George Steven March
Private, U.S. Army

George Steven March was born on 23 August 1893 in Orosi, CA, the son of John and Alice Kessner March.

George entered the Army during World War I and was assigned to the 347th Machine Gun Battalion, 91st Infantry "Wild West" Division, that was organized in 1917 at Camp Lewis, WA. Five percent of all the draftees from 8 western states were assigned to the 91st Division (like George March, the overwhelming majority came from California) and it received and trained those men from September 1917 until it departed for France in June 1918. The Division, under command of Major General William H. Johnston, arrived in France in August 1918.

The 91st Division fought on the front lines during the initial attack in The Meuse-Argonne Offensive and it advanced further and faster than the divisions on their flanks. Relieved after eight days of fighting, the AEF ordered the 181st Brigade, one of two brigades in the division, quickly back to the front lines where it fought another six days. Within weeks, the 91st was again tasked to support the French forces in the Ypres-Lys Offensive (also known as the Lys-Scheldt) in Belgium, where it fought until the end of World War I. It was during this Offensive that Private George March was wounded in Oudenaarde when debris from a house hit by artillery fell on him, badly injuring him. He was taken to the Staden Field Hospital where he died of his injuries on 3 November 1918.

Medal

World War I Victory Medal

Family

John and Alice Kessner eventually had nine children. The names of the children are 4 boys; George, Walter, Leroy and Henry, and 5 girls, Mary, Irene, Louisa, Grace and Mabel.

Burial

Private George Steven March is buried at the Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial in Waregem, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium in Plot D, Row 4, Grave 16. His grave was adopted by Krista Thys of Zandhoven, Belgium.

[Much of the data contained in this bio came from resources furnished by Krista Thys of Zandhoven, Belgium.]