Tuesday, November 22, 2016

The Veterans - George Dykeman

George Raymond Dykeman born 17 Oct 1894 in Pawling, Dutchess County, NY to Peter and Effie K. Hooker Dykeman. 

In the  4 Dec 1917 paper, The Poughkeepsie Enterprise has George on a list of  drafted men who were leaving tomorrow. 

He was Inducted Dec 5 1917 in Millbrook, NY and started at Camp Upton. He served Overseas from April 16, 1918 to April  18 1919. He was in  Company A 305 Infantry, then the Machine Gun company 305 Infantry until Discharge, which was May 9 1919. 

The 305th was Part of the 77th Division, which has also been called "New York's own" as the men it included were primarily from  NY city and the surrounding counties.The 77th Infantry Division was the first United States Army division to arrive in France in World War I.

The division began leaving Camp Upton on March 28, 1918, and sailed from Boston, Portland (Maine), via Halifax and New York City. With the exception of the artillery, all units proceeded through Liverpool, across England and landed at Calais, France. 

Campaigns George was known to be involved in were:
June 21 1918-August 18 1918 Baccarat Sector
August 18 1918 - Sept 6 1918 Vesle Sector
Meuse- Argonne Offensive September 26 1918-Nov 11 1918
.
George returned to  his home in 1919. In 09 Aug 1925  he married his brother's sister-in-law, Flossie B Ellis. He had four sons, Thomas, Robert, Calvin and Albert. He was a Farmer with Brother Henry. Also  a Truck Driver with the Coleman Lumber company. he was a member of  both the Pawling Baptist Church and the Pawling Grange. George died June 11 1979 in Pawling, NY


Sources include:
Poughkeepsie Eagle-News
Poughkeepsie Enterprise
NYS military abstracts
77th Division memorial poster
Debra Fraser Dykeman
Ginger Dykeman Sheldon
Henry Dykeman Jr.
Jean Wright Dykeman
History of the Victorious 77th booklet
Poughkeepsie Journal