Swedes on The Western Front

In preparation for my upcoming Swedes at the Western Front tour, which will take place in April 2025, I keep looking into those Swedes, both Swedish born and 1st generation US Swedes, who took part in the Meuse Argonne Offensive 1918.

One specific tour station will be about those who fought within the units who became surrounded by German units during the campaign, known as the “Lost Battalion”. The units were surrounded from 2nd to 7th of October 1918.

Dozens of sources were consulted for the creation of the full list which contains the names of those who fought in the units involved in the actions during those days and it represents what may be considered to be the most accurate accounting possible. Among those names I have up to this date found names with Swedish connections.

I have in earlier posts presented a list of those Swedes who were in those units.

I will now present an updated list with some new names added. (marked in yellow)

Erik Larson

Erik was born in Lysvik parish in Värmland, Sweden, October 20, 1894. He also had a twin sister. They were raised by their mother Maria Eriksdotter and father Lars Olsson. He took his surname from his father’s name Lars. Erik and his twin sister left Sweden for North America in February 1914.

Erik survived the actions during the days in October 1918, and later on died in September 18, 1978, in Seattle, Washington State, USA.

David Magnusson

David was born as David Natanael Magnusson in Sunne parish, Värmland, Sweden, January 24th, 1895. He was raised by his mother Brita Kajsa Lindberg and his father Magnus Gustafsson. He took his surname from his father’s name Magnus.

Magnus left Sweden for North America in October 1914. Magnus injured his left foot during the actions in October 1918, but survived the war and wet back to the USA, and later died in March 25, 1946, and is buried in Hartford, Connecticut.

Gustave A Munson

Gustave was born as Gustave Adolph Munson in Etter, Minnesota, USA, in May 13th, 1894. He was raised by his parents Anna Lovisa Gustafsdotter, born in Säby parish, Jönköping County, and his father Johan August Magnusson, also from the parish of Säby in Sweden. August left Sweden already in 1868 and Gustave’s mother Anna Lovisa left in 1879.

Gustave surname Munson comes from his father’s surname Magnusson, which sometimes becomes a shorter version, Månsson, and then it is easy to see how Månsson became Munson. This is the way of how I have to think when looking for history of those Swedish emigrants who went to North America and Canada, as they often changed their names, to make them easier to handle over there.

Gustave was injured in his right hand during the actions in the Argonne Woods, but survived the War and went home to the USA again. Gustave is today buried in Wayne, Michigan, USA. He became 90 years old.

Oscar A Swenson

Oscar was born in Pierre, South Dakota, October 30th, 1895. He was raised by his mother Julia Swenson and his father Ola Swenson. Both parents born in Sweden. At this moment I have no information about from where in Sweden his parents left, but Ola emigrated to North America in 1887, and Julia emigrated in 1891, according to census documents.

Oscar was killed in action October 8th, 1918, during the aftermath of fightings that took place during those days mentioned above. He is now buried in Meuse Argonne American Cemetery in France.

May them all rest in Peace.

One of the heavy and time consuming things in my research is to collect facts. I find it interesting to look through the facts I collect and in the future they will be a part in some compilations or studies, to create other perspectives in the subject about Swedish connections to American Expeditionary Forces in the Great War.

I have spent some time reading through files and lists containing the names of those who died during their service in the War. In this case I manually went through lists showing names of soldiers sorted in order of the states in the USA.

I have relied on my ever increasing experience to sort out names that I assume have connections to Sweden. I can not guarantee that I have found all of them, in this case, connected to the criteria below.

Below an example of how the lists look like.

The criteria in this compilation of names are as follows:

Officer who fought in the war
Born in Sweden and raised by Swedish born parents (both parents born in Sweden)
Born in the USA and raised by Swedish born parents (both parents born in Sweden)

The individuals are presented below with some basic facts.

Entered service from:

Colorado

1/LT Victor Bryan Wallin – Born April 15, 1896, Washburn, North Dakota – Died November 11, 1918, Pouilly, France. Buried in Riverview Cemetery, Washburn, North Dakota.

Illinois

2/LT William Chandler Peterson – Born December 24, 1894, Crystal Lake, Illinois – Died June 6, 1918, Chateau-Thierry, France. Buried in Union Cemetery, Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Lt Col Emil P Laursen – Born February 4, 1880, Oneida, Illinois – Died August 13, 1918, Gironde, France. Buried in Suresnes American Cemetery, Paris, France.

