The others died of complications from the Spanish influenza outbreak in the fall of 1918. Of the 3,607 Minnesota war deaths, 1,432 were killed in combat or died of wounds. The overall Minnesota contingent included 104,416 troops from the Army, 11,236 from the Navy and 2,845 Marines. forces in WWI, some 2 million served with the Army and Marine Corps American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in France. Why the discrepancy? That question prompted Thompson to embark on a quest to digest anything he could about a war that has pretty much faded from the collective memory of recent generations.Īmerican involvement in the war began April 6, 1917, and ended Nov.
He has said as much in calls and emails sent since mid-February to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, the governor’s office and the American Legion.
“Minnesota WWI veteran families like mine … would appreciate it if the state of Minnesota would correct this numerical error of many years’ standing that misrepresents the service participation of our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents who fought as veterans from Minnesota in The Great War,” he wrote. In a lengthy email that served as a fascinating tutorial on the war, Thompson made the argument that the plaque should be corrected. Ruben Rosario: All of state’s WWI vets deserve to be honored – including those at home – Twin Cities
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