Private Jesse James Blanton
Early Life
On August 4, 1890, Jesse James Blanton was born to Mary Ellen and James Lee Blanton in Moody, Texas. The family moved to Norman, Oklahoma Territory by 1905 (Oklahoma became a state in 1907). He and his eleven siblings were raised in Norman, Oklahoma.
In 1909 he began working as a linesman for Oklahoma Gas and Electric and worked in the same job until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in April 1918. As the oldest child, Blanton and his brother, Gus, took on the role of breadwinners when their father died in 1916. Jesse provided the largest contribution to the monthly family income. He continued to live at home and help his family until he enlisted in the Army. Along with his family, his girlfriend sent him off to serve in the American Expeditionary Forces.
Military Experience
Blanton became a member of the 90th Division, 344th Machine Gun Battalion, Company C and began his training at Camp Travis, Texas. By the end of June, Jesse and the other members of his division, known as the Texas-Oklahoma Division, were on their way to France to join the fighting.
Blanton and his fellow doughboys provided artillery support for the St. Mihiel offensive. Following the success of the Americans at St. Mihiel, the French began to see the fighting force as a dependable and effective army and shifted many of the St. Mihiel units toward Verdun for the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Sometime after September 15 Private Blanton was wounded and hospitalized. His battle wounds proved too serious to overcome and on October 7, 1918, Jesse Blanton died in the Justice Field Hospital in Toul, France, and was buried in the temporary cemetery there.
Eulogy
Private Jesse James Blanton is memorialized at his final resting place in St. Mihiel American Cemetery in Thiaucourt, France.
Brown, G. Waldo, comp. The American Army in the World War: A Divisional Record of the American Expeditionary Forces In Europe. Manchester: Overseas Book Company, 1921. archive.org/details/americanarmyinwo00brow.
Haulsee, W. M., Howe, F. G., Doyle, A. C., and Soldiers Record Publishing Association. Soldiers of the Great War. Washington, D.C.: Soldiers Record Publishing Association, 1920.
“Jesse James Blanton.” American Battle Monuments Commission. Accessed June 12, 2018.. www.abmc.gov/search-abmc-burials-and-memorializations/detail/WWII_40583#.VOmiA7COHfZ.
Jesse James Blanton, Official Military Personnel File, Department of the Army, RG 319, National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.
Jesse James Blanton, World War I Burial Case File; Correspondence, Reports, Telegrams, Applications and Other Papers relating to Burials of Service Personnel, Records of the Quartermaster General’s Office, 1915-1935, Record Group 92; National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.
The Machine Gun Co. to which these men belong is supporting the 358th…. Photograph. October 25, 1918. National Archives and Records Administration (111-SC-157901). Image.
War Diaries, 90th Division; Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I), Record Group 120 (Box 2937); National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
War Diaries, 90th Division; Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I), Record Group 120 (Boxes 2944-2955); National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.
Wythe, George, and 90th Division Association. A History of the 90th Division. New York: The 90th Division Association, 1920. archive.org/details/ahistorythdivis00assogoog.
Contributor
Contributed by Mrs. Amanda Kordeliski
Norman High School North
2017-2018
