A notable crewmember was George Downings Jr. (1925-1946). Downings was born and raised in St. Johns County, Florida. Before joining the military, he lived in Saint Augustine, Florida. On March 4, 1943, Downings enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve in Jacksonville, Florida. Downings served as a Navy Messman, later called a Steward. In his duty, Downings was responsible for feeding and cleaning up after Navy officers. He eventually reached the rank of Steward’s Mate First Class. Downings served on various vessels, including the U.S.S. Harding, the U.S.S. O’Brien, and the U.S.S. Moale. Downings continued to serve in the Navy until December 25, 1945. He passed away on July 5, 1946, at the age of 21. He is buried in Saint Augustine National Cemetery in Section D, Plot 57.

In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. 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.]]> Veterans Legacy Program Collection]]> ]]>
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A notable crewmember was Phillip Kenneth Winter (1898-1945). Born on December 24, 1898, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Phillip and Mary Rose Winter, Phillip was the seventh of eight children. Sometime after 1900, the family moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where Phillip eventually found work as a messenger for a railroad company. He enlisted in the United States Navy on April 14, 1917, in Atlanta, Georgia, and first served in Norfolk, Virginia, before serving on the USS Orion in June 1917. In July 1918, Phillip transferred to the USS Helvetia (SP-3096). After the war ended, Phillip returned to Jacksonville, where he resumed work in the railroad industry and met his future wife, Mary Jeanette "Janie" Roberts. They married on August 15, 1921. Mary gave birth to their daughter, Martha Rose, on August 5, 1922. Mary passed in 1925 due to tuberculosis. Phillip remarried on July 27, 1929, to Harriett Rhynard, but they divorced in 1934. Sometime after, Phillip moved to Clearwater, Florida. In April 1942, Phillip registered for the World War II Young Man's Draft but was not called into service. He worked as a member of the barracks in the area. He passed away on December 22, 1945, two days before his forty-seventh birthday. He is buried in the Bay Pines National Cemetery at Section 11 Row 1 Site 10.

In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. 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.]]> United States Navy]]> Naval History and Heritage Command]]> Veterans Legacy Program Collection]]> ]]> United States Navy and published by the Naval History and Heritage Command.]]>
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A notable crewmember was Leo Rosser Davis (1880-1951). Born in Tallahassee, Florida, to James and Nora Davis, Leo was the oldest of four children. On June 1, 1918, at the age of thirty-eight, Leo received a commission as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve. He reported to the Naval Auxiliary Reserve in New York on June 3, 1918. Then, on June 22, he began his service aboard the USS Lykens (SP-876/AT-56). By late July, Leo commanded the ship, which operated in the northern Atlantic, off the coast of New England. Leo continued to command the ship through the end of World War I. On April 18, 1919, he was discharged and returned to Florida. After having spent so much time at sea, Leo earned the title of a master mariner. He sailed the civilian cargo ship SS Lake Felicity, a 250-foot steam-powered ship. On at least three occasions in 1919 and 1920, he commanded this ship and sailed between New Orleans, Louisiana, various Caribbean islands, and New York. On March 20, 1951, Leo passed away in the Bay Pines Hospital after spending nearly his entire life in the St. Petersburg area. He was survived by his wife Anna, his stepson William, his brothers Claude and Herbert, and his mother Nora. Leo is buried in Bay Pines National Cemetery at Section 16, Row 6, Site 11.

In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. 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.]]> United States Department of Labor]]> Veterans Legacy Program Project ]]> ]]> United States Department of Labor.]]>
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A notable crewmember was the ship's commander, Leo Rosser Davis (1880-1951). Born in Tallahassee, Florida, to James and Nora Davis, Leo was the oldest of four children. On June 1, 1918, at the age of thirty-eight, Leo received a commission as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve. He reported to the Naval Auxiliary Reserve in New York on June 3, 1918. Then, on June 22, he began his service aboard the USS Lykens (SP-876/AT-56). By late July, Leo commanded the ship, which operated in the northern Atlantic, off the coast of New England. Leo continued to command the ship through the end of World War I. On April 18, 1919, he was discharged and returned to Florida. After having spent so much time at sea, Leo earned the title of a master mariner. He sailed the civilian cargo ship SS Lake Felicity, a 250-foot steam-powered ship. On at least three occasions in 1919 and 1920, he commanded this ship and sailed between New Orleans, Louisiana, various Caribbean islands, and New York. On March 20, 1951, Leo passed away in the Bay Pines Hospital after spending nearly his entire life in the St. Petersburg area. He was survived by his wife Anna, his stepson William, his brothers Claude and Herbert, and his mother Nora. Leo is buried in Bay Pines National Cemetery at Section 16, Row 6, Site 11.

In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. 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.]]> United States Navy]]> Naval History and Heritage Command]]> Veterans Legacy Program Collection ]]> ]]> United States Navy and published by the Naval History and Heritage Command.]]>
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This resource is provided here by RICHES for educational purposes only. For more information on copyright, please refer to Section 5 of Copyright Law of the United States of America and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code.]]> USS Leviathan 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 Leviathan in October 1918.

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.

In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. 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.]]> United States Navy]]> Naval History and Heritage Command]]> Veterans Legacy Program Collection]]> United States Navy and published by the Naval History and Heritage Command.]]>
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