1/LT Eric Frederick Pihlgard – Born April 9, 1893, Chicago, Illinois – Died February 28, 1919, in Wilferdingen, Luxembourg. Buried Oak Woods Cemetery Chicago, Illinois.

Indiana

1/LT Arthur Theodore Johnson – Born March 31, 1896, Porter, Indiana – Died September 12, 1918, Flirey, Lorraine, France. Buried Augsburg Lutheran Church Cemetery, Porter, Indiana.

Iowa

Capt Edward O Fleur (Adolf Sigurd Flör) – Born June 22, 1872, Höreda, Eksjö, Sweden – Died May 27, 1918, Baccarat, Lorraine, France. Buried Woodland Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa.

1/LT Oscar Bernhard Nelson – Born April 15, 1880, Knäred, Halland, Sweden – Died October 16, 1918, Meuse, France. Buried Ottumwa Cemetery, Ottumwa, Iowa.

Kansas

2/LT Fred G (Gustaf Ferdinand) Austrom – Born February 13, 1891, Sundsvall, Västernorrland, Sweden – Died November 5, 1918, Issoudun, Centre, France. Buried in St Mihiel American Cemetery, France.

Massachusetts

2/LT Fred G (August Gottfrid) Wahlstrom – Born May 5, 1875, Horn, Mariestad, Skaraborg, Sweden – Died August 21, 1917, Bazeilles, Vosges, France. Buried Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, France

Michigan

1/LT Carl Adolph Johnson – Born July 22, 1891, Hennepin, Minnesota – Died June 23, 1918, Alsace, France. Buried in Hillside Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Capt Oscar Thomas (Germun) Falk – Born August 12, 1863, Stockholm, Sweden – Died August 1, 1918, Brasles, Aisne, France. Buried Riverside Cemetery, Menominee, Michigan.

Minnesota

Capt Oscar Emanuel Youngdahl – Born March 2, 1888, Red Wing, Minnesota – Died October 8, 1918, La Cheppe, Marne, France. Buried Oakwood Cemetery, Minnesota.

Missouri

1/LT Otto C Carlson (Otto Walfrid Häll Karlsson) – Born April 23, 1877, Ekebyborna, Motala Kommun, Östergötland, Sweden – Died August 17, 1918 in Suresnes, France. Buried Grandview Cemetery, Missouri.

New Jersey

2/LT Oscar Emil Hellquist – Born July 11, 1895, Brooklyn, New York – Died October 17, 1918, Busigny, France. Buried Somme American Cemetery, France.

New York

1/LT Rudolph Emmanuel Peterson – Born June 30, 1888, Jamestown, New York – Died November 4, 1918, Etraye, Lorraine, France. Buried Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, France.

2/LT Nils Johan Holm – Born September 22, 1890, Östhammar, Uppsala, Sweden – Died October 31, 1918, Clery-Le-Grande, Lorraine, France. Tablets of the missing in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, France.

1/LT Arthur Edward Granberg – Born June 25, 1888, Brooklyn, New York – Died November 1, 1918, Lambezellec, Bretagne, France. Buried Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, Picardie, France.

1/LT Charles G (Carl Gustaf Herman) Ostberg – Born July 4th, 1881, Stockholm, Sweden – Died September 30, 1918, Rouen, France. Buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

Ohio

1/LT Herbert Edward Anderson – Born January 28, 1894, Defiance, Ohio – Died September 28, 1918, Gesnes, Lorraine, France. Buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, France.

1/LT John Norman – Born March 25, 1870, Säffle, Värmland, Sweden (Not confirmed) – Died March 7, 1918, Rouge Bouquet, Luneville, France. Buried Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, France.

Wisconsin

1/LT Henry Stephanns Blomberg – Born August 3, 1892, Superior, Wisconsin – Died October 5, 1918, Cierges-Sous-Montfaucon, Lorraine, France. Buried Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, France.

Texas

2/LT Oscar William (Wilhelm) Nordquist – Born August 8, 1892, Sollefteå, Västernorrland, Sweden – Died September 26, 1918, Prény, France. Buried St Mihiel American Cemetery, France.