George Younginger

Private George A. Younginger, 28, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Younginger of 44 Wilson Place, Belleville, N.J., was killed in action on June 5, 1918. He served in Company A of the 9th Machine Gun Battalion at the time of his death in France. He served overseas from April 2, 1918, to his death. Born in Jersey City, he lived in Belleville and joined the Army at Newark on Nov. 19, 1917.

Two Belleville Men Are Reported Dead in France

That George Younginger of 44 Wilson Place, was killed in action, June 5 in France, was the word conveyed in a letter received yesterday by his family from the captain of his company. In the casualty list given out today at Washington another Belleville man, Fred W. Stockham, a marine, is listed as dead from wounds received in action.

Younginger’s name has not appeared in any of the Washington lists, nor has word of the death been received from the capital, as is usually the case. Confirmation of the death, however, is given in a letter from another Belleville soldier, received also yesterday by the latter’s father.

Younginger, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Younginger, was killed by shrapnel. The letter from the captain was addressed to his sister Ida.

George Younginger KIA France, June 5, 1918 In the same envelope was a letter the soldier had penned to his sister just before his death. The letter from the captain reads:

“I am enclosing this note with the last letter your brother wrote. It had evidently been written shortly before he was killed. He was killed by a shrapnel burst on the night of June 5, at about 7 o’clock, a small piece of the shrapnel striking him in the back of the head.

“He is buried in Chateau Thierry, on the Avenue de la Republic, in the garden of the house just off the square. His grave is marked and a record forwarded to the divisional authorities of just where he was buried. I wish to offer you my deepest sympathy for the loss of your very gallant son and a very good soldier.”

Younginger stated in his letter that he was getting along well. He enclosed two handkerchiefs as tokens for his mother and neighbor, and stated that he intended to forward his sister a token soon.

Sergeant Charles W. Hawkins, whose home is at 23 Smith Street, Belleville, and who was in the same command with Younginger, is the one who told of the latter’s death in a letter to his father, William C. Hawkins.

“I had my first experience under fire during the last five days,” he wrote, “and it was some experience with shells breaking all around you. George Younginger of Wilson Place was killed June 5. He was the first man in the company to be killed.”

Younginger was twenty-eight years old and was called to Camp Dix as a selective last November. After preliminary training for several weeks in the Jersey cantonment he was ordered to Camp Greene, where he remained until the end of winter. He had been employed as a shipping clerk for the Patton Paint Company, this city, before entering the army.

Stockholm (sic. – Stockham), who was thirty-eight years old, made his home with Bernard McGuire of 96 Dow street. He was serving his fifth enlistment, last joining the marines about a year ago. His death occurred June 22, a message received by Mr. McGuire stated. Stockholm (Stockham) was a sergeant in the corps and had made his home in Belleville for four years, previously residing in New York State. A sister, whose address is unknown by Mr. McGuire, survives.

Newark Evening News, June 29, 1918

George A. Younginger, KIA, WWI, Belleville, N.J.