Passenger List, 1918
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
World War, 1914-1918--African Americans
The passenger list for Colored Company D of the 546th Engineers. The company departed from New York, New York for France on September 25, 1918 on board the <em>SS Oxfordshire</em>. Commodore Isaac Murray (1896?-1947) (fourth from top) was part of this company and traveled to France on this ship.<br /><br />
Commodore Isaac Murray was born in New Augustine, Florida in October sometime between 1895 and 1897 (his records give conflicting dates). He grew up in St. Augustine with six siblings. Like many, when the United States entered the World War, Murray registered for the draft on June 5, 1917, and he was inducted into the United States Army on August 4, 1918. He served as a private in Company D of the 546th Engineers from September 11, 1918 to August 26, 1919. The Engineers battalions were responsible for a wide range of behind-the-lines work, such as repairing roads and building barracks to keep the rest of the army moving. After returning to the United States, Murray was honorably discharged on September 12, 1919. He returned to his hometown where he lived with his wife and children until his death on October 18, 1947. He is buried in the St. Augustine National Cemetery at Section D Grave 87.<br /><br />
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Office of the Quartermaster General
Digital reproduction of original typewritten passenger list, September 25, 1918: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, Record Group 92, Roll or Box Number 521.
Office of the Quartermaster General
Murray, Commodore Isaac
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eng
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New York, New York
U.S.S. Leviathan
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
The <em>USS Leviathan</em> at harbor in 1918. The ship was acquired from Germany by the United States Navy in 1917, serving as a troop transport ship until it was decommissioned on October 29, 1919. Fred White (1898-1919) and the 547th Engineer Service Battalion were transported to France on board the <em>Leviathan</em> in October 1918.<br /><br /> Fred White was born on March 14, 1898, in Marianna, Florida, and was raised by his grandparents. He moved to Youngstown in neighboring Bay County, where he worked as a laborer. On June 5, 1918, he registered for the draft, adding a year to his age to make himself eligible. On June 15, he married Mamie Grey Kennedy. Two months later, on August 21, White was inducted into the United States Army and trained at Camp Joseph E. Johnston. He joined Company C of the 547th Engineer Service Battalion and departed for France on October 27, 1918. After the war, White succumbed to the influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 on February 1, 1919. White is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romange-sous-Montfaucon, France, at Plot C Row 7 Grave 3.<br /><br /> In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program continues, engaging a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in national cemeteries available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 headstones at four national cemeteries, two in Florida (Florida National Cemetery and St. Augustine National Cemetery) and two in France (American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries at Aisne-Marne and the Meuse-Argonne), where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
<a href="https://www.navy.mil/" target="_blank">United States Navy</a>
Digital reproduction of original black and white still photograph: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph, NH 71.
<a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/" target="_blank">Naval History and Heritage Command</a>
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Still Image
New York Harbor, New York
Passenger List of Organizations and Casuals
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
World War, 1914-1918--African Americans
An outgoing United States Army passenger list of organizations and casuals from Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1918. The United States Army Transport Service (ATS) compiled records of all persons who passed through United States and foreign ports via ATS ships, incoming as well as outgoing. Information included the name of the sip, the arrival or departure date and place, the servicemember's rank, age, regiment, and next of kin, and a non-servicemember's relation to a servicemember. The ship, the <em>USS Orizaba</em>, departed from Hoboken, New Jersey, for France in early September 1918.<br /><br /> A notable soldier listed is Will Johnson (1889-1942). Born on July 6, 1889, in Wilmington, North Carolina, Johnson eventually moved to Georgia. Before the war, he married his wife, Hattie Hokes. After registering for the draft, Johnson joined the United States Army at Camp Gordon on July 17, 1918. Although he began his service in the 15th Depot Brigade, he became part of Company D of the 315th Labor Battalion on August 29, 1918. The unit boarded the <em>USS Orizaba</em> on September 4, 1918, to depart for France. Johnson and his unit remained in France after the war, leaving on July 7, 1919, from St. Nazaire. The Army discharged Johnson on July 29, 1919. He died on September 17, 1942, and is buried in the St. Augustine National Cemetery at Plot D, Grave 11.<br /><br /> In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Office of the Quartermaster General
Digital reproduction of original outgoing Army passenger list: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985
Record Group Number 92, Roll or Box Number 520.
