Perpetual Care
BECAUSE WE CARE!
Norman Kenneth Bawks
1895 - 1918
Norman Bawks served with the 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division, of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War One. He was one of 116,516 American "Doughboys" killed during the "War to end all wars."
Born in Ontario, Canada, he and his family emigrated to the United States sometime between 1895 and 1900. The census of 1905 has him and his family living in St. Louis County; he is 10 years old at the time. He doesn’t appear again in the history books until April 23rd, 1918, when he’s united in marriage to Alphosine Gosselin. In June of the same year, he ships out to France. His unit, the 359th Infantry Regiment, went on to participate in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Under the umbrella of the 90th Division, then under the command of Major General Henry Allen, the 359th is fighting across the Meuse River around Stenay, France. On November 6th, Norman is killed in action, one day shy of his 23rd birthday. The Armistice is signed five days later, ending the war. His remains will be interred twice before his body is returned to the United States for a final burial at the Maple Hill Cemetery. His wife, Alphosine, remarries, and upon her own death, is laid to rest by his side.
Knowledge of his resting place came about by happenstance. While looking for another graveside, we found his, an unremarkable foot stone nearly overgrown and succumbing to the effects of weather and time. Pulling back the grass, we noted his Infantry Regiment and date of death. Instantly recognizing his unit and knowing he died so close to the Armistice, we were compelled to learn more about him. After several weeks of research, there was finally enough information to paint a more complete picture of his life, and with that information, we were ready to submit an application for a new military marker.
Even with all the information we had however, there was still a chance it wouldn't be enough to qualify him for a replacement marker. On July 12th, 1973 a fire broke out at the National Personnel Records Center. The result, 80% of Army personnel discharged between 1912 and 1960 had their records destroyed, leaving a slim chance they would find any record of him beyond a local VA Index card we had discovered. Fortunately, the information we had was enough to warrant qualification and the VA granted the request for a new marker.
Human freedom demands responsibility, and that begins with remembrance. There are many more soldiers like Norman who gave their lives for that freedom, we can cherish and preserve their legacy