Barnett Bassman

Julius Aaronson’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 Private Barnett Bassman (ASN: 1897412), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 325th Infantry Regiment, 82d Division, A.E.F., near St. Juvin, France, 16 October 1918. When many squads of his company had been broken up and the men scattered, Private Bassman, with great courage, collected 15 men, who had become separated from their squads, and organized them into a provisional platoon, which he successfully led in the attack, thereby contributing materially to the success of his company.

Croix de Guerre (Unknown Level)

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Life & Service

Birth: 1 March 1894, Valine, Russia
Place of Residence:
Race/Ethnicity: Jewish American
Death:
Branch: Army
Military Rank: Private
Company: [A]
Infantry Regiment: 325th
Division: 82nd

Personal Narrative

Early Life (Pre-War): Includes general parent information, sibling information, education

Barnett Bassman was born in Valenska, Russia (Volodymyr-Volynskyy, Ukraine) on 1 March 1894 to unknown parents. Bassman arrived in the United States on or around 11 July 1910 via Antwerp, Belgium aboard the vessel Lapland. Bassman owned a grocery business up until his enlistment on 30 September 1917.

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

Bassman was assigned, as a Private, to Co. D, 302^nd Engineers until 8 March 1918, when he was assigned to Co. A, 325^th Infantry Regiment, 82^nd Division. Private Bassman began his overseas service on 25 April 1918; he was wounded on 14 October at St. Juvin, France on the, “left hand and in right leg with machine gun bullets”.

Private Bassman received the Distinguished Service Cross and French Croix de Guerre (Unknown Level) for his actions near St. Juvin, France on 16 October 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 Private Barnett Bassman (ASN: 1897412), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 325th Infantry Regiment, 82d Division, A.E.F., near St. Juvin, France, 16 October 1918. When many squads of his company had been broken up and the men scattered, Private Bassman, with great courage, collected 15 men, who had become separated from their squads, and organized them into a provisional platoon, which he successfully led in the attack, thereby contributing materially to the success of his company.”

Bassman was promoted to Private 1^st Class on 1 October. Bassman and his company left St. Nazaire, France aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship Mongolia on 19 January 1919, arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey on 30 January. Private 1C Bassman was Honorably Discharged on 13 March 1919.

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

Bassman’s whereabouts between 1920-1940 are unknown; he married Miriam Abraham (1903-1983) around 1930, the couple had one child, Norman (1933-). The family lived in the Bronx, New York in the 1940s (215 East Gunhill Road)-1950s, where Bassman worked as a grocer- at one point owning a store at 9 E. 208^th St., Bronx, New York.

Bassman died on 13 January 1968 in New York, New York; his burial place is unknown.