Thomas M. Nial

Herb's wounded friend has been found by my own 3rd cousin, Chuck C.!

Thomas M. Nial was living just down the street from Herb and is only 2 years older than Herb. It appears that he also enlisted. I believe he was in the Signal Corps, if I am reading these documents correctly. Seems he went ROTC and was employed at the Madison Barracks in NY. One can find more information about the Barracks here.



I copied this photograph from the Ancestry web site.



Now, this image, also from Ancestry, would seem to indicate that he did not get wounded.... Odd. I am not sure what to make of it. It claims he was at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC and it claims he was overseas until October 18, 1919.

Now, I found another document on Ancestry...



Ok, maybe I have figured this out.... he was in ROTC in school and he was a private. Then he was promoted to First Lieutenant and served overseas. Why they would make two cards or abstracts for him, I don't know. And perhaps he was not wounded in action - maybe he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or maybe there was some sort of accident. I am not sure where this information might be had.

Oh, wait - it says that he "was reported 30 per cent disabled on date of discharge in view of occupation" Huh. I suppose I could write the Archives to find out more information about him.

It seems, through Ancestry, that Tom got married and died in North Carolina. Though, of course I am not 100% certain I have the 'right' person.

I just found Tom and his family in the Troy, NY 1920 Federal Census and flipping one or two pages I find Herb's family in the same census. So, I guess I did (wait, I mean Chuck!) find the 'right' person. Tom is living at home with his mother and father, no profession listed. According to the 'related content' on Ancestry, he did marry, and he did travel. I hope Tom had a very nice life and he has lots of descendants who loved him.

This information seems appropriate for Veteran's Day, doesn't it? I want to express my gratitude to all the soldiers who put themselves in harm's way to protect the rest of us; and to their families, for I can only imagine what a sacrifice it is for them.