Bonta Dorn (1902 - 1931)

Born 1902 in Casey County. Kentucky

Ancestors

Died 1931 at about age 29 in Dayton Ohio

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Eddie Pike [send private message]

Biography

Bonta lived with various uncles after his parents died in 1913, and no money was provided for him. He was left pennyless.

(Did his parents have a will? Need to Look. Bonta may not have been her son. Speculation for his treatment by Winfield).

At one time he was put in an orphanage in Cincinnati, Oh. What orphange? He enlisted in the US Army at the age of 17 and served in Europe in World War 1 No Children known of. He married Minnie Green sister to Ida Green that married Bonta's uncle Dale D Dorn.

Minnie was buried at Memorial Park Cem. Indianapolis Ind. Section 12 lot 62.

Mini Bio from Ida Mae Dorn: Bonnie died in 1931 before I was born, but I heard a great deal about him, as his widow, Minnie lived with us most of the time before she died in 1941.

Bonnie returned from WWI after serving in Europe. From everyone, he was a good friend & fun to be with. Never a bad word spoken about him. I don't know what he did for a living but perhaps he worked at the Beech Grove railroad shops in Indiana. I sumize this because Minnie Green Dorn & he lived there on 2nd Ave. My mother's sister Jeannie Messer Russell & her husband Weave where close friends.

When Ida Green Dorn died Minnie & Bonnie looked after her baby. She had been married to Bonnie's Uncle Dell Dorn. my father.

Bonnie sold ballons & little mechanical toys at the Indianapolis Airport somewhat as a lark & for fun. Eventually Bonnie gained the only permit to sell souvenir race cars on the grounds of the Indianapolis Speedway. (The Brick Yard). He started this for fun but the business took off as Minnie, Daddy & Mother had to help him at times. Minnie inherited the permit after Bonta's death & planned to continue the business until her death.

I remember that as a little girl being allowed to go to the Qualifications with my brother Dale but never on the actual race day. The Speedway is actually in Speedway Indiana, adjoining Indianapolis. On Memorial Days Daddy & Mother would would dress up with her always with a hat & gloves and he would wear a new straw boater. Minnie looking very elegant as usual. The three of them would laugh at marvelous stories in those days. Daddy would always buy me a pink silk parasol.

Bonnie died at the age of 29. I never knew the cause of death. I believe he was buried in a veteran's cemetery in Dayton, Ohio. My father loved his nephew very much & treated him as a little brother. There was only 14 years difference in their ages. Minie & Bonnie didn't have children but they had Dale & they truly loved him. By Ida Mae Dorn Phair, 2003. Pike-2301

US Military Records

Service Record

Bonta's Service Card

Name Bonta Dorn, Rank Private First Class, E-2

Serial Number 45433,

Organization Hq Co 18th Infantary,

Signature ( not legable possibly faded ),

Date 5 May 1919, BR Slegge ( not sure of spelling ), Secretary,

BACK SIDE OF CARD,

1917-1919, length of service

Campaigns,

Somerviller Sector,

Ansauville Sector,

Montdidier Sector,

Cantigny,

Soissons,

Second Battle Of Marne,

St- Mihiel,

Argonne and Meuse,

Sedan,

Coblentz Bridge Head,

Army Of Occupation,

World War I Casualty Lists - May 15, 1918

Gen. Pershing Reports 121 Casualties; Making Total of 5,682 in Overseas Army

Washington, May 15, 1918 - The War Department today made public a list of 121 casualties in the American army abroad, bringing the total from the beginning to 5,682. The list contains the names of three killed in action, three died of wounds, five died of disease, one died of accident, seven died of other causes, six wounded severely, forty-nine wounded slightly, eight wounded in action, and thirty-nine missing in action.

Wounded Slightly

Walls, Bonta; Bill Dorn, 20 Maple St., Cincinnati, Ohio.

From Pike-2301 This is where Bonta’s next of Kin Bill Dorn lived.

I take it that was William A Dorn and Nancy Bratcher. This is probably William’s :address. It is actually Elmwood.

Campaign Ribbons earned during WW1

Bonta’s medals known of:

:French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War I for AISNE-MARNE :French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War I for MEUSE-ARGONNE

The Purple Heart.

These battles match the Military Card of Bonta Dorn that was in action from :1917 until 1919

We are proud members of the oldest continuously serving division in the United States Army. Since 1917, we have kept our nation safe, making the selfless sacrifice to preserve. He was in the 18th Regiment of the 1st Division that remains to this day (2015). It's called the Big Red One.

