Veteran Information
Date of Birth: April 9 1894
Date of Death: 14-May-18
Branch of Service: U.S. Army - 12th Aero Squadron
Description
William K. B. Emerson, Jr.
William Key Bond Emerson was born on April 9, 1894, in New York City, New York, son of W. K. B. and Maria Furman Emerson. He had one younger brother, Rupert. In Rye the family lived on Forrest Ave – Milton Point.
William attended Middlesex School, Concord, Massachusetts, and Harvard University, Class of 1916.. At Harvard he was active in a variety of clubs and sports, playing football and was a key member of the 1914 crew championship team.
William interupted his studies and joined the American Field Service, July 16, 1915. He was attached to the American Ambulance Corps. in which he served in France to November 25, 1915, prior to this country’s entrance into the war.
The entire Harvard unit, with which he was connected, was cited by the French for bravery under fire. After six months in the ambulance service. William returned to the United States and resumed his courses at Harvard.
He was graduated June, 1916. He continued his sudies of aeronautical engineering at Columbia and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
For a second time he went to France and rejoined the Field Service, January 28, 1917; attached to Section Thirteen in France. William then joined Section Three in the Balkans to September 20, 1917.
In September 1917 he was relieved of duty with the Ambulance Corps and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the artillery under General Pershing
William enlisted in the American Aviation Service and trained as an observer, French artillery school at Valdahon. He trained with 15th U. S. Field Artillery and 228th French Escadrille. .jpg)
William Key Bond Emerson, Jr., was a Second Lieutenant, U.S. Field Artillery. He was attached to 12th Aero Squadron in May, 1918. as an observer in the air service.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the I Corps, United States First Army sector of the Western Front in France, providing battlefield intelligence.
Second Lieutenant Emerson was shot down and killed in action on May 14th. 1918, near Toni, France. The plane in which he was in, falling within the American lines, probably from the attack of an enemy airman.
William K B Emerson is buried at Plot C Row 9 Grave 2, St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.
Emerson Field, was a new air service flying field at Fort Jackson, S. C, it was opened on August 1, 1918. It was named in honor of 2nd Lieutenant William K. B. Emerson, who was the first field artillery officer killed while serving with an aero squadron at the front.
Veteran History & Research Links
World War I Military Record
RYE CHRONICLE
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