Office of the Quartermaster General
Johnson, Will
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eng
Text
Hoboken, New Jersey
U.S.S. Orizaba
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
Navy (Ship)
World War, 1914-1918--African Americans
The <em>USS Orizaba</em> leaving port for France in 1918. During World War I, the ship carried over 15,000 soldiers to France. After the war ended, it brought another 30,000 back before being decommissioned on September 4, 1919. Crozier Williams (1895?-1948) and other members of his unit boarded the <em>Orizaba</em> on June 25, 1919, in Brest, France, to sail home.<br /><br /> Crozier Williams was born in Waynesboro, Georgia sometime between 1892 and 1895, according to various records of his life and service. In the years before World War I, Williams was arrested and held at the Jenkins County Convict Camp in Birdsville, Georgia. He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 and was eventually drafted for service on June 20, 1918 in Florida. He served in Company E of the 807th Pioneer Infantry. The unit was responsible for repairing and constructing roads, bridges, and railways. Williams received an honorable discharge on July 11, 1919 but continued to serve and was promoted on March 25, 1919 to Sergeant. After July 1919, Williams returned to his hometown, where he then lived with his wife, Neomia, and worked as a brakeman, a specialist in train brakes. He died in Dade, Florida in 1948 at the age of 53. He is buried in the St. Augustine National Cemetery at Plot D, Grave 77.<br /><br /> In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
<a href="https://www.navy.mil/" target="_blank">United States Navy</a>
Digital reproduction of original black and white still photograph: NH44914, U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.
<a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/" target="_blank">Naval History and Heritage Command</a>
application/pdf
Still Image
New York, New York
U.S.S. Mount Vernon
World War, 1914-1918
Veterans--Florida
The <em>USS Mount Vernon</em> after being torpedoed by a German submarine in the eastern Atlantic on September 5, 1918. The torpedo killed 36 men. The ship made port the next day in Brest, France, where it was given a temporary patch. It is possible that Buster Williams (1887-1945) was on the ship at this time.<br /><br /> Buster Williams was born on December 16, 1887, in Barnwell, South Carolina. He worked as a farmer in Elkton, Florida, before being drafted into the United States Army in St. Augustine, Florida, on June 19, 1918. Williams served for about two months in the 135th Depot Brigade, a unit responsible for processing and training new recruits. From August 18, 1918, until the end of the war, he was part of Company B of the 536th Engineers Service Battalion. The 536th boarded their ship for France on August 26, 1918. The unit likely worked at the St. Aignan depot, where they would have been responsible for loading and unloading equipment and serving in primarily a support capacity. Once the war ended, Williams returned to Florida, where he married his wife, Ethel, and had three children. Williams worked as a laborer for a cemetery. He, his wife, and his son-in-law remained in the same house until Williams's death on December 28, 1945. He is buried in the St. Augustine National Cemetery.<br /><br /> In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s <a href="https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/">Veterans Legacy Program Project</a>. The program continues, engaging a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in national cemeteries available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 headstones at four national cemeteries, two in Florida (Florida National Cemetery and St. Augustine National Cemetery) and two in France (American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries at Aisne-Marne and the Meuse-Argonne), where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
<a href="https://www.navy.mil/" target="_blank">United States Navy</a>
Digital reproduction of original black and white still photograph: NH 89149, Collection of Lieutenant P.W. Yeatman, USN (Retired), Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.
<a href="https://history.navy.mil/" target="_blank">Naval History and Heritage Command</a>
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eng
Still Image
Brest, France