Ward W. Pierson diary
Permanent ID:
11718Date:
1918Image Description:
Ward Wright Pierson, a prominent Philadelphia attorney and professor of business law at the University of Pennsylvania, fought and died in the First World War. Pierson enlisted in the Army’s infantry service in 1917 at thirty-seven years old. Following basic training at Ft. Niagara, NY, Pierson was commissioned a captain and stationed at Ft. Meade, MA. Pierson arrived in France in July, 1918. Pierson was in command of the First Battalion, 315th Infantry, 79th Division, which saw fighting along the Meuse River northwest of Verdun. A battlefield promotion to major was awarded in recognition of conspicuous leadership and gallantry in battles near Montfacoun. On November 9, 1918, Pierson was slain by a German shell, two days prior to the signing of the Armistice. Pierson was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre.Pierson’s pocket diary chronicles the last five months of his life, from June - October, 1918. This spans the end of his military training to campaigns in the Meuse-Argonne region of the Western Front. The final entry is dated October 27th, 1918.
Images 009-015 are weapons information sheets, detailing the appropriate munitions per company, battalion, and regimental sectors; images 016-022 concern camp life and Army instruction at Ft. Meade; images 023-043 record Pierson’s reflections as he crossed the Atlantic en route to France; images 047-050 regard Pierson’s arrival in the port city of Brest and subsequent travels by foot and train towards the Front; images 051-052 record Pierson’s reflection upon seeing wounded soldiers for the first time; images 067-071 include the names, occupations, and hometowns of soldiers serving under Pierson; images 086- 093 detail the experience of being in front-line trenches, as well as observations of No Man’s Land and German prisoners of war; images 091-101 detail conditions at the Front, including the weather, lack of supplies, and mounting casualties of soldiers serving under Pierson; images 102-111 include daily schedules, inventories, and other marginalia; images 112-119 detail Pierson’s battlefield promotion following the fighting at Montfacoun, and the final days of his life.
Inscription:
This book Property of Ward W Pierson C of `13 [-] adv. School Det [-] (First loose leaf page)Format:
ManuscriptsCollection:
Pierson family papersRelated Person or Organization:
Pierson, Ward Wright, 1879-1918 (author)Library of Congress Subjects:
Fort George G. Meade (Md.) [info:lc/authorities/names/n82259686]
Law partnership--United States [info:lc/authorities/subjects/sh2009129228]
Pierson, Ward W. (Ward Wright), 1879-1918 [info:lc/authorities/names/nr92003002]
Law partnership--United States [info:lc/authorities/subjects/sh2009129228]
Pierson, Ward W. (Ward Wright), 1879-1918 [info:lc/authorities/names/nr92003002]