Chester and Gertrude at War: How a once forgotten Evansville soldier honored

Steve Burger
Special to the Courier & Press
Chester Schulz and his mother Gertrude Schulz

This is the first part in a series about Gertrude and Chester Schulz and their role in World War I as well as the journey Nancy Hasting has made to honor their efforts.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — It is well known that Evansville suffered one of the first U.S. casualties in World War I.

But there is an Evansville story at the end of that war of triumph, tragedy and sacrifice that has gone almost completely unnoticed. Until now.

According to the World War I Centennial Commission, 122,000 Americans were killed or wounded in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the battle that brought an end to World War I in the fall of 1918. It remains the largest battle in U.S. military history.

On a monument at Wadelincourt, France, honoring U.S. Army First Division casualties in one area of that massive battle, there were 215 names. Now there are 216.

The addition is obvious and will no doubt prompt questions from future visitors. Nancy Hasting of Posey County, Indiana, has been searching for the answers for nearly 20 years.

The journey that ended at the monument in 2018 began with a box of letters.

The plaque on the monument after installation.

After her mother died in 1999, Nancy found the box in a closet at her parents’ home. Among that collection of news clippings and old photographs, what Nancy found was an unusually complete collection of letters between her great-uncle, U.S. Army Sergeant Chester Schulz of Evansville and his family.

“It was a story I’d known all my life, but when I got this box of letters and started reading them and I thought, now this is pretty interesting,” she said.

The letters provide insight into the life of an American doughboy and life on the home front in World War I. Nancy has put her family’s story into a book — “A Tragedy of the Great War.” She also publishes a blog on WordPress — “Tracing Chester Schulz."

“It’s not that I’m glad that those things happened, but if they hadn’t happened, he would just be another uncle to me," Nancy said. "He’s much more real to me now, because of the letters and the story and the whole ordeal.”

Photographs and news clippings in the box also detailed the triumph of Chester’s mother, Gertrude Schulz, who was instrumental in forming a national organization of women to support the war effort.

Letters between Gertrude Schulz and her son Chester Schulz.

Like most of the country, America’s entry into World War I came as no surprise to Evansville. By April of 1917, the area had already formed infantry and artillery units for the National Guard. A cavalry company had even been proposed. Vanderburgh County historian Stan Schmidt says the Red Cross mobilized immediately and fundraising began to help finance the war.

“Basically, over the course of about a year and a half, there were five loan programs, the last one was called the Victory Loan," Nancy said. "People pledged money to the government for the war effort. Evansville raised more than $22 million, and that’s in 1917-1918 dollars.”

Something else that began almost immediately- draft notices were sent to raise a contingent of doughboys from Indiana and Illinois.

 “The Army realized real quick that they were talking about millions of men to Europe," she said. "Everybody between the right age groups, all men had to register.”

One of those notices went to 24-year old Chester Elmer Schulz of Evansville, an accountant at the Hercules Buggy Company, member of his church’s choir as well as the local Freemasons. Chester was engaged to be married to Lorena Stocking, who he affectionately referred to as “Socks”.

Chester Schulz and fiancee Loretta Stocking

Chester was the youngest of four children, three boys and a girl. His father Albert was a salesman for the Indiana Stove Company. The family was comfortable financially. His mother, Gertrude Dausman Schulz, was active in the Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church.

There is no indication Chester resented putting his life on hold for the Army. His letters home reveal a young man eager for adventure.

He wrote, “Our company is hoping not to be cheated out of a good scrap with the Hun. We are all in good spirits. Don’t worry about me, for I am in the place I want to be.”

On arriving for basic training at Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisville, Chester was assigned to the 84th Division, 335th Infantry Regiment, Company K. He was quickly promoted to corporal and then sergeant in April of the following year.

Gertrude’s care for her son sparked a national movement of women supporting the troops. An account of Evansville’s role in World War I, “Sons of Men” came out shortly after the war. The author, Herman Blatt, wrote that during a visit to Chester at Camp Taylor, Gertrude had the idea to form a women’s group to support the troops.

Stan Schmidt said the idea was immediately popular.

“She talked to different people and the idea kind of caught on," Nancy said. "They set up the local War Mothers in Evansville. Little bit later, a congressman from Indiana introduced a bill in Washington to give them a national charter.”

