Vincent Ambrose Leo Gorman (1896 - 1918)

Born 19 May 1896 in East Weymouth, Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States

Died 5 Feb 1918 at age 21 in At Sea

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Biography

Vincent Ambrose was born in East Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1896, the son of Michael Francis and Bridget Mary (Egan) Gorman. ^[1] (Note his birth record calls him Vincent Leo.) He grew up in Weymouth,^[2][3] were he attended local public schools and graduated from Weymouth High School in 1915.

At the time of the war draft registration, in June, 1917, he was living in Medford, Massachusetts, and working as a clerk for Hood Rubber Company in East Watertown. He was described as being of a medium build, with brown eyes and auburn hair.^[4]

He enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Slocum, New York, on October 21, 1917, after resigning from his position at Hood Rubber Co. He was assigned to the 50th Aero Squadron, Signal Corps, and in January transferred to the 100th Aero Squadron, Signal Corps, which which he went overseas the same month.

While on furlough, he married Grace Hartt Gooding, daughter of Henry and Mabelle (Houghton) Gooding, in Somerville, Massachusetts, in January of 1918.^[5] They had met at Hood, where she was employed in the accounting department. ^[6]

Vincent was killed in action in the sinking of the "S.S. Tuscania" by an German submarine off the coast of island. He was assigned to life boat #10, which was dashed upon the rocks. His body was never recovered.^[7] His name is on the family headstone at Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery in Weymouth, and his hometown of East Weymouth also dedicated Vincent A. Gorman Square, at the junction of Commercial and Middle Streets, in his honor.^[8] His name is also on the Tablets of the Missing at the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial Memorial in France.^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXX6-7LM : 11 March 2018), Vincent Leo Gorman, 19 May 1896, Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts;
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9YC-G29 : accessed 15 March 2019), Vincent S Gorman in household of Michael Gorman, Precinct 1 Weymouth town, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2KH-34N : accessed 15 March 2019), Vincent L Gorman in household of Michael Gorman, Weymouth Ward 2, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States
4. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZN3-7PC : 13 March 2018), Vincent Ambrose Gorman, 1917-1918
5. ↑ "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLGY-9WBK : 13 March 2018), Vincent Leo Ambrose Gorman and Grace Hartt Gooding, 1918.
6. ↑ The Sinking of the Tuscania by Marilyn Gahm, 2018, p. 435-436
7. ↑ Report of the Commission on Massachusetts' Part in the World War", by Eben Putnam, 1928, Vol. 2, p. 346
8. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #87013183 Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery, Weymouth, Massachusetts
9. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #55952973 Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, France

See also:

• Tuscania Memorial, online memorial of the monument dedicated to the attack of the SS Tuscania, February 5, 1918, accessed 15 March 2018
• The Sinking of the Tuscania by Marilyn Gahm, 2018, p. 435-436, includes image of Vincent's name on the Suresnes tablet and his memorial square in East Weymouth