82nd Division, 327th Infantry Regiment (United States Army)
Date Of Birth:
21/06/1894
Died:
10/10/1918 (Killed in Action)
Age:
24
Summary
Corporal John Charles McKeown was born at ‘The Beeches’, Killygonland, Ardboe, County Tyrone. John Charles McKeown was listed as killed in action on 10th October 1918 during the U.S. Army’s biggest engagement in World War 1, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which was the largest U.S. engagement of the war and began on the 26th September 1918 and ended with the Armistice on 11th November 1918. In those few weeks of fighting the U.S. Army had lost 18,000 men.
Further Information
Corporal John Charles McKeown was born at ‘The Beeches’, Killygonland, Ardboe, County Tyrone.
John Charles McKeown as a schoolboy in 1905
John McKeown arrived at Ellis Island, New York on 19 October 1914. He arrived on the Cameronia which left from Londonderry.
On 18th May 1917, the Selective Service Act was passed authorizing the President of The United States Of America to increase temporarily the military establishment of the U.S. The Selective Service System, under the office of the Provost Marshal General, was responsible for the process of selecting men for induction into military service, from the initial registration to the actual delivery of men to military training camps.
During World War 1 there were three registrations. The first, on June 5th 1917, was for all men between the ages of 21 to 31. The second draft, on June 5th 1918, registered those men who attained the age of 21 after June 5th 1917, and a supplemental second draft was ordered on August 24th 1918 for those men who turned 21 after June 1918.The third draft registration was held on September 12th 1918, for men between the ages of 18 to 45.
The information included on each registration differs somewhat but the general information shown includes order and serial numbers, full name, date and place of birth, race, citizenship, occupation, personal description and signature.
John Charles McKeown was one of the 24 million men (about 23% of the population in 1918) eligible for the draft when the United States of America entered the First World War. His Draft Card states that he was born 21st June 1894, Stewartstown, County Tyrone, Ireland.
He worked was a Clerk in Providence, Rhode Island and had no dependants, was unmarried, caucasian, and had no previous military experience. He was described as tall, medium build, blue eyes and black hair, when he enlisted he was a resident of Lonsdale district, Providence, Rhode Island. Details were signed on behalf of the draft board by William Davie on 6th June 1917.
It is important to note that not all those who registered for the draft actually served in the military and not all men in the military registered for the draft.
John Charles McKeown was listed as killed in action on 10th October 1918 during the U.S. Army’s biggest engagement in World War 1, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which was the largest U.S. engagement of the war and began on the 26th September 1918 and ended with the Armistice on 11th November 1918. In those few weeks of fighting the U.S. Army had lost 18,000 men.
John Charles McKeown is buried in plot G, row 16, grave 2 at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France
He is commemorated in United States of America, Soldiers of The Great War, Volume 3 Rhode Island.
