Named 80th Division Uniform
Hello everyone,
I came across this uniform a few months ago and thought I'd post some pictures of it. It belonged to PFC Robert H. Lewis. Mr. Lewis, a native of Loudoun County, Virginia, was was born in
1892 and died in 1978. He was a farmer and a Laborer. I'm still researching Mr. Lewis and hopefully can find some more information about his life.
I found some surprises in the pockets of the uniform when I got home....extra, nicely preserved insignia and an index card with information written by an individual who purchased the uniform from Lewis's estate over 40 years ago.
The 80th Division in which Mr. Lewis served was nicknamed the “Blue Ridge Division.” It organized at Camp Lee, Virginia in August 1917 and trained for 10 months. On June 8, 1918, the Division sailed for France. The division had earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the most effective combats units in the U.S. Army. It fought in the Somme and Saint-Mihiel Offensives and was the only U.S. division to take part in all three phases of the massive Meuse-Argonne Campaign. The division returned on the USS Zeppelin, which landed in Norfolk, VA. on May 28, 1919.
Thanks for taking a look.
Tom
Tom
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