Private William Walch Mementos

More about this item

Identifier

ghs20180230001

Description

Pocket cut from U.S. Army uniform shirt/jacket (A) containing items B-P.
A) Rectangular patch pocket with rectangular button flap, composed of OD wool twill; cut from fabric of shirt leaving a rough border around the pocket. Single button, circular brown plastic.
B) Patch, double chevron; gold ribbon machine-stitched to OD wool felt backing cut in chevron shape.
C) and D) are matching patches, single chevron; red wool felt machine-stitched to OD wool twill (uniform material), C) cut in chevron shape and D) cut in triangle.
E) World War Service medal; double-sided cross patee pendant on rainbow grosgrain ribbon sewn over pinback bar. Medal/pendant is gilt metal; relief design of eagle over State of Oregon seal superimposed on cross; banner over eagle reads "WORLD WAR SERVICE". Reverse of cross has relief text, "PRESENTED | BY | THE | STATE OF OREGON | IN | GRATEFUL | RECOGNITION | OF FAITHFUL SERVICE | RENDERED DURING THE | 1917 1918 | WORLD | WAR". Hinged straight pin fastening; attached to white paper card. On back of ribbon bar, imprinted "W & H CO. NEWARK, N.J. | PAT. AP'D FOR". Also on reverse of medal at bottom in very small raised text, "W & H CO NEWARK NJ".
F) Blacked bronze collar disc; artillery insignia of crossed cannons over letter "A", all in relief. Threaded post fastening on back; circular nut with reeded edge.
G) Bronze collar disc (possibly had blacking originally) with raised text "US" in block letters with "N.A." superimposed over front (United States National Army). Threaded post fastening on back with circular bronze nut.
H) Bronze collar disc (possibly had blacking originally) with infantry insignia of crossed rifles; regiment number "361" over rifles and company letter "L" below. Threaded post fastening on back; circular brass nut.
I) Bronze collar disc (possibly had blacking originally) with letters "USNA" (U.S. National Army) interlocking and overlapping in relief. Threaded post fastening on back; circular brass nut.
J) Large US Army shank button for uniform; convex bronze front with spread eagle. Back and shank are brass; text "THE ART METAL WORKS | NEWARK, N.J."
K) Medium-size US Army shank button; same as J) but for size.
L) Small US Army shank button for garrison cap; same as K and J but for size and inscription: back reads "HORSTMANN | PH LA".
M) Compass in nickel-plated circular casing with hinged lid. Compass face is silver-toned with black printed markings; text reading "USANITE |TAYLOR | ROCHESTER, N.Y. | PAT. APR. 20-1915"; glass covering over face. Lid is on a spring hinge with snap fastening and button release attached to carrying ring. Imprinted on lid: "ENG. DEPT. | U.S.A. 1917".
N) Wristwatch or pocket watch in flat circular nickel-plated brass casing. Removable lid composed of nickel-plated metal with latticework design; lid snaps over front of watch face. Watch face is black with orange numbers and white markings; also white text reading "INGERSOLL | MIDGET". Second face inset within minute/hour face. Thumb screw on PL side for winding; flat wire rings at top and bottom for band.
O) is insignia/service pin consisting of enameled pinback bar with two blue stars on white ground with red frame; hinged straight pin fastening on back; pendant of crossed rifles with block letters "U.S" superimposed over front.
P) is a nib pen in black plastic casing with plastic cap with silver-toned metal ring.

Rights

No Copyright

Location

Hillsview, Gresham, Multnomah County, Oregon, United States

Date

1918

Names

Walch, William

Walch, Lorenz

Beil, Pauline (Paulina) Walch

Subject

World War I

Death

Medals

Military personnel

Military uniforms

U.S. Army

War

Compasses

Provenance

This pocket was cut from the U.S. Army uniform of Private William Walch when he was killed in action in France shortly before the end of World War I. A member of Company L, 361st U.S. Army Infantry, Walsh was from Hillsview (southeast of Gresham), where his family owned a farm on Hogan Road. The pocket was sent to his father Lorenz Walch there, containing the contents listed as B through P. (The medal, E, was issued after the war and would have been added later by his family.) William's siblings were Joseph and Herman Walch, both of whom are buried at Willamette Cemetery; and Pauline (Paulina) Walch Beil, who kept the pocket and other memorabilia included in this accession. Her daughter, Margaret Dahne, donated it to GHS in 2018.

Type

PhysicalObject

Medium

Souvenir

source resource

https://www.northwestdigitalheritage.org/legacy/api/items/166444

Item sets

Gresham Heritage