Orville Utzinger of Highland saw action in World War I as a Marine
“In 1917, The United States had only 130,000 troops, plus 170,000 National Guardsmen and an experienced Naval fleet. The U.S. started registering young men 18 and older for the draft to follow…
“The Russians had started the Eastern Front in early 1917, against the Germans but had suffered a million causalities. Fighting on two fronts, Germany could look to the future with very little optimism if military matters on the Eastern and Western fronts were not resolved soon, before the American Expeditionary Forces would arrive in early 1918.
“The German submarines continued to sink the British merchant fleet and warships. Sinking 181 Allied ships in January 1917, 230 ships in February and 325 in March. Then the tide began to turn against the Germans, as they sank only 14 ships between August and November 1917.
“The British Fleet set up a blockade against Germany, so that they could not get in their vital supplies from other overseas ports.”
(The above quotes are from History of World War I, Volume 1, by Marshall Cavendish, which can be found at the Louis Latzer Memorial Public Library. Thanks, Sean Riggs.)
The book Pass in Review by Allan C. Huber notes several Highland Navy veterans who contributed to the war effort at sea. Huber had the following:
▪ Richard C. Kamm enlisted in the U.S. Navy on June 18, 1918. After boot camp, he served on the USS Yantic on the Great Lakes as a boatswain mate second class.
▪ Milton A. Klaus, seaman in U.S. Navy, son of Mrs. Bertha Klaus of Grantfork, enlisted on Jan. 7, 1918. After boot camp, he was on USS Oregon, then USS Gridley, a destroyer. He was discharged May 1, 1919
▪ Joseph B. Trautner, 16-year-old son of Mrs. Regina Trautner, enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Oct. 23, 1900. During those years, he served on 17 different ships. On the USS Ohio, they had an engagement with a German submarine for six hours; they won, and he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the Navy for heroism. Trautner developed tuberculosis and was in a Denver sanitarium when the Pass in Review was published, having served over 19 years.
▪ Leroy Troutt, son of Mrs. John Troutt, enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Jan. 24, 1915. He was a ship’s cook, first class, serving on the USS South Carolina, which later was used in convoying troops from New York to France
▪ Benedict Zobrist, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Zobrist, age 21, enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving eight years. Zobrist was a warrant officer and electrical engineer. He was honorably discharged, but was called back on April 6, 1917. He served aboard the USS Zeppelin, making three trips transporting troops to France, then hunting and sinking German submarines at sea.
The only two Marines that Huber could find for his book, Pass in Review, from Highland who served during World War I were Edwin Blum and Orville L. Utzinger.
Blum, age 19, was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Caspar Blum. He enlisted in the Marines in December 1918 and transferred to the Philadelphia Navy Yards for military police duty.
Utzinger, age 22, the son of Mr. & Mrs. Henry Utzinger, enlisted July 20, 1918. His father, Henry, was a butcher, purchasing the Joseph Speckart Butchershop at Main & Pine. He then purchased the Western Hotel, on 6th Street, south across from the railroad depot.
Orville Utzinger saw action with the 2nd Division Marines at Belleau Woods and Chateau-Thierry. Orville later worked for the city of Highland and was the sexton at Highland City Cemetery for many years.
(The above two paragraphs are from ‘Pass in Review’ by Allan C. Huber. This ‘Pass in Review’ book was a gift from another World War I veteran, the late Mr. & Mrs. Carl Siegrist and their son Herbert. I will be giving this book to the new ‘Highland Home Museum’, look for #81, on our computer, at the museum.)
This story was originally published August 16, 2016 at 9:53 AM with the headline "Orville Utzinger of Highland saw action in World War I as a Marine."