From the list of wounded slightly was Bonta Dorn, guardian of Bill Dorne, 20 Maple St. Cincinnati Ohio. This address was actually in Elmwood. a little town within the city limits. The 18th Infantry was part of the first division & during WWI this regiment was in these engagements: Montdider-Noyon, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Lorraine 1917, Lorraine,1918, Picardy 1918.

General Pershing's Report of 121 casualties in May 15 1918.

Pike-2301 didn't know about Bonta until Ida told me. He at least once used the last name Wall, Walls & Dorn & Dorne. Makes it hard to find him. It was the 1st Division that still exists today. The oldest division of the US Army. :They call this division the "Big Red One".

The 1st Division

Action During WWI

A brief history of the First Expeditionary Force, later called The 1st Division in France & Germany:

The first units sailed from New York & Hoboken, N. J. on June 14, 1917. :Throughout the remainder of the year, the rest of the division followed, landing at St Nazaire, France and Liverpool, Eng. After a brief stay in rest camps the troops proceeded to France, landing at La Havre. The last unit arrived in Nazaire on Dec. 22. Upon arrival in France. the division, less it's artillery, was assembled in the First (Gondrecourt) training area, and the artillery was at Le Valdahon.

On the 4th of July the 2nd battalion, 16th Infantry, parade through the streets of Paris to bolster the sagging French spirits. At Lafayette's Tomb on of general Pershing's Staff uttered the famous words"Lafayette we are here"! Two days later on July 6th, The First Expeditionary Force was renamed the First Infantry Division.

On the morning of the 23rd, the first American shell of the war was sent screaming towards the German Lines by the 1st's artillery unit. Two days later the2nd Batln.,. 16th Inf. suffered the first American causalities of the war.

By Apr. 1918 the Germans had pushed within 40 miles of Paris. In reaction to the thrust, the 1st moved into the Picardy Sector to bolster the exhausted French 1st Army. To the division's front lay the small village of Cantigny, that was situated on high ground overlooking a forested countryside. It was the "Black Lions of Cantiny" that attacked the town, and within 45 minutes captured the town along with 250 German Troops. This was the first victory of the war & it belonged to the 1st Division.

Sosonns was taken by the 1st Div. in July 1918. The victory was costly with over 700 men killed or wounded. The 1st helped to clear the St. Mihial salient by fighting continuously from Sept. 11 - 13, 1918. The last major WWI battle was fought in Meuse-Argonne Forest. The division advanced 7 kilometers and defeated in part 8 German Divisions. ( Don't forget the Marine Corps that got the name "Devil Dogs" from the Germans after that Campaign).

The War was over when when the Armistice was signed. It was to take effect on 11, 11, 1918 at 11 o'clock. The terms of peace were very harsh & were driven by the French. many historians state that when the 1st world war ended the 2nd was just beginning because of the French boasting, in part. Hitler found the same railroad car & had it placed exactly where it was in 1918 and made the French surrender under the same condition in 1940.

When the war was over the 1st was at Sedan which was the farthest penetration of the war. The Division was the 1st to cross The Rhine to begin the occupation of Germany. At the end of the war the division suffered 22,668 casualties & boasted 5 Medal Of Honor winners. Those are very high losses since a division consists of only 10 to 12,000 men. The 1st Division's colors carry 7 campaign streamers which were 1. Lorraine, 1917. 2. Lorraine 1918. 3. Picardy 1918, 4. Montdidier-Noyan, 5. Aisne-Marne, 6. St. Mihiel and 7. Muese- Argonne. These Campaign Streamers match up with Bonta's Military Card.

This is a coincidence where Bill McQueary once owned the same house that William & Bonta Dorn lived in on 20 Maple St. Elmwood Ohio. Cathy rented an apartment when Bill converted it. Elmwood didn't become part of Cincinnati because they had their own underground water supply.

1910 Census

Winfield S Wall, Husband, Male, White, Age 48, born Kentucky

Sallie Wall, Wife, Female, White, Age 39, born Kentucky

Bonta Wall, Son, Male, White, Age 8, born Kentucky

South Liberty, Casey County, Kentucky^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M28L-3BH : accessed 2 May 2017), Winfield S Wall, South Liberty, Casey, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 35, sheet 1B, family 15, Digital Folder 4971583, Image 207, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 470; FHL microfilm 1,374,483. Pike-2301 22:51, 1 May 2017 (EDT)

• Military Records, Ida May Phair Dorn felt sorry for him & didn't have all the answers & never met him.
• Ida Dorn married well & was last living in New Jersey, near N.Y. City. It is her 3rd marriage and well to do. Her father Dowie & family were prim & proper (per Ida's conversation).
• Bonta buried Dayton Oh. possibly a Veteran's Cem. Couldn't find on Find a Grave.