Individual Details
Guy Herman Wehland
(29 Nov 1893 - 20 Sep 1918)
The Arcadia Journal, Arcadia, California, Saturday, September 28, 1918, Front Page, Col. 4: Two Balloon Men Killed By Bomb. Third Badly Injured Friday in Mysterious explosion Out in Hills Near Puente. The first fatalities that have occurred at the Army Balloon school since it was founded in June resulted late last Friday from the mysterious explosion of a supposedly harmless smoke bomb, which killed two and seriously injured another. The dead are Pvt. Guy Weyland [Wehland] of the 65th Company, a resident of Nebraska, and Pvt. Baily Thompson of the 52nd company, from New York. Pvt. James Lockwood Runely was critically injured.
Maj. Harris, camp adjutant, stated that camp authorities were making a theory that enemy agents may have been responsible for the blast and that the smoke bomb which exploded with unusual violence may have been tampered with. Five soldiers, comprising the operators of the "artillery range' between Peunte and El Monte, were at work all day Friday providing imitation "hits' with smoke bombs in order that the observers in the balloons several miles away could get practice in the correcting range. The smoke bombs used usually flash with a white puff, and without report. After the last of the bombs had been set off Friday, the men were preparing to return to camp when one of the bombs exploded with a terrific force. Weyland [Wehland] and Thompson, standing close to the flash pan, were killed instantly. One of the other men was very seriously injured, and the other two were badly hurt to the force of the explosion. An operation was performed Saturday in an effort to save the life of Pvt. Runely. Funeral service for the dead soldiers were held at the chapel of Turner & Stevens in Pasadena, Saturday afternoon at 5 o'clock. There was a military escort from the camp, and the camp band playing during the services.
Maj. Harris, camp adjutant, stated that camp authorities were making a theory that enemy agents may have been responsible for the blast and that the smoke bomb which exploded with unusual violence may have been tampered with. Five soldiers, comprising the operators of the "artillery range' between Peunte and El Monte, were at work all day Friday providing imitation "hits' with smoke bombs in order that the observers in the balloons several miles away could get practice in the correcting range. The smoke bombs used usually flash with a white puff, and without report. After the last of the bombs had been set off Friday, the men were preparing to return to camp when one of the bombs exploded with a terrific force. Weyland [Wehland] and Thompson, standing close to the flash pan, were killed instantly. One of the other men was very seriously injured, and the other two were badly hurt to the force of the explosion. An operation was performed Saturday in an effort to save the life of Pvt. Runely. Funeral service for the dead soldiers were held at the chapel of Turner & Stevens in Pasadena, Saturday afternoon at 5 o'clock. There was a military escort from the camp, and the camp band playing during the services.
Events
| Birth | 29 Nov 1893 | Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa |  | ||
| Marriage | 10 Jun 1917 | Palmyra, Otoe Co., Nebraska - Helen Leona Moyer | | ||
| Death | 20 Sep 1918 | Arcadia, Los Angeles Co., California | | ||
| Burial | Prairie Home Cemetery, Holdrege, Phelps Co., Nebraska | |
Families
| Spouse | Helen Leona Moyer (1894 - 1971) |
| Child | Guy Royneil Wehland (1918 - 1975) |
Endnotes
1. A Kirkpatrick Genealogy; Melvin Kirkpatrick & David Hudson, 1995.
2. A Kirkpatrick Genealogy; Melvin Kirkpatrick & David Hudson, 1995.
3. A Kirkpatrick Genealogy; Melvin Kirkpatrick & David Hudson, 1995.
4. Find A Grave.