Robert Bruce Wynne, Sr.
United States Army, World War I, Private First Class
Machine Gun Company, 359 Infantry Regiment, 90 Division
December 3, 2024 - Robert Bruce was born in the leap year of 1896, on Tuesday, February 25, to Hallie Permenter, a native Texan, and William “Willie” Wynne of Louisiana. His birthplace was the small east Texas town of Shelbyville, located in Shelby County and was in fact at one time the county seat. He grew up on a family farm with six siblings: George (1886), Wiliam (1889), Hollye (1891), Lula Mae (1893), Agnes (1898) and Arlington “Arlie” (1900). All grew to adulthood except William who died at the age of seven when Robert was just six months old. Times were no doubt hard and children at that time were expected to help work the fields, tend the animals, clear land, plant crops, weed and harvest to name a few.
On April 6, 1917, the United States entered the World War that had been ongoing since 1914 in Europe. The Selective Service Act of 1917 required all men between the ages of 21 and 30 to register for the military draft on June 5 of that year. Robert and his brother Hollye, ages 21 and 26, respectively, registered on the required day at Precinct 2 in Tatum, Rusk County, Texas. Robert’s registration card (Form 1) noted his address as Tatum; he was a natural-born citizen; self-employed as a farmer; his father and mother were dependent on him for support; single; Caucasian; no prior military service; and he did not claim an exemption to the draft. Physically, he was described as tall with hazel eyes and light-colored hair (not bald). The registrar indicated that he did not believe “a word of it” that Robert’s parents were dependent upon him for support.
Three months later, upon receiving his draft notice, Robert took the oath of enlistment in Henderson, Texas, on September 21, 1917, and became US Army Private Wynne, serial # 2226442. His brother would not be called to service for another year. Robert and the other inductees were then sent by train to Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas, to begin basic training with the 165 Depot Brigade. Following basic, advanced infantry training began at Camp Travis with the 359 Infantry Regiment, 180 Infantry Brigade, 90 Division, where he was assigned to Company L and later the Machine Gun Company. On April 1, 1918, Robert received a promotion to Private First Class as training continued and preparations for the move to the East Coast were being made.
Arriving by train, the 180 Infantry Brigade boarded the British Transport SS Kinfauns Castle and departed the port of Hoboken, New Jersey, at 7:56 a.m. on June 20, 1918, with 86 officers and 2,646 enlisted men. Brigadier General William H. Johnson was in command. Each soldier listed a next of kin, and Robert chose his father, Willie of Tatum, Texas. Arriving in France some eleven days later via Liverpool, England, the division's less artillery was sent to the Department of Côte-d’Or in northeastern France for training. He and the 345th saw combat service in the Villers-en-Haye Sector, Saint Mihiel Offensive, Puvenelle Sector, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive that ended the war on November 11, 1918. During this last offensive, Robert was wounded on November 3. While in combat operations, the 90 Division took 1,876 prisoners and suffered 7,277 casualties. The division took up occupation duties in Germany; however, due to his injuries, Robert, along with other sick and wounded in Base Hospital # 6, left Bordeaux, France, aboard the troopship USS Henry R. Mallory. The Times Union Newspaper, Brooklyn, N.Y., noted they arrived at Pier 2, Hoboken, New Jersey, on December 20, 1918, at 10:25 a.m. with 45 officers and 1,436 enlisted men. Following a welcome home from citizens and the Mayor with “smokes and newspapers” they were entrained to nearby Camp Merritt, New Jersey for discharge processing. Robert’s injuries delayed his discharge for about six months until June 4, 1919, when he was given a service-connected disability discharge of eight and one-third percent. After 21 months of service to his country, Robert Bruce returned to civilian life and was awarded the Wound Chevron (Purple Heart) and the World War I Victory Medal. His brother Hollye also served but remained stateside for the duration.
Following the war, he returned to Texas and married Miss Alleene McLaurin in Smith County on November 4, 1921. They settled in the Waskom area of Harrison County, where they raised two children, a son Robert Jr. (1923), and a daughter named Peggy Jane (1930). Robert has had a variety of employment over the years, including being a cotton buyer, auto salesman, and farmer. On April 27, 1942, he again registered for a military draft, and although not called to serve at age 46, Robert would see another world war begin and end in his lifetime.
Robert passed on October 2, 1985, at Memorial Hospital, Marshall, Texas. The Marshall News Messenger, October 3, noted, “Funeral services for Robert Bruce Wynne, 89, of Waskom will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday [October 5] in First Presbyterian Church of Waskom. Survivors include his wife, Alleene McLaurin Wynne of Waskom; daughter, Mrs. Bob (Peggy) McFarland of Waskom; son, Robert Bruce Wynne, Jr. of Austin; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren”. He was buried in Elysian Fields Cemetery, Elysian Fields, Harrison County, Texas, where Annie Allene joined him in 1988. Day is done, God is nigh.
Sources:
(1): Year: 1910; Census Place: Justice Precinct 2, Shelby, Texas; Roll: T624_1588; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0147; FHL microfilm: 1375601
(2): Registration State: Texas; Registration County: Rusk County
(3): "Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89MN-Z375-Q?cc=2202707&wc=334P-W38%3A1561327102%2C1561330901 : 26 March 2015), Enlisted men, wounded > Riggs, Frank-Young, Wayne M, 1917-1920 > image 3273 of 3360; Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin.
(4): The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 462
(5): Brief Histories of Divisions, US Army 1917-1918.Historical Branch, War Plans Division, General Staff. June, 1921.
(6): The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 184
