociety.org/) 

William Hendershott before enlistment in the U.S. Army 

William Hendershott, born in 1892 in Genesee, New York, served in the U.S. Army, AEF 78^th Infantry Division/303^rd Engineer Regiment/Company D.  He was inducted in on September 16, 1917 and served in Europe from his arrival May 26, 1918 to his death of bronchial pneumonia on October 29, 1918, in Toul, France.  At the time of his death he was a corporal but was advanced to the rank of Sergeant posthumously.

Before his enlistment Hendershott was a locomotive engineer for the Pennsylvania RR, the only child of William H. and Frances Barber Hendershott. The photograph above shows a relaxed Hendershott, his almost smile, and that dapper bowtie.

His 26 years of life were certainly more than a few dates and his rank in the U.S. Army. I cannot imagine how his parents felt having their only child 3000 miles away in combat, a man whose career was just beginning, a man who had aspirations, a man who was loved.

“My dear folks at home”

Hendershott’s last letter home, written September 14, 1918, “Somewhere in France,” told of walking five miles every morning, moving closer to the front, working where “No man’s land was last week.” He asked about his dad, told his dad to take care of himself, told his mother not to work too hard, and promised, “I will take as good of care of myself as the army will let me.” He signed the letter, “Lots of love, your only son, WCH.” As the caption on the letter states, “Cpl. Hendershott died of pneumonia six weeks later and was buried in St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial near Thiaucourt, France.”

The accompanying photograph of William Hendershott depicts a healthy young man with a serious face, yet yearning to break into a smile, friendly eyes, clean shaven, neat uniform. An only child, well-loved.

Corporal William Hendershott Co. D, 303rd Engineers Died of Pneumonia Oct. 29, 1918 

V.F.W. Post 374 Namesake

Corporal William Charles Hendershott writes home: 

"Somewhere in France 

"September 14, 1918

"My Dear Folks at Home: 'Just a few lines before it gets dark. Have not much time now days and won’t have until we go back for rest. Things are certainly lively around here; not where we are camped, but we walk over five miles every morning to where there is something doing, then come back every night, but tomorrow I hear we are going to move up closer. We were working yesterday and today where no Mans Land was last week, but the old Dutch [Germans] are on the go, and I hope we can keep them going. Today was the first nice day we have had in over a week, raining all the time and cold, with mud a foot deep. We marched two nights with mud over our shoes all the way, and then when we do get in, no place to dry our clothes, only on our backs, and pitch our tents anywhere we can. 

“I have got a pal named Johnson from Jamestown, N.Y. We always bunk together, and when we get in the first thing we do is look for hay or a pine tree to make our bunk out of. We couldn’t find either here, so we have got just some oak leaves, but they go pretty good. Last night our packs got lost, so we didn’t have anything but two wet raincoats to sleep under. Ask anyone there how they would like to do that.” 

“. . . I sent you a handkerchief about a week ago; let me know if you received it. How is dad? Tell him a line is always welcome and to take good care of himself and don’t you work too hard, either of you, and I will take as good care of myself as the army will let me. 

"Lots of love, your only son,

W.C.H.'"

Cpl. Hendershott died of pneumonia six weeks later and was buried in St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial near Thiaucourt, France. 

“Gold Star Mother Mrs. Frances Hendershott’s Pilgrimage to Her Son’s Grave in France”

A news article was included in the information that I received that tells the story of Hendershott’s mother and her visit to her son’s grave in France. The article describes the circumstance that enabled over 6000 mothers or wives to visit their loved one’s grave in France. 

The accompanying photo of Mrs. Hendershott, taken 13 years after her son’s death, truly shows the pain she could not hide, reflected in her eyes as well as that clenched fist at her side while she connects to the cross at her son’s grave, Block D, Row 12, Grave 12, St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France.

"Photo : Frances at her son “Willie’s” grave at St. Mihiel Cemetery in France, 1931."

Text accompanying this photo:

Gold Star Mother Mrs. Frances Hendershott’s Pilgrimage to Her Son’s Grave in France 

      "The Gold Star became a symbol for mourning the fallen. Families who lost a loved one in the service hung a Gold Star in their windows. Their female relatives referred to themselves as Gold Star mothers and widows. 

     "When Frances Hendershott’s only son, William, died of pneumonia in France, she became a Gold Star Mother. 

     "Between 1930 and 1933 The United States government sponsored several pilgrimage trips for Gold Star Mothers and Wives who had lost their sons or husbands in the war and were buried in one of the 8 cemeteries in Europe. Frances Hendershott began her journey August 10, 1931, and returned on her 72nd birthday, September 13, 1931. 

     "All mothers and un-remarried widows of someone buried or memorialized at an American cemetery received an invitation. Over the course of the program 6,654 women participated. However, in keeping with the Jim Crow Era segregation of the military at the time, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps racially segregated the pilgrimages. African-American women travelled in separate groups. While many objected, 168 African-American women still participated as pilgrims. 

    " Even after the crash of the stock market in October 1929 and the onset of the Great Depression, the federal government funded the entire pilgrimage. The Quartermaster Corps meticulously organized the program and cared for the mothers and widows. They arranged every detail of the journey and monitored the pilgrims’ physical and emotional health. Escorted by Army officers and nurses, the pilgrims traveled to many of the major tourist sites in the countries they visited, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where they laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They subsequently traveled to the cemeteries and visited the battlefields and memorials in addition to the graves of their loved ones. 

     "Cemetery staff decorated the graves with the flags of the U.S. and the host country. They provided a chair for the pilgrim to sit next to the headstone and reflect. Each pilgrim received a photograph of herself at the tombstone, where she also laid a memorial wreath. These personal touches added to the dignity of the pilgrimages and demonstrated the government’s commitment to the cemeteries."

I am so grateful to the Arcade Historical Society (www.arcadehistoricalsociety.org), Hendershott Manness VFW  #374, and Carole for all of this information. I hope that I will be able to photograph his grave on our trip to France. Our visit to St. Mihiel American Cemetery will be August 13, 2018. It would be my honor to do this. Bless Carole J. for contacting me!

My next blog will be about the other man VFW #374 is named for, Arthur Manness.

 [Note 1: The 78^th Division’s shoulder patch was a bolt of lightning across a red field. The battles of that division were likened by the French to a bolt of lightning leaving the field blood red. Hence the 78th Division was known as the Lightning Division]  

[Note 2: The World War I St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial in France, 40.5 acres in extent, contains the graves of 4,153 of our military dead. The names of 282 soldiers missing in action appear on two walls in the museum.]