WWI US Army AEF Grouping – Corporal Kenneth D Eastman – 81st Division – Victory Medal Meuse-Argonne & Defensive Sector – Oregon State Victory Medal – Brotherhood of Fireman & Enginemen Medal for Service in the World War

Description

1) Patches including two 81st Divisional Shoulder Sleeve Patches, Corporal Chevrons, Infantry Specialty Patch, Gold Overseas Strip and finally a Red Discharge Stripe.

2) Studio portrait of Kenneth D. Eastman

3) Buttons cut from his uniform as well as his cap device

4) Collar Disk including two Crossed Rifles Infantry Disk, USNA and US Collar Disks and 321 Infantry G Disk.

5) Dog Tags Named to Kenneth D. Eastman

6) Medals including Victory medal with two bars Meuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector. Oregon State Victory Medal, Brotherhood of Fireman & Enginemen Medal for Service in the World War, Expert Rifleman Badge and lastly his Discharge lapel Button.

The 81st Division was organized as a division of the United States Army in August 1917 during World War I at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. The division was originally organized with a small cadre of Regular Army, in addition to Officers Reserve Corps and National Army officers, while the soldiers were predominantly Selective Service men drawn from the southeastern states of Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee. During October 1918, most of the enlisted men were transferred to other units, but additional drafts from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee replenished the strength of the division. After finishing training, the 81st Division, commanded by Major General Charles Justin Bailey, deployed to Europe, arriving on the Western Front in August 1918. Elements of the 81st Division first saw limited action by defending the St. Dié sector in September and early October. After relief of mission, the 81st Division was attached to the American First Army in preparation for the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In the last days of World War I, the 81st Division attacked a portion of the German Army’s defensive line on 9 November 1918, and remained engaged in combat operations until the Armistice with Germany at 1100 hours on 11 November 1918. The division sustained 461 casualties on the last day, 66 of them killed. After the cessation of hostilities, the 81st Division remained in France until May 1919; after which the division was shipped back to the United States and inactivated on 11 June 1919.