Uncle Jack in World War 1: Uniform and Medals

In the last post, I began an exploration of my granduncle Jack Bonn’s service in the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I.  Orville Philip Bonn (1896-1985) was known to the Army as Orville or Orville P. Bonn.  We always knew him as Uncle Jack.

Here’s the timeline I posted:

Orville P. Bonn Military Timeline

• 26 Feb 1917        =   Initial sign-up, Montevideo, Minnesota
• 5 March 1917     =   Enlistment, Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri
• Apr – Sep 1917   =   Camp Kelly, San Antonio, Texas
• 18 Sep 1917        =   Departed USA on troop ship RMS Carmania
• 2 Oct 1917           =   Disembarked at Liverpool, England
• Oct – Dec             =   England, locations unknown
• 20 Dec 1917        =   Arrived Le Havre, France
• 23 Dec 1917        =   Arrived Tours, France
• Dec 1917 – May 1919  =  Tours Aerodrome, Tours, France
• 13 May 1919       =   Departed Saint Nazare, France on troop ship USS Tiger
• 26 May 1919       =   Disembarked at Hoboken, New Jersey
• May 1919 – Mar 1920   =    Two airfields (dating unknown): Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York + Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida
• 11 Mar 1920        =    Discharge, Carlstrom Field, Florida

The timeline, however, needs to be corrected and augmented.  In the absence of Jack’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), I have been digging around in other places to see if we can learn more about his military service.

First, I discovered that some of Jack’s personal effects were donated to a museum in Prescott, Arizona after his death in 1985.  In a letter from Dorothy Axness (Jack Bonn’s youngest sister) to my parents, she says:

“We gave Jack’s clothing to the Vet’s Hospital, his WW1 jacket with the medals on it to a Museum there in Prescott (also his guns), his canned goods to Salvation Army, and his scrapbooks we brought home.”^[1]Mrs. Dorothy Axness (Montevideo, Minnesota) to Beverly and Nelson Jonnes, letter, 26 October 1985; privately held by Steven Jonnes, Ashburn, Virginia, 2019.

I was intrigued by the reference to Jack’s uniform.  I searched for museums in Prescott, Arizona, and found three.  The largest is the Sharlot Hall Museum, so I contacted them first.  Very quick response and … lo and behold, yes, they have an Orville Bonn Collection!  It was donated to the museum in October 1985 by Mary Anderson, Jack’s typist.

The museum was kind enough to forward images of the items in the collection.  Thank you, Alannah DeBusk!  Among other items, the images include Orville Bonn’s uniform coat, belt, holster, pistol, various cartridges, brass knuckles, aviator goggles, and log book.

 

I became excited about the log book, but the archivist looked inside and there are no entries.  Nothing hand-written other than the signature O’Philip Bonn on the inside front page.  A printed message states that the log book meets the requirements of the Aeronautics Branch, Department of Commerce.   This was a predecessor of today’s Federal Aviation Administration.  It existed under the Aeronautics Branch name from 1926 to 1934.^[2]“Origins of the FAA,” digital image, Federal Aviation Administration (https://www.faa.gov/about/history/brief_history#origins).  Jack must have acquired it then.

I spent some time trying to figure out the medals on Jack’s uniform with help from experts at The Aerodrome, an online forum dedicated to World War I aviation.

The left sleeve of the uniform displays overseas service stripes.  Each indicates 6 months of service.  There are three, matching Jack’s 18 months of overseas service.

The right shoulder displays a wing, indicating his association with the U.S. Army Air Service.

There are three medals or ribbons on his left breast pocket.  The larger one on the right with the hanging medallion is a U.S. Victory in Europe medal, which was given to all servicemen.

The middle ribbon is the same award as the U.S. Victory in Europe medal.  It appears to have two campaign stars on it, maybe three.

The green and yellow ribbon on the left is a Mexican Border Service Medal.  Although faded, you can compare it to the official ribbon, below:

 

 

Mexican border service!  Why would Uncle Jack have that?

As it turns out, the U.S. punitive expedition against Mexican bandit Pancho Villa in 1916 and 1917 is the first instance of the use of airplanes in American military history.  Although combat operations ended in February 1917 – before Jack enlisted – the 1st Aero Squadron remained in New Mexico until August 1917, when it was sent to France.^[3]Wikipedia: 1st Reconnaisance Squadron.

