VETERANS DAY 
Questing Heirs Wishes All a Happy Holiday 

Wikipedia tells us that, “Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.”

photo: QHGS Blogger’s genealogy archive

The photograph above shows WWI Army soldier Louis R. Zito. Louis arrived in the United States from Corleto Perticara, Italy, at age 10 in 1905 with his mother and siblings. He received his U. S. Citizenship at Camp Devens by serving in the Army during WWI. He saw service in the 301st Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 151st FA Bde., 76th Infantry Division. The 76th Division was a National Army division consisting of men from the New England states and northern New York. The division camp for the 76th was (then) Camp Devens, Mass. The 76th was deployed to Europe in July 1918. Due to heavy casualties taken by US forces at St.Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, the 76th was used as a “depot division” supplying replacements for decimated units already on the line. The 301st FA Regt. was re-assigned to the 3rd Depot Division, part of the 5th US Army Corps in France. This regiment, which originally was organized as a 75mm howitzer outfit, was returned to the US in January, 1919.

Information about Camp Devens is available at https://worldwar1letters.wordpress.com/the-adventure-unfolds/watchful-waiting-1917/training-encampments/camp-devens-home-of-new-englands-own/.

RESEARCH TIP: How many veterans are on your family tree? Do you know about the regiments, brigades, divisions, companies, etc. each veteran fought with? Research your veterans’ service histories to find out more about their lives.