John William Forrester

John William Forrester
World War I
PFC US Army, Co A, 1st Machine Gun Battalion, 1st Infantry Division
born 5/13/1897 in Mountain City, TN to Mr. & Mrs. G. B. Forrester. 

His unit - the 1st Infantry Division - landed in France and were sent to Gondrecourt area for training.  The 1st Division fired the 1st shot of war at 6:05 am on 10/23/1917 and took the 1st German prisoners and also suffered the first losses. 

​ On 4/25/1918 the unit traveled by rail to the Cantigny Sector near Mondidier.  The objective was to capture Contigny, which while successful cost many American lives.  PFC Forrester was killed in action on 5/8/1918 and is buried at Somme American Cemetery, Bony France.