William Joseph Warfield

William Joseph Warfield was born to William (?-?) and Lucy (Maiden name unknown) (?-?) on 7 June, 1883 in Chicago, Illinois.

Before graduating from high school, William enlisted in the Illinois National Guard on 30 May, 1902, mustered into federal service on 30 June, 1916 for action in the Mexican Border War (1910-1919), and became a Commissioned Officer on 9 January, 1918.  William attended the Army School of Musketry in 1916 and 1918, qualifying for expert level marksmanship in machine gun and infantry weapons.

First Lieutenant Warfield was assigned as Platoon Commander of Company K, 8th Illinois Infantry Regiment, with the AEF at Camp Grant, Illinois when he and his company were sent to France in 1918. 1 Lt Warfield received the Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, and French Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star for his actions on 28 September, 1918 near Ferme-de-la-Riviere;

“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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) William J. Warfield, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company L, 370th Infantry Regiment, 93d Division, A.E.F., near Ferme-de-la-Riviere, France, 28 September 1918. Although separated with his platoon from the company, First Lieutenant Warfield continued to lead a stubborn resistance against enemy machine-gun nests, successfully capturing a gun and killing the crew. After having been severely wounded, he still continued in command, refusing relief until his objective was reached”. DSC War Department, G.O. No. 37, 1919.

“A remarkably brave officer. On the 30th of September, during an operation on the “Ferme de la Riviere”, he was wounded while leading his platoon to the assault, but he did not permit them to take him to the rear until the operation was ended. When he had returned shortly afterwards from the hospital, he again distinguished himself several times by his courage and animation”.

General Rondeau, Commanding Officer of the 59th Infantry Division. CDG under Order No. 62, dated November 24, 1918.

WIA 30 September 1918, Awarded PH 11 November, 1935.

1 Lt. Warfield and the 370^th Infantry Regiment HQ Co. left Brest, France on 2 February, 1919, arriving at Camp Upton, New York on 9 February, 1919.

William married Willour Mae Easton (1886-1962) on December 1, 1903 in Chicago, Illinois; they had three children, Elva Kathryn (1906-1986), Lucille (1909-1991), and William Audrey (1911-2007). Warfield and his wife separated sometime in the early 1920s. Warfield worked as a real estate broker in Chicago, later for the Cook County Board of Assessors, and finally as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives (1928-1944, 5^th District); for this position, retiring from the military to retain his seat until 1944.

Warfield married Mabel Ethel Terrell (1893-1957) in 1923, after she divorced her first husband. Warfield began residing at Downey Veterans Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, in Lake County, Illinois in the early 1950s for an unknown reason. As a majority of the patients in the facility were diagnosed with serious mental health conditions, Warfield was assumedly in need of full-time care. He died in the facility on 17 February 1966, and is buried at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.