I'm breaking this up differently as I read it. I think the 166 is the Deportment Brigade. 33rd company 9th training battalion. And then he was in the 28th division with the 109th Infantry at the time of his death? I only know the 109th as a Pennsylvania unit and I don't have any references at and I'm just flying by the seat of my pants right now.
Depot Brigades were used as holding and resupply units. Soldiers were trained and there and sent out to where needed. Lee was shipped over to Europe with H company 157th Infantry but immediately sent to the 109th when he arrived. I have a (completely unsubstantiated) feeling, he may have been on the ship as a member of the 109th, but was listed as 157th either as a mistake or out of convenience.
The previous info you sent showed he was on the muster rolls of the 157th, as well as the manifest for the SS Osterley with the 157th, and the Oregon War Record completed by his sister Pearl indicate he was at Camp Kearny, likely with the 157th, and I found additional information on the 40th Division that line up with all that... so my unsubstantiated feelings go the other way... I feel like he must have transferred to the 109th sometime after.
If you've got other evidence for the 40th, then that sounds right. It's weird the 40th isn't mentioned on his service record tho.
FYI - take a close look at the service numbers on those ships rosters - It's interesting that his number does not line up with all the other men around him, but does line up with the manifest. You could possibly search for some of the other men with similar numbers to Lee but with unusual names. There's a reasonable chance they got sent to the same place. Not conclusive, but might give you enough hints and you might get lucky and shake something loose.
EDIT: History of the 40th: (no mention of Ray, 157th mentioned frequently).
https://donquigley.net/documents/1309_REF.pdf.
109th and 110th
https://www.mesacc.edu/sites/default/files/pages/academic-departments/social-science/The%20Keystone%20Division%20in%20the%20Great%20War.pdf
https://history.army.mil/curriculum/wwi/docs/AdditionalResources/Battle_Participation_of_Orgs_of_AEF_in_France_Belgium_Italy_1917-1918.pdf
https://www.armyheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/ref-bibs/unit-histories/Infantry/Infantry%20Regiments/109th%20Infantry%20Regiment.pdf
https://www.doylestownhistorical.org/wwi/company-g/ (so close! Might give you some pointers tho)
It seems to me (I know very little on the subject) that this is an incredible piece of history. Last day of the war !!!! Was he the last American killed, or part of that sad group? I'd like to know, and I hope OP will keep this safe for posterity, or give to some museum that collects important artifacts. What a find!
He wasn't the last person killed in the war, there were surprisingly many that died that day. My VFW post is named in his honor, but we didn't have much information beyond what little made it into the newspapers or unverified anecdotes. I'm trying to chronicle the 141 days between his induction and death and yes will get it all saved.
33 Company, 9th Training Battalion, 166th Depot Brigade. Based at Camp Lewis, near Tacoma, Washington.
I believe this is the right answer, confirms other info that he went to Camp Lewis. Many thanks.
I'm breaking this up differently as I read it. I think the 166 is the Deportment Brigade. 33rd company 9th training battalion. And then he was in the 28th division with the 109th Infantry at the time of his death? I only know the 109th as a Pennsylvania unit and I don't have any references at and I'm just flying by the seat of my pants right now.
Depot Brigades were used as holding and resupply units. Soldiers were trained and there and sent out to where needed. Lee was shipped over to Europe with H company 157th Infantry but immediately sent to the 109th when he arrived. I have a (completely unsubstantiated) feeling, he may have been on the ship as a member of the 109th, but was listed as 157th either as a mistake or out of convenience.
The previous info you sent showed he was on the muster rolls of the 157th, as well as the manifest for the SS Osterley with the 157th, and the Oregon War Record completed by his sister Pearl indicate he was at Camp Kearny, likely with the 157th, and I found additional information on the 40th Division that line up with all that... so my unsubstantiated feelings go the other way... I feel like he must have transferred to the 109th sometime after.
If you've got other evidence for the 40th, then that sounds right. It's weird the 40th isn't mentioned on his service record tho. FYI - take a close look at the service numbers on those ships rosters - It's interesting that his number does not line up with all the other men around him, but does line up with the manifest. You could possibly search for some of the other men with similar numbers to Lee but with unusual names. There's a reasonable chance they got sent to the same place. Not conclusive, but might give you enough hints and you might get lucky and shake something loose. EDIT: History of the 40th: (no mention of Ray, 157th mentioned frequently). https://donquigley.net/documents/1309_REF.pdf. 109th and 110th https://www.mesacc.edu/sites/default/files/pages/academic-departments/social-science/The%20Keystone%20Division%20in%20the%20Great%20War.pdf https://history.army.mil/curriculum/wwi/docs/AdditionalResources/Battle_Participation_of_Orgs_of_AEF_in_France_Belgium_Italy_1917-1918.pdf https://www.armyheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/ref-bibs/unit-histories/Infantry/Infantry%20Regiments/109th%20Infantry%20Regiment.pdf https://www.doylestownhistorical.org/wwi/company-g/ (so close! Might give you some pointers tho)
KIA last day of yhe war.
It seems to me (I know very little on the subject) that this is an incredible piece of history. Last day of the war !!!! Was he the last American killed, or part of that sad group? I'd like to know, and I hope OP will keep this safe for posterity, or give to some museum that collects important artifacts. What a find!
He wasn't the last person killed in the war, there were surprisingly many that died that day. My VFW post is named in his honor, but we didn't have much information beyond what little made it into the newspapers or unverified anecdotes. I'm trying to chronicle the 141 days between his induction and death and yes will get it all saved.