OUR HEROES DON’T ALWAYS COME HOME, PART IV: Remembering Arthur Manness

22 July 2018

Erie, Pennsylvania

 The Hendershott Manness VFW # 374 in Arcade, New York, was named to honor two Arcade “boys” who lost their lives in World War I. The last blog was about William Hendershott who served in the U.S. Army, AEF 78^th Infantry Division/303^rd Engineer Regiment/Company D. 

Arthur J. Manness and his family lived in Buffalo by 1910 (1910 U.S. Federal Census, Buffalo, New York). It seems he studied at Technical High School in Buffalo and worked as a mechanic at Columbia Garage before enlisting at age 21 as a motor mechanic in the U.S. Army on July 25, 1918 (World War I Draft Registration Card). He trained at Camp Hancock in Augusta, Georgia. Before that Arthur worked as a “packer,” according to the 1915 Buffalo City Directory.

Arthur’s service record seems to indicate that he served in France from October 5, 1918 until his death October 16, 1918. Although his military forms had been erased and re-written to say he died from “wounds,” Manness actually died from bronchial pneumonia and the government was trying to quiet the many influenza deaths, as stated in the material sent to me.

I recently found an extremely informative article, “The U.S. Military and the Influenza Pandemic of 1918–1919,” written by Carol R. Byerly, Ph.D. in Public Health Reports at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862337/

“The American military experience in World War I and the influenza pandemic were closely intertwined. The war fostered influenza in the crowded conditions of military camps in the United States and in the trenches of the Western Front in Europe. The virus traveled with military personnel from camp to camp and across the Atlantic, and at the height of the American military involvement in the war, September through November 1918, influenza and pneumonia sickened 20% to 40% of U.S. Army and Navy personnel. These high morbidity rates interfered with induction and training schedules in the United States and rendered hundreds of thousands of military personnel non-effective. During the American Expeditionary Forces' campaign at Meuse-Argonne, the epidemic diverted urgently needed resources from combat support to transporting and caring for the sick and the dead. Influenza and pneumonia killed more American soldiers and sailors during the war than did enemy weapons.”

Another viable resource, The National Archives, had an article, “The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918,” that states, “Hard as it is to believe, the answer is true. World War I claimed an estimated 16 million lives. The influenza epidemic that swept the world in 1918 killed an estimated 50 million people. One fifth of the world's population was attacked by this deadly virus. Within months, it had killed more people than any other illness in recorded history. The flu afflicted over 25 percent of the U.S. population. In one year, the average life expectancy in the United States dropped by 12 years.” [boldface is mine]

https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/influenza-epidemic/

Parents do not want to hear about such statistics. One of their two sons was gone, a son who bravely enlisted in the U.S. Army during wartime, and now he was no longer with them. I can only imagine that James and Catherine Manness took comfort in the fact that when the VFW in Arcade, New York, was organized in 1938, the Post chose their son’s name. From what I understand, the family lived in Arcade at that time. I also believe the family was originally from Arcade. 

Catherine Manness

Right now, I do not know what division of the U.S. Army Arthur Manness served in, but I suspect it could have been the 28^th Division, the Keystone Division, because that division trained at Camp Hancock in Georgia.

As stated in information sent to me, Arthur Manness was well known for his splendid singing voice, and he sang at many church and community functions. When we reflect on the life of this brave man, we know little, but because of the VFW and a few articles, we know that he was loved and respected, and well-honored.

Thank you, again, to new friend, Carole J.,  the Arcade, New York Historical Society, and Hendershott Manness VFW Post #374. (http://www.arcadehistoricalsociety.org/)