Individual Details

Article being prepared for publication in the Frey Journal by Ronald L. Ellis
Columbus was inducted in Bonham, TX on September 19, 1917 and was assigned to Battery F of the 344th Field Artillery Regiment. His mother’s first cousin, Alphonzo “Fonnie” Fry was a member of the 343rd FA, both part of the 165th Field Artillery Brigade and the 90th Division, so their experiences would have been similar.
Columbus left for Europe on June 30, 1918 on the USS Runic, sailing out of Boston Harbor and arriving in Liverpool, England on July 14. After a very short stay, they trained to Southampton where they were put on boats to cross the English Channel, arriving in Cherbourg, France on July 18. Prior to leaving for Europe, Columbus had been promoted to Private First Class. About the time they arrived, he had been assigned as a Mechanic, to maintain and repair the artillery, rather than just fire them.
From there, the 344th was moved to Camp Hunt, south of Bordeaux, France for artillery training. On October 11th they had been moved to Andelot, France in preparation for advancing to the front. But that was not to be. They were waiting for additional horses to move their guns when November 11 brought a cessation of hostilities.
As the 90th Division was selected to remain as part of the Army of Occupation, the troops were then moved on up and into German territory, on the Moselle River in Rheinsh Prussia.
Between May 17th and 24th, 1919, the entire 90th Division was moved by train to St. Naziare, France for embarkation to return home. One June 2, 1919 Columbus and the rest of the 344th FA boarded the USS Suwanee for their trip home, with a recorded destination of Camp Jackson, outside Columbia, SC. They arrived on June 15th.
Columbus was discharged on June 27, 1919 when the 344th Field Artillery Regiment was demobilized.



Texas Death Certificate #56310 Columbus D. Casey died at the VA Hospital in Bonham. His residence was 404 Commerce St, in Ladonia, Fannin Co, TX. He was born 4 Feb 1894 in New Mexico [wrong] He was married and worked as a cotton ginner. He had served in WW I. Father was Columbus D. Casey; mother was Sidney Fry. The information came from VA records. He died 8 Aug 1970 of cancer of the bladder with metastases and had been ill since April of 1869. He was buried Presbyterian Cemetery, Ladonia.

Birth	4 Feb 1894
Death	8 Aug 1970	Bonham, Fannin County, Texas
Marriage		Vada Melville

Spouse	Vada Melville (1905 - )
Child	Helen Melville Casey ( - )
Child	William Charles Casey (1929 - )

Father	Columbus D. Casey Sr. (1856 - 1923)
Mother	Sidney Barbara Helen Fry (1865 - 1922)
Sibling	Myrtle Emily Casey (1888 - 1943)
Sibling	Anna Bird Casey (1893 - 1981)
Sibling	Inez Sidney Casey (1898 - 1970)
Sibling	John Gilbert Casey (1902 - 1981)
Sibling	Ophelia Elizabeth Casey (1904 - 1904)