10/09/2026
Someone sent me the story of Walter Cornell, that was killed in WWI.......boy, it is quite a story ! Copy of the story is below. Please attend the Cornell Museum 250th Birthday Party this Sunday to learn more about Cornell, Illinois.
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WALTER CORNELL.
Comrade Writes of How He Met His Death in France.
Pontiac Daily Leader — March 18, 1919
The relatives at Cornell, of Walter Cornell have received from Sergeant Edward Wagness, of the First Casual Company, a letter which gives a most interesting account of how that young marine went to his death and of his extraordinary bravery as exemplified on more than one occasion. The letter in part follows:
"Cornell, as he was known to all of us, was an expert r***e shot and took it upon himself to do duty as a sniper at every available opportunity. As a sniper he had the Germans worried frantic and for several days they had been searching for his place of concealment with machine guns and even went as far as to try and find him with their famous 77's, but every night after dark back would come Cornell with a huge smile of satisfaction and several new notches in his r***e stock.
This continued for several days and his pluck and daring, coupled with his absolute disregard for personal danger, was the talk of practically the entire regiment. It also served to eliminate the last of the creepy feelings that were bound to be instilled into some of our new recruits if they can't get Cornell they can't get us. So everyone fought the harder to clear Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood of the hated Fritz.
About two days before he “went west,” he came in with part of his right ear gone and a flesh wound in his side, their machine gun had found him and he was mad—mad clear through—so mad, in fact, that he positively refused surgical attention other than a first aid bandage to prevent infection, and if he was death to the Germans before he was hit, he was a mad bull afterwards. It was absolute su***de for any Heine to show any part of his anatomy within fifteen hundred yards of Cornell and his r***e.
The first night he came in and was somewhat pacified; they had paid dearly that day for his wounds and that was the last time we saw him alive. He went out as usual before daybreak and that day the Germans laid over a box barrage, assisted by one quick flight of two bombing planes. It is the general belief that he was killed by the concussion of a high explosive shell, but from plane or gun we never knew. His body was not mutilated and death was instantaneous. We have that much to be thankful for. He was awarded the D. S. C., which, I believe, will be forwarded to you as his next of kin, but it may be some time before you receive it, as everything is in chaos now.
He was buried where he fell at Chateau Thierry, and his grave marked well. Have no fear that his grave is not being properly cared for. The French women, God bless them, it seems cannot do enough for the Americans, and especially the marines, who paid in full, and the flowers on his grave are never allowed to wither.
These women have taken solemn oath that the care of these graves will be handed down from generation to generation and that so long as there is a France no American grave will go uncared for.
