My great grandfather lied about his age and joined the US cavalry at age 16, he was part general pershing's expeditionary force that chased after pancho villa in 1916-17. I dont think either side was "good" but it definitely is a fascinating period. After that he got sent to France for the first world war where he mostly supported artillery units hauling supplies but was briefly injured during a poison gas attack. He recovered and remained in France until after the end of the war. After a few unsavory episodes apparently he was seriously considering murdering one of his commanding officers and likely deserting but decided against as he had a battlefield conversion experience and decided to give up violence along with his alcoholism and whoring along with other vices he picked up as a cavalry man. He was discharged and returned home. I think he worked in a casket factory or something until the depression. At which time he got a job with a CCC project in colorado building a train trestle bridge. As part of the program he got a tax free property in the mountains of colorado somewhere near tabernash I believe. After the trestle project was done he built a cabin on his property and spent some time hunting and fishing there until he got a job in Englewood colorado where he stayed til he passed away on the early 90s. We still have a lot of his things, his cavalry uniform, spurs, photos, hunting equipment, I have his tools and revolver. For better or worse people seemed to be built different back then. Had fascinating lives.
AVeryTiredStudent t1_j9ox94p wrote
Reply to comment by scoundrel1680 in My controversial relative, Pancho Villa (Doroteo Arango) - Mexico 1916 by scoundrel1680
My great grandfather lied about his age and joined the US cavalry at age 16, he was part general pershing's expeditionary force that chased after pancho villa in 1916-17. I dont think either side was "good" but it definitely is a fascinating period. After that he got sent to France for the first world war where he mostly supported artillery units hauling supplies but was briefly injured during a poison gas attack. He recovered and remained in France until after the end of the war. After a few unsavory episodes apparently he was seriously considering murdering one of his commanding officers and likely deserting but decided against as he had a battlefield conversion experience and decided to give up violence along with his alcoholism and whoring along with other vices he picked up as a cavalry man. He was discharged and returned home. I think he worked in a casket factory or something until the depression. At which time he got a job with a CCC project in colorado building a train trestle bridge. As part of the program he got a tax free property in the mountains of colorado somewhere near tabernash I believe. After the trestle project was done he built a cabin on his property and spent some time hunting and fishing there until he got a job in Englewood colorado where he stayed til he passed away on the early 90s. We still have a lot of his things, his cavalry uniform, spurs, photos, hunting equipment, I have his tools and revolver. For better or worse people seemed to be built different back then. Had fascinating lives.