Willie O’Neal Redmond was born in the far east Texas town of Timpson, Shelby County on January 23, 1898. Records of his early life are sketchy but the 1900 Census in Shelby County lists a Willie Redman [sic] that matches his age with parents Ed, age 26 and Nicey, age 27 along with four siblings.

Willie complied with the Selective Service Act of 1917 by registering for the military draft on June 5, 1917 that was the first of three registrations. His Registration Card, Form 1, 1832, # B59 noted the following; residence, Center, Texas; employed by the Southwestern Telephone and Telegraph Company in Center; single; African race; single; no exemptions to the draft claimed; tall with a slender built; black eyes and hair; no disabilities.(2)

Thirteen months later on July 19, 1918 he took the oath of enlistment for the US Army at the Shelby County seat of Center. He and other inductees were then sent to the 165 Depot Brigade, Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas for training. Six days before the Armistice that ended the World War, Private Redmond was sent to Camp Joseph E. Johnston, Jacksonville, Florida where he was assigned to Auxiliary Remount Depot # 333 and later Field Remount Squadron 365 of the Quartermaster Corps. [The remount service provided horses, mules and dogs to US Army Units]. Willie was honorably discharged upon demobilization five days before Christmas, December 20, 1918 at the age of 23.(3) He was authorized the World War I Victory Medal that would become available in 1920.

Nothing of his life for the next twenty years could be found until February 16, 1942 when he once again registered for the military draft at the age of 43. With the Japanese surprise attack on the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii, December 7, 1941 the United States was once again embroiled in a second World War. He registered on February 16, 1942 as required by the Selective Service Act of 1940. Willie registered while he was a patient at the US Veterans Hospital # 81, Bronx, New York. His Registration Card D.S.S. Form 1 noted the following; Addie White of 66 West 116 Street, New York City was listed as the person who would always know your address; unemployed; hospital patient; five foot, eleven inches tall, weighting 148 pounds; brown eyes, black hair and dark complexed; scar on left cheek.(4)

His illness at the Veterans Hospital was not stated but in all probability led to his death on March 1, 1946 at the age of 48. On March 5 Private Willie O’Neal Redmond was buried in the Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York.(5) Day is done, God is nigh.

References:

(1) “1900 Census Letter RAS - REY.” Accessed March 1, 2021. http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Census/1900CensusRAS-REY.htm.

(2) Registration State: Texas; Registration County: Shelby County

(3) "Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89MN-CBK8?cc=2202707&wc=334L-3TL%3A1560656702%2C1561109601 : 26 March 2015), Enlisted men

Ray, Ramon S-Richardon, Guy, 1917-1920 > image 882 of 4341; Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin.

(4) Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

(5) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2794268/willie-o-redmond

Willie O'Neal Redmond