Harold Ides Eisenhauer, World War I Veteran

July 26, 2008

After digging through some of my grandmother’s research I have found quite a bit of information on my great-grandfather, Harold Ides Eisenhauer. Using that information I thought I would write a brief profile on his life.

Early Life
Harold was born January 25th, 1897 in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. He was the second child of Ides Ulysses Eisenhauer and Charlotte Southall. He grew up there, was educated there and even worked leading the mules from the famous Pennsylvania mines. He moved with his family to Kenosha, Wisconsin in the early 1900’s (see The Eisenhauers in Wisconsin post for more information). I know for sure he was in Wisconsin by October of 1917 since his enrollment record lists him as a resident of Kenosha at the time.

World War I
Harold would have been 17 years old when World War I broke out - initially, however; the U.S. did not enter the war. Then on April 6, 1917, when Harold was 20 years old, the U.S. Congress declared war on Germany. Less than 4 months later, on October 3, 1917, Harold enlisted at the Navy Recruiting Station in Milwaukee, WI. At the time, he had been living with his parents on 701 South Pleasant Street in Kenosha, WI.

After his enlistment he was transferred to the Naval Training Station in Great Lakes, IL where he was instructed during November and part of December.

Upon completion of his instructionary training in Illinois, Harold was again transferred this time to the USS Ohio for additional, on-boat, instruction. Shortly after arriving at the USS Ohio he was again transferred to Boston (the “Receiving Ship at Boston”) and from the receiving ship he went to his final assignment aboard the USS Salem. According to the records he was on the USS Salem by March 31, 1918 at the latest.

Aboard the USS Salem he served for the remaineder of his tour. He was honorably discharged on June 5, 1919.

The USS Salem was one of the first “Light Cruisers,” of Chester-Class cruiser designation and the first Navy ship named after the city of Salem, Massechusetts.

Here is a paragraph on the USS Salem and its use in World War I that I found on Wikipedia:

Recommissioned on 25 July 1917, while still undergoing overhaul, Salem stood out of Boston harbor on 12 March 1918 for New London, Connecticut, to join a force gathering to convoy submarine chasers across the Atlantic. Between 31 March and 15 June 1918, she served as flagship for two convoys of submarine chasers, leaving both at Ponta Delgada, Azores, and returning westward. On 18 June, she became a flagship of a flotilla of 12 submarine chasers assigned to Key West to operate against German submarines. Arriving at Key West on the 22d, Salem’s force carried out antisubmarine patrols off Florida and as far south as the Yucatán Peninsula through the remainder of World War I.

One page of his service records indicates “Victory Medal Issued.” I do not know who currently has Harold’s victory medal or if it even still exists, however my grandmother does have his sailor’s hat from the Salem.

Marriage and Life After the War
He married Mary B. Lynch on May 11, 1919. Mary was a native of Boston. Perhaps he was returned to the Navy Receiving ship in Boston after the war and perhaps that is where he met Mary. According to Mary Lynch’s death notice, they remained in Boston until 1924, when they returned to Kenosha.

After his return to Kenosha he worked in the American Brass factory in Kenosha until his death.

Children
Harold had seven children with Mary. His children are as follows: Melville (Mellie/Millie), Harold (Brod), Roy, Dave, Mary, Wesley, Eleanor

$Harold and Mary\'s Children$ I believe Mellie and Brod were born in Boston and the rest were born in Kenosha.