RESEARCH ON THE TEXAS FALLEN
Linda Vance, Research Specialist at the Texas Military Forces Museum, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas, is working on a project she has titled HEROISM AND HEARTACHE; A SURVEY OF TEXAS SOLDIERS WHO DIED DURING WORLD WAR I. Nearly 200,000 Texans were in uniform during the United States' participation in the Great War (1917-1918). More that 5,000 of them died during the conflict, the largest number due to the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918 and its associated diseases. The remainder died in combat or of accidents related to their service.
Vance is looking at the service card of record for each of the fallen. She is building a database as to age, town, county, unit, circumstances of death, etc. The project, begun in 2003, is ongoing. The ultimate goal is to write an essay about the demographic and social information gleaned from the study. Several interesting facts of note which she has discovered to date include the following:
-- Texans served in every branch of the U. S. armed services, at home and abroad, and were participants in every major campaign, including those in Belgium, France, Russia, Italy, and Greece. They served within units of their British and French allies, and they served on ships, airplanes, balloons, and every type of unit on the ground, including infantry, cavalry and tanks.
--Thus far, fifteen sets of brothers and cousins who died during the war have been identified, including one set of twins. Seven Texas women, approximately 175 Tejanos, and more than 600 African-American Texans perished during the conflict. Three Texans were awarded the Medal of Honor, one of which was killed in action. Of those Texans who died, Vance has found seventeen who were born in a foreign country, excluding Mexico. There are Texans buried in each of the eight official World War I American Cemeteries in Europe.
Finally, as an auxiliary project, Vance has located photographs of nearly 700 of the Texans who died. She estimates her project will be completed by late 2006. Dr. Vance is unable to respond to queries regarding her work until the project is completed, at which time she will share all her findings with any interested persons.