Honored Dead – World War I

   Listed here are men from the Klamath Basin who died while serving in the military during World War I. The list includes those who died in combat or as the result of accidental injury or illness.

   In some cases little or no information is available about individuals listed here. In most cases, additional information is on file at the Klamath County Museum.

Boggs, James
July 19, 1918, France

   Born on Sept. 25, 1888, in Olympia, Wash., James Boggs grew up in Lorella. He graduated with the class of 1910 and attended two years at the University of Nebraska. Boggs raised cattle with his father and brother in the Lorella area before entering the service on Sept. 18, 1917.
   He trained on the West Coast and served with Company A of the 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division. Boggs was sent to France in February of 1918, and died while passing through a heavy machine gun barrage. He was 29 at the time of his death and was the first from Klamath County to die during World War I.
   His name appears on the Tablets of the Missing at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. He was survived by his father, mother, a brother and a sister.

Cornish, Van Allen
July 23, 1918, France

   Born December 23, 1890, in Medford, Van Allen Cornish was one of the first young men of Klamath County to be drafted for service during World War I. Cornish worked as a dredge operator before entering the military. After entering the service he first went to Camp Lewis, and then to Camp Mills on Long Island. He was sent to France between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1917, and was hospitalized in France with scarlet fever that following spring.
   Cornish was 27 at the time that he was listed as missing in action. He was survived by his wife, the former Miss Loraine Blighton, and his mother, Mrs. Clara Davidson.

Gilbert, Everett

   Born June 27, 1893, in Illinois, Everett Gilbert worked and lived in Klamath Falls before entering the service.

Hamilton, Albert
Oct. 6, 1918, France

   Born April 4, 1891, in Albion, Nebraska, Albert Hamilton drove a dairy wagon for Klamath Falls Dairy before being drafted into the Army. Hamilton died of pneumonia while serving with Company F, 307th Oregon Division in France. He was 28 years old at the time of his death.
   Hamilton was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Jones, Albert
Nov. 9, 1918, Alaska

   Albert Jones graduated from high school in Klamath Falls and was employed with the Underwood Pharmacy for a number of years before entering the Army. He was serving with the medical corps in Alaska when he died of pneumonia. He was buried at Sitka National Cemetery at Sitka, Alaska.

Leines, Conrad
Oct. 4, 1918, France

   Conrad Leines served with the 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division. He was buried at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne, France.

Panagos, Nicholas
Oct. 1, 1918, France

   Panagos served with the 362nd Infantry Regiment, 91st Division

   Panagos is buried at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne, France.

Parazoo, James

Parrish, Leo
Oct. 11, 1918, France

   Born Oct. 10, 1890, in the Spring Lake area of Klamath County, Leo Parrish farmed in the Tule Lake area before enlisting in the Army. He served with Wagon Company 304, Quartermaster Corps and was sent to France in August of 1918. Parrish died of pneumonia while serving near the front, in charge of a detail of 20 men. He was 28 at the time of his death.   He was survived by his wife, Josephine; father, Henry S. Parrish; mother, Mrs. Arthur Eastman; and good friend, Sheriff Lloyd Low.

Peters, Raymond,
Sept. 15, 1918, France

   Raymond Peters, a longtime Klamath Falls resident, was employed at the White Pelican Garage and other garages in Klamath Falls and Lakeview. Peters was one of the first in the area to enlist when war was declared. He served as a mechanic with the 28th Aero Squadron with the Aviation Corps and was killed in an airplane crash.
   He was survived by his father and a sister.

Redfield, Don
October 1918, Portland, Oregon

   Born April 25, 1889, in Iowa, Don Redfield worked as a clerk in the Klamath Department Store. He was drafted into service and had been stationed in Portland where he contracted pneumonia and died. He was 29 at the time of his death.
   He was survived by his wife and mother.

Rovich, Paul
July 19, 1918, France

   Born March 28, 1894, in Oakland, Calif., Paul Rovich enlisted from Fort Klamath where he was employed on area ranches, and with the Utter & Burns Mill. 
   Rovich was initially reported as missing in action in September of 1918. It was reported in March of 1919 that he had died while serving in France. He was 24 at the time of his death.

Tolle, Lewis
Feb. 22, 1918, San Francisco

   Born Dec. 18, 1892, in Hardman, Ore., Lewis Tolle graduated from Klamath County High School in 1911. Tolle farmed in the Merrill area and enlisted in the Navy on Dec. 11, 1917.
   While stationed in San Francisco, Tolle died of pneumonia. He was 25 at the time of his death. Tolle’s body was returned home by train, and was greeted by the Women’s Relief Corps and six high school-aged boys who served as pall bearers. His funeral was the first service in Klamath County for a servicemember. He was survived by his parents.

Tower, Raymond
Oct. 26, 1918, Port Angeles, Wash.

   Born Dec. 21, 1887, in Atkinson, Neb., Raymond Tower came to Klamath County in 1903 with his parents. He was a farmer, and worked as a mechanic with the Bryant Mountain Sawmill near Malin before being assigned to military service on July 29, 1917. Tower was serving with the 128th Spruce Squadron when he died of influenza. He was 31 years old at the time of his death.
   Tower was survived by his wife, Charlotte; mother and father; three sisters and four brothers. He was buried at the Klamath Falls Cemetery.

Tucker, Frank
Nov. 25, 1918, France

   Born Nov. 20, 1891, in Yutan, Neb., Frank Tucker moved to Klamath Falls in 1914. He farmed in the Klamath Falls area and was also employed by the railroad. He left Klamath Falls to serve with the Army on June 25, 1918 and was a member of Company K of the 125th Infantry.
   Tucker was wounded while fighting in the Argone Forest and later died of his injuries. He was 28 years old at the time of his death.
   He was survived by his wife; a stepdaughter; his parents; four brothers and two sisters.

Turner, Jack

Weeks, Cecil
October 1918, Vancouver, Wash.

   Born on May 24, 1895, in Salinas, Calif., Cecil Weeks was a longtime Klamath Falls resident. Before registering for the selective draft, he operated an electrical business near the corner of Sixth and Main Streets.
   Shortly after entering the service, Weeks contracted influenza. He was 23 years old at the time of his death.
   Weeks was survived by his father, Henry weeks, and his sister, Dorothy weeks.