There are actually two medals related to this conflict.  One is a campaign medal – the Mexican Service Medal – for service in the forces that did the actual fighting.  The Mexican Border Service Medal, on the other hand, is for those who served on the border in support of military operations between 9 May 1916 and 24 March 1917.^[4]An online searchable database of the Army and National Guard personnel who received this award does not include Orville Bonn.  See website Orders and Medals Society of America (www.omsa.org).  … Continue reading

Fortuitously, one of Jack’s scrapbook clippings mentions Mexico.  One month after discharge from the Army, the Montevideo News published a short item about Orville Bonn’s return home.

“With 36 months of service to his credit, Orville Bonn, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. O. Bonn, is home from the army.  He was one of the first to go from Montevideo, enlisting in the regular army in March, 1917, and is one of the last to come back, being furloughed to the reserve March 11, 1920.  In those three years, Bonn saw service in five different countries, on the Mexican border in 1917, then to Italy with a special detachment of cadet aviators.  After a short stay there, he went to England for a month’s training … near Oxford.  Three weeks were later spent in Belgium, and the balance of his two year stay overseas was in France, where he served with the British at Vendome and the French at Tours.  Those 36 months entitle Bonn to a soldier’s bonus under Minnesota law … (at) $15 a month for three years.”^[5]“Ten Years Ago,” Montevideo News, undated but referencing original 8 April 1920 story, newspaper clipping in Orville P. Bonn Scrapbook; privately held by Steven Jonnes, Ashburn, … Continue reading

I suspect Jack Bonn of exaggerating some of his wartime experiences, but this report rings true.  Of all the news clippings in my possession, it is the one closest in time to his military service, and as such, I doubt he would embellish anything in his hometown newspaper in front of friends and family.  We have to assume he penned letters home during the war detailing his movements.

We need to amend Jack’s timeline to reflect the new information.  I believe Uncle Jack was likely sent directly to New Mexico from Jefferson Barracks within two or three weeks of enlistment.  As mentioned, the 1st Aero Squadron was stationed in Columbus, New Mexico until August 1917, so that should be where he served.

To qualify for the Mexican Border Service medal, Jack must have arrived at the border no later than 24 March 1917.  How long he served there is unknown; I doubt it was more than a month, two at the most.  He probably was transferred sometime in April or May directly from New Mexico to Camp Kelly, San Antonio, Texas.  Jack’s rapid promotion to Corporal on 16 June 1917 could be explained by his stint at the border.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Jack volunteered for it.

Jack was definitely at Camp Kelly on 4 July 1917 because his name appears in the brochure for the camp’s July 4th Dinner.^[6]“4th Aero Squadron, Camp Kelly, South San Antonio, Texas: Menu of Dinner, July 4th., 1917,” program brochure in Orville P. Bonn Scrapbook, 4 July 1917; privately held by Steven Jonnes, … Continue reading  He was then part of the 4th Aero Squadron.  Later in July, many new aero squadrons were established at Camp Kelly, including the 34th Aero Squadron, Jack’s eventual assignment.

Orville P. Bonn Military Timeline – Revised

• 26 Feb 1917         =   Initial sign-up, Montevideo, Minnesota
• 5 Mar 1917          =   Enlistment, Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri
• Mar – Apr 1917   =   Mexican border, probably 1st Aero Squadron, Columbus, NM
• Apr – Sep 1917   =   Camp Kelly, San Antonio, Texas
• 16 Jun 1917         =   Promoted to Corporal
• 4 July 1917           =   Attended July 4th Dinner, 4th Aero Squadron, Camp Kelly
• 18 Sep 1917        =   Departed USA on troop ship RMS Carmania
• 2 Oct 1917           =   Disembarked at Liverpool, England
• Oct – Dec             =   England, locations unknown
• 20 Dec 1917        =   Arrived Le Havre, France
• 23 Dec 1917        =   Arrived Tours, France
• Dec 1917 – May 1919  =  34th Aero Squadron, Tours Aerodrome, Tours, France
• 13 May 1919       =   Departed Saint Nazare, France on troop ship USS Tiger
• 26 May 1919       =   Disembarked at Hoboken, New Jersey
• May 1919 – Mar 1920   =    Two airfields (dating unknown): Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York + Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida
• 11 Mar 1920       =    Discharge, Carlstrom Field, Florida

The reference to a special detachment of cadet aviators in Italy begs further research.

Next: Was Uncle Jack a World War I pilot or not?