1941
Oct 17 - 3 newspapers the LI Daily Press, the Troy NY Times Record, & the NY Evening Post carried the following composite story
Oct 18 - the LI Daily Press did a reprint & the LI Star Journal printed the story as well
July 1940
At the age of 18, Henry Siemers, Jr. enlists in the US Army for 3 years
Mid-Sept. 1941
North Carolina - Company L, 16th Infantry under the command of General Hugh Drum was doing maneuvers
(side note: Colonel Theodore Roosevelt is in the same outfit)
President Roosevelt
General Drum
1st Class Pvt. Henry Siemers falls off a barge into the water while carrying a full pack, injuring his shoulder. Upon returning to the camp his Sgt noticed that the salt water had rusted his rifle and demanded that Pvt Siemers clean it. Due to his injured shoulder he was not able to & he refused to do so. His Sgt demoted him from qualified Pvt to Buck Pvt.which also brought a pay cut from $30 down to $21 a month.
End of Sept. 1941
Henry writes home to his mother, telling him of his woes. Mrs. Siemers, writes to her sons Company Commander, Captain Frank Shea with no forthcoming response. She then writes to President Roosevelt.
Oct. 8, 1941
Pvt. Henry Siemers rank of Buck Pvt is restored.
Buck Pvt. Henry Siemers lands in his post's hospital with an infected toe.
Oct. 12, 1941
Mrs. Siemers goes to Fort Deven in Ayers, Massachusetts to visit her son in the hospital. She is approached by (a) Sargeant. He inquires if she had written to the President regarding her sons demotion, when she said yes he began to pound on her with clenched fists, while using profane language as he berated her.
She was treated in the post's hospital for her injuries sustained from the Sgt. striking her.
She complains to Captain Frank Shea demanding the Sgt. be court-martialed.
Camp Deven
Oct. 15, 1941
Mr. Henry Siemers Sr., registers a formal complaint with the Inspector Generals office.
Oct. 16, 1941
Colonel G.B. Woodruff & Lieutenant Col D.E. Thebaud from Fort Jay, Governors Island, visited with Mrs Siemers in order to obtain her formal complaint.
3 newspaper reporters arrive at 90-20 168th Street, in Jamaica NY to interview Mrs. Siemers. Both Colonel's make a hasty exit through the rear door of her home as she speaks with the reporters in the front room of her home.
War Dept. replica @ Fort Jay on Gov. Island
The news articles are printed in 3 NY papers. A 4th NY paper interviewed her and Mrs. Siemers further demands that the court-martial be in NY to save her train fair to Massachusetts.
Oct 18, 1941
A reprint of an interview & the 4th paper's story hit the NY papers.
16th Inf. Reg.
MY THOUGHTS
I've been doing a lot of newspaper research as of late. When I came across all these articles, each one adding a tid-bit more of information I was thrilled. I felt like a real investigator. LOL
As far as the situation that occurred, well...
Starting with my uncle, the naive soldier. I'm sure he didn't realize what he had signed up for when he enlisted at the tender age of 18 for 3 years right off the bat. I keep hearing that old saying "You're in the Army now!" ringing in my head. Guess he had to grow up 'real fast'. Writing home to your Mom about your daily Army life most likely helped with homesickness. Some may of seen it as he was 'whining' about things. I don't think so, I think it was more of letting his folks know that less money would be coming home due to his demotion. I don't think he expected his Mother to write to his superiors...and of course not to the President.
Writing to the President back in those days I think was a bit different then it is today. People, in my opinion, felt a sense of community --- even with the whole of the USA. So dashing off a complaint from an angry lioness (yes she was born under the sign of a Leo) protecting her pride & joy was her duty.
There's no indication exactly what her injuries were, probably "just" bruises since a reporter didn't mention anything broken. I'm sure, if she had the gumption to write the Army brass and the President she didn't bite her tongue with the irate Sgt. We all know how women were looked upon back then -- especially by the military. So to have a WOMAN! get you in hot water over her pansy son (that's probably what the Sgt called him) I can just imagine how quickly things got heated and turned ugly.
I'm glad she followed through, most likely with a push from her husband. He was in law enforcement so he most likely was bursting with righteousness. Knowing his wife was even just slapped by another, let alone a man that is supposed to be professional and represent the upper echelon of the military most likely stuck under his craw in a real bad way.
I see no further articles in any of the NY papers relating to this incident. I wonder how my uncle was treated after this whole fiasco? Bet he got KP duty a lot!
I'll be on the search for the outcome wherever I can find it. I'm so intrigued now. Unfortunately I think it all fizzled out. I bet she never went back to Massachusetts, if in fact there was a court-martial. Time heals all wounds.
We know the Government can drag their sweet feet to their benefit, so that's probably what they did. By the time the court date came up, all parties were docile by then so they let it go with a big slap on the Sgt.'s wrist. Possibly a formal apology was issued to her. I hope at least she got that.
16th Infantry Insignia
