Chamblee man aboard Otranto, October 1918
James O. (Ollie) Wilson was born in Chamblee in 1896. He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 at the A-10 precinct in Atlanta. Three months later he married Elizabeth Delong of Dunwoody and in July of 1918 he was inducted into the military. Wilson began his training at Chamblee’s Camp Gordon but was soon sent to Fort Screven at Tybee Island, Georgia.
Atlanta welcomes soldiers of WWI Camp Gordon at Christmas
At 4 p.m. December 24, 1917, the bugle sounded and marches, drills, and rifle training paused until December 26 at 7 a.m. Eight thousand men headed to downtown Atlanta on the trolley or in cars. Other soldiers stayed on base where entertainment and a Christmas feast was planned.
Horses and Mules arrive at World War I Camp Gordon
By September of 1917, plans were announced for a Remount Station, near Johnson Ferry Road and north of Peachtree Road on one hundred and fifty acres. Today this is the location of a Lowe’s home improvement store. Prior to Lowe’s, the property was the location of a Frito-Lay plant.
Native Americans serve during World War I and at Camp Gordon
In May of 1918, twenty-five men from the Creek Nation were transferred from Camp Travis, Texas to Camp Gordon, a World War I encampment in Chamblee, Georgia.
Jewish soldiers at Chamblee's World War I Camp Gordon
A building constructed for Jewish soldiers at World War I Camp Gordon in Chamblee was completed October 1, 1918. It was known as the Little White House and was sponsored by the Jewish Welfare Board.
Country Squire Farm was at 1225 Meadow Lane, Dunwoody
If you look up 1225 Meadow Lane Road in Dunwoody on Google maps, you end up in the middle of the road between Walton Ashford Apartments Homes and Target near Perimeter Mall. This is where Country Squire Farm was located, the home of Arthur King Adams and Marie Butler Adams.
Soldiers inducted at Lexington, GA destined for Camp Gordon
I was recently told that Ed Labon of Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, a Black soldier who reported to Camp Gordon in 1917, is buried at Wilson Cemetery in Penfield, Georgia. He died April 13, 1940. Like many Black recruits, Labon was in the 157th Depot Brigade during World War I.