The new group was called The War Mothers of America. Gertrude was its Acting President. Blatt noted that by the time of the first national convention, there were two million women in the U.S. interested in the movement.

War Mothers leaders marching at first convention. Far right is Gertrude Schulz. To her left, is Alice Gresham Dodd, mother of James Bethel Gresham, one of the first U.S. casualties in WW I.

Army life seemed to suit Chester, despite their rigorous basic training at Camp Taylor.

A daily schedule from the archives of Camp Taylor shows that reveille called at 5:45 a.m. and the men were almost continually active until taps was sounded at 10:30 p.m.

Chester wrote, “Our platoon is one of the few that has come through these hikes without losing a man. It was due to the fact that we didn’t sympathize with them when they began dragging, but instead, just urged them on and brought them all into camp. Lots of love, your kid brother, Chec.”

They received training in the use of bayonets, grenades and machine guns. They held
mock hand to hand combat battles in trenches.  The trench warfare would later prove almost useless in actual combat.

In September of 1918, their basic training complete, Chester and Company K boarded
the troop ship Karmala at the massive military port of Hoboken, New Jersey.

Chester noted an anniversary in his letter.

 “Aboard transport. Dear Mother and Dad, English Channel. It was a year ago today that we pulled out of the station for our introduction to military life. We have traveled and marched many a mile since then, and are today between four and five thousand miles from home. I don’t regret being here, but can’t hardly realize I’m so far away.”

The summer of 1918 flew by for Gertrude as she dealt with details of the War Mothers first national convention. It was to be held at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum, finished just two years earlier as Evansville’s showcase venue.

As noted in the Evansville Courier on Sept. 18, 1918, “They are here- the war mothers!

They have come from every part of the country to be present at the first national convention and to help in organizing the first society of its kind ever known in history.

Quite a number of the mothers arrived yesterday and each train into the city this morning will bring its load of women who have their boys overseas for the sake of democracy.”

Over 200 delegates from 22 states and the District of Columbia were on hand to hear Gertrude’s opening remarks to the gathering.

“Ladies, with great pleasure I greet you and welcome you here. You, the mothers, wives, sisters and may I add the sweethearts and friends of the grandest army that has ever fought in war, have gathered from far and near to organize another army that shall stand shoulder to shoulder with that army, over there. By our united effort we can do great things, and our boys shall realize that we can fight as well as they, using our own weapons. For our God, our country, humanity and our boys, we may do anything that may become a woman.”

A highlight of the convention was a cablegram from Chester that arrived during the event saying that the Evansville troops had arrived safely overseas. The news was greeted with loud cheers.

Another message to the convention, from a little higher up, is dated Sept. 18. It was a telegram from President Woodrow Wilson, thanking the group for their support of the war effort. The commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe, General John. J. Pershing, took time out a few days later to add his congratulations.

Pershing cabled, “The splendid example of patience and bravery which American mothers have set for their sons is a tremendous inspiration to the American Expeditionary Forces. In the name of these troops, I thank you for a message which assure us of the courageous spirit. Pershing”

The same day that he sent that telegram to Gertrude, Sept. 22, General Pershing formally assumed command of the Meuse-Argonne sector of northern France. It was in preparation for the offensive that would put Gertrude’s son on a cold, soggy hillside near the village of Cheveuges six weeks later.

Our search to document Chester’s experience in the American Expeditionary Force took us to France in July of 2018, along with Nancy and her sister, Ann Stevenson.

By going to France, we are able to bring context and clarity to the century-old letters and military records. It helped Nancy discover new information to update her account of her family’s story.

Steve Burger, Vice President of Radio at WNIN traveled to France in July, 2018 to document Posey County resident Nancy Hasting's journey to trace the steps of her great uncle, Chester Schulz, who was killed in battle at the end of World War One. She also was successful in getting a plaque installed on a First Infantry Division monument at Wadelincourt, France to honor his sacrifice.

To watch

"Chester and Gertrude (At War)" will air at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 on WNIN Public Television.

Part 2:Chester and Gertrude at War: Finding answers about Evansville soldier's death

Part 3:Chester and Gertrude at War: Months-long delay for news of Evansville soldier's WW I death