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Lithuanians in the Great gaidis-Nov-Dec-v6-2018.qxp_Layout 1 25/10/18 11:18 AM Page 18 Lithuanian Americans in the Great War By Henry L. Gaidis any Lithuanian immi- However, the Great War was a cata- immigrants’ dreams of return to grants who came to lyst contributing to their American- their former way of life, given the MAmerica during the early ization. When the Great War began upheavals and uncertainties relating 1900s planned on returning to in Europe in 1914 virtually all con- to events taking place in Lithuania Lithuania and initially had little in- tact between Lithuanian American proper at the time. terest in becoming American citizens immigrants and their families in As the Great War began, many or establishing new lives in America. Lithuania suddenly ceased, as did the Americans had concerns about the large size of the nation’s immigrant population and its loyalties. By 1910, nearly a third of the nation’s popu- lation was foreign born or was com- prised of the children of foreign- born parents. This included over a quarter million Lithuanians. To help Americanize its immigrant popula- tion, the U.S. government and many political and civic organizations be- gan sponsoring and encouraging pa- triotic holidays such as the Fourth of July. Such events were enthusias- tically supported within the nation’s Lithuanian communities where many of its members were already engaged in the assimilation process. The government increased efforts to ensure that immigrants shun for- eign loyalties, develop good English language skills, and be willing and able to serve in the armed forces. Accordingly, approximately half a million immigrants from 46 different nations, accounting for about 18% of its entire troops, did serve, loy- ally, and ably, during World War I. Today we like to think that most Lithuanians willingly volunteered for American military service, but in re- ality a large portion only answered the call to duty upon being drafted. Still, they reported to duty and served honorably. Although a num- ber of authors have made outlandish claims about the number of Lithua- U.S government poster designed to help Americanize immigrants, ca. 1917. (U.S. Library nians who served, most historians of Congress archive) place the actual number at about 18 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE November / December 2018 gaidis-Nov-Dec-v6-2018.qxp_Layout 1 25/10/18 11:18 AM Page 19 62,424 soldiers, sailors, and marines, of which 645 were killed in action and 884 died of other causes. A research project was recently completed by members of the American Legion, Lithuanian Post 154, in Baltimore, Maryland, which sought to identify Lithuanian Americans from Maryland who served. This project examined mil- itary and census records and through them identified 153 Lithuanian soldiers, sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen. Of WWI American troops in combat. (National Archives) the identified Maryland veterans, 76 were born in Lithuania, Russia, 30,000, including both volunteers even Lithuanians with Poles. Who or Poland, while another 76 were and draftees. The immigrant popu- they were before or what divided American born. Many of the lation also contributed on the home them in the past no longer mattered. names were misspelled or Ameri- front, providing vital support to pro- They all learned to get along to- canized, but the Lithuanian back- duction of coal, oil, steel, textiles, gether while fighting or working to- ground of each person was verified lumber, clothing, food, and many gether as one people sharing a com- through either place of birth or other wartime necessities. Just to cite mon purpose. language spoken at home as re- one example: 10,000 of the 30,000 It is estimated that of the 4.7 ported in census records. Fifty-five Bethlehem Steel Pennsylvania fac- million Americans who served in the served overseas, 4 were killed-in tory workers were foreign born. Great War, 116,516 died while in the action, 5 were wounded, and 2 died Many of the foreign workers in in- service, and approximately 420,000 of illnesses or other causes. Two dustries supporting the war effort were wounded or became ill from thirds of the identified Maryland were women who were entering the diseases contracted in the line of Lithuanian Americans did not labor force for the first time. Some duty. Of the recorded deaths, 53,402 serve overseas, but remained in the women volunteered to serve in the were in combat and 63,114 were United States, having been assigned ranks of the American military and from diseases, especially from the vital support activities, or they were served with distinction, equal to that 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. still in training when the conflict of their male counterparts. Regard- The State of Maryland provided ended. Approximately a third of less whether an immigrant served in those who went overseas served in the military or on the home front, support roles behind enemy lines. he or she substantially contributed The number listed as serving over- to the nation’s war effort. seas was an underestimate, as it While immigrants were serving failed to count a substantial num- in the military or working in wartime ber who served in the Navy aboard industries alongside their fellow vessels protecting vital American Americans, they were becoming sea lanes beyond the nation’s terri- more American. For many, this was torial waters. About a third of the first opportunity to interact on those going overseas served were a personal level with people from involved in front line fighting in- completely different backgrounds. volving frequent hand to hand com- The sharing of a common life and bat and suffering attacks from poi- death cause led to lifelong friend- son gas or from airplanes above ships. Yankees became friends with battle fields in France, Italy, Russia, Southerners, city slickers with hay- and elsewhere. Regardless of where seed farmers, bankers with factory Pvt. Mindow Zemaitis. K.A. means “killed or in which branch of the military laborers, Englishmen with Irish, and in action”. they served, each and every one of November / December 2018 LITHUANIAN HERITAGE 19 gaidis-Nov-Dec-v6-2018.qxp_Layout 1 25/10/18 11:18 AM Page 20 would not be deterred and travelled ing intense combat. Frank lies buried to Philadelphia where he lied about in the Oise-Aisne American Ceme- his age to recruiters. On May 2, tery at Fere-en-Tardenois, France, 1917, Mindow was accepted into among his fallen comrades. U.S. Marine Corps when he was only Witold M. Sokolowsky was 15 years old. Following completion born in Vilnius and immigrated to of basic training, Mindow was as- the United States in the hopes of signed to the 43d Company, 5th U.S. finding a better life. He settled in Marine Regiment. On July 3, 1917, Baltimore and found work in various his regiment was one of the first local garment shops. Witold was in- American units sent to France. ducted into military service on Sep- Upon arrival, he took part in some tember 24, 1917, when he was 27 of the heaviest fighting during the years old. After completing basic war. His regimental battle honors in- training, Private Sokolowsky was as- clude the Toulon-Troyon Sector, signed to Company C, 313th U.S. Aisne, and Chateau-Thierry, names Infantry Regiment, 79th Division. Pvt. Zemaitis grave marker in France. that live in American military history. On July 8, 1918, Witold and his unit One year later, on June 13, 1918, were sent to France. There he fought these veterans contributed to the na- while only 16 years of age, Private gallantly in the Avon Court Sector, tion’s struggle, and some gave all Zemaitis was killed in action in hand Meuse-Argonne and the Troyon for God and Country. to hand fighting with German sol- The contribution of Lithuanian diers in the Chateau-Thierry Sector. immigrants to the Great War can He lies buried in the Aisne-Marne best be understood through individ- American Cemetery at Belleau, ual stories. As noted above, of the France. He was the youngest of the six Lithuanian American casualties 6 Maryland Lithuanian Americans from Maryland, four were killed in who gave their lives for their action, one died from disease, and adopted country during the Great one from other causes. Space pre- War. cludes providing much detail about Frank Zitaitis was born in Kau- each of the identified heroes, but it nas and, like many of his fellow is fitting that we at least recount countrymen, must have fled his then briefly each man’s story. Russian occupied homeland in the Mindow (Mindaugas?) Leonard hopes of finding a better life in Zemaitis was the youngest of our America. Very little is known about fallen heroes, and was the first to be Frank’s life, but he appears to have Unknown soldier grave marker. killed in action. He was born on Sep- immigrated to America with, or tember 8, 1901, in Lithuania, and seeking to join, his sister Barbara brought to the United States as an Narbutus and her husband. At the infant along with his older brother time he joined the U.S. Army, on by his immigrant parents. The family September 8, 1917, Frank was re- settled in Baltimore, Maryland, siding in a boarding house in Balti- where his father obtained work in a more. After completing his basic medical equipment factory. Here his training, he was assigned to Com- sister was born. Young Mindow was pany I, 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment, raised in the local Lithuanian Com- 3rd Division. His unit was sent over- munity. We don’t know when or why seas, and on March 30, 1918, it took he developed his patriotic American part in heavy fighting in the Aisne, fervor, but when war was declared Chateau-Thierry Sector, Cham- he immediately attempted to join the pagne-Marne, and Aisne-Marne.
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