The Hayes Family History Site » In The Military

Thanks To Those Relatives Who Servered

Philip Hayes — Sat, 23 May 2009 05:46:06 +0000

Ralph Yerks
b. 6 Apr, 1894, d. 13, Sep 1918 (Killed In Action)
World War I, US Army, 9th Infantry, 2nd Division
Killed in Action and is buried in Thiaucourt, France at the St. Mihiel American Cemetery.
Genealogy Note: Colleens Great Uncle

Lloyd W. Lewis
b. 22, May 1928, d. 9 Mar 2000
Served with the U.S. Army in the Korea Conflict at a “secondary” MASH unit in Japan.
Genealogy Note: My Uncle

Second Lieutenant Harry W. Lewis
b. 18 Nov 1892, d. 12 Oct 1972
World War I, American Expeditionary Forces Served on the United States Expeditionary Force in France.
Stayed an extra year after the Armistice was signed and played tennis for the AEF team assigned to rebuild relations in war torn Europe.
Genealogy Note: My Grandfather

James F. Tierney
b. 29 Jun 1894, d.12 Dec 1931
World War I, American Expeditionary Forces, Company M, 307 Infantry
James served in France and saw many friends die in Europe. We have a letter from him, to his brother Frank, while in France.
Genealogy Note: My Great Uncle

Colonel Robert Eugene Dunn, US Army
b. 8 May 1892, d. Sep 1974
Served in both World War I and World War II. In WWII Colonel Dunn lead a black Division of Engineers on Okinawa.
Genealogy Note: Husband to Grace Elinor Tierney, my Great Aunt.

William Benjamin Yerks
b. 12, Aug 1891, d. 9 Feb 1960
William fought in World War I and survived a Mustard Gas attack, only to die of complications of it some years later.
Genealogy Note: Colleens Great Uncle and brother of Private Ralph Yerks.

Frederick S. Barnes Jr.
b. 2 April 1916
Served with the U.S. Air Force
Genealogy Note: Colleen’s Step Grandfather

Nicholas T. Condos
b. 17 Jan 1908, d. 12 Nov 1973
Genealogy Note: Colleen’s Great Uncle

George Condos
b. 26 Nov 1912 , d. 17 May 1965
Genealogy Note: Colleen’s Great Uncle

William Edward Sheehan
b. 11 Nov 1893, d. 30 May 1947
Genealogy Note: My father’s Uncle

Jonathan J. Foley
b. 1896 d. 967
Genealogy Note: Husband of Agnes Beattie, my Great Aunt.

John W. Dunn
b. 1930 d. 2000
USAF Active Duty 1948-1953
Korea 1950-1952
USAF AIR Guard – Berlin Wall Conflict 1961-1962
Retired USCG reserves 1979
Genealogy Note: Son of Edna V. Hone, a distant cousin to Colleen.

John E. Kear
b. 8 Jan, 1924, d. 8 Jan 2003
Served in the US Navy during WWII as a submariner in the Pacific
Genealogy Note: Cousin of James Yerks

William Andrew Flaherty
b. 6 Feb 1918, d. 1 Feb 1944 (Killed In Action)
Chief Quartermaster USS Scorpion (SS-278)
The Scorpion was lost In the East China Sea or Yellow Sea on February 1, 1944
Genealogy Note: Cousin via the Roche branch of our tree

Mystery Solved: Village of Rye’s World War I Monument Names William & Ralph Yerks (Yerkes)

Philip Hayes — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:22:19 +0000

In one last act of desperation to find some type of mention of Ralph Yerks at a War Memorial, I emailed the Rye Historical Society to ask them if there was a War Memorial in Rye. Rye was the only town that I had had not visited because I was unfamiliar with it. Within 12 hours, I received an email back from Dr. Ruth Smalt, Executive Director of the Rye Historical Society. She took the time out of her busy day to walk across the street from her office to the war memorial located at the intersection of Rt 1 (Boston Post Rd) and Purchase St. It is opposite the Village Green, and directly across from the Square House Museum front door where her office is. She wrote:

“I just took a look at the WWI monument outside the Square House and sure enough, there is Ralph Yerks. There is also a William Yerks, who served but survived the war.”

So we finally found him! Ralph, brother of James L Yerks I, who gave his life serving his country, died in France is recognized in the Town of Rye, New York. His brother William, who survived The Great War is also recognized as serving his country on the same memorial. Williams descendants are now in New Jersey and other points south of the New York / Connecticut area.

One interesting thing about the names on the memorial is that they are both listed as “Yerkes”, not “Yerks”. Ralph’s draft card lists him as “Yerkes”, but he signed his card as “Yerks”. Could this be the point where the name changed? Maybe he was born as a “Yerkes” and changed his name with the rest of the family to “Yerks”? Only time and more research will tell.

The Search For Ralph Yerks WWI Recognition Goes On

Philip Hayes — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:42:42 +0000

Ralph Yerks (born April 4, 1894 in Bedford Hills, New York) served and died for his country in World War I, yet we cannot find a memorial in Westchester County that recognizes him.

Ralph Yerks, Private, U.S. Army

9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division

Entered the Service from: New York
Died: September 13, 1918
Buried at: Plot C Row 8 Grave 36
St. Mihiel American Cemetery
Thiaucourt, France

Between his birth date and the date entering the military Ralph lived in various places in Northern Westchester County including Bedford Hills, Goldens Bridge, Purchase and Port Chester. I’ve been to every World War I monument in those towns and then some and have yet to find mention of him on any plaque. I did find him however on the American Battle Monuments Comission website. According to their records, Ralph is burried in France.

At age 16, he lived with his parents and two brothers in Bedford, New York. According to his draft card, signed in 1917, he lived in Purchase / Rye, New York. In 1930 (Well after his death), his mother lived in Port Chester, NY. Several official records I’ve seen also list him as a Goldens Bridge vet.

I’ll be contacting the Veterans of Foreign Wars to see what happened. Maybe he lived somewhere I have not checked yet. Stay tuned.