Elmer Ellsworth Earl

Elmer Ellsworth Earl’s Personal Narrative was derived from information found in public records, military personnel files, and local/state historical association materials. Please note that the Robb Centre never fully closes the book on our servicemembers; as new information becomes available, narratives will be updated to appropriately represent the life story of each veteran.

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Military Honor(s):

Distinguished Service Cross

Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Corporal Elmer Earl (ASN: 104395), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company K, 369th Infantry Regiment, 93d Division, A.E.F., at Ripont Swamp, France, 26 September 1918. While passing through a swamp where most of the platoon was wounded, Corporal Earl dressed the wounds of several of his comrades, and, after reaching the shelter of a hill beyond, returned repeatedly and assisted many of his comrades to a place of safety.

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Life & Service

  • Birth: 31 January 1892, Goshen, NY, United States
  • Place of Residence: Paterson, NJ, United States
  • Race/Ethnicity: African American
  • Death: 18 November 1962 Middletown, NY, United States
  • Branch: Army
  • Military Rank: Corporal
  • Company: [K]
  • Infantry Regiment: 369th
  • Division: 93rd
Personal Narrative
Early Life (Pre-War): Includes general parent information, sibling information, education Toggle Accordion

Elmer Ellsworth Earl was born to John Earl (1960-1915) and Josephine DeGrout (1865-1934) on 31 January 1892 in Goshen, Orange County, New York. Earl was the eldest of five children, John (1893-?), Sarah (1895-1946), Marcellus (1904-1949) and Margaret (1905-1976). The family settled in Goshen, where Earl, Sr. worked as a farm and day laborer in the city.

Service: Includes a summary of transfers, rank change(s), training, enlistment, and discharge locations Toggle Accordion

Earl enlisted in the New York National Guard on 12 May 1917, Mustering into service with Company K, 15th Infantry Regiment on 25 July. The NYNG was re-designated, and Earl became a Corporal (promoted from Private in August of 1917) in Company K, 369th Infantry Regiment, sailing from Hoboken, New Jersey aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship Pocahontas on 12 December 1917.

The following is listed on his New York National Guard Abstract in relation to his rank history, “Corporal August 1917. Private Nov. 23 1918. Corporal May 29 1918”.

Corporal Earl received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at Ripont Swamp, France on 26 September 1918;

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Corporal Elmer Earl (ASN: 104395), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company K, 369th Infantry Regiment, 93d Division, A.E.F., at Ripont Swamp, France, 26 September 1918. While passing through a swamp where most of the platoon was wounded, Corporal Earl dressed the wounds of several of his comrades, and, after reaching the shelter of a hill beyond, returned repeatedly and assisted many of his comrades to a place of safety.”

Corporal Earl and Company K left Brest, France aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship La France on 2 February 1919, arriving in New York on 9 February. He was Honorably Discharged on 22 February.

Later Life (Post-War): Includes post-war education, occupation, marriage(s) and/or children, location and date of death Toggle Accordion

Earl married Jeanette Dixson Mendza (1901-?) in 1920, they had seven children; Fayeline (1920-1988), Elmer Earnest (1923-1991), John James (1924-1991), Sarah Jane (1926-2000), Novella (1929-?), Norman Maisen (1932-2009), and Frank (1934-?). The family lived in Paterson, Passaic County, New Jersey in the 1930s-1940s, where Earl worked in various labor positions. Earl married Carsina Van Ellsyk (1918-1973) at some point before 1950- they had one daughter, Cornelia (1938-2002).

Earl and his family remained in Paterson, where he retired as a painter and decorator. Earl died at St. Joseph’s Hospital* on 18 November 1962 after a long-term illness, it is currently unknown where he is buried.

 

*Could be either St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, NJ or Middletown, NY.

Excerpt from W. Allison Sweeney's History of the American Negro in the Great World War

“Corporal Elmer Earl, also of Co. K, living in Middletown, N.Y., won the DSC. He explained:

We had taken a hill Sept. 26 in the Argonne. We came to the edge of a swamp when the enemy machine guns opened fire. It was so bad that of the 58 of us who went into a particular strip, only 8 came out without being killed or wounded. I made a number of trips out there and brought back about a dozen wounded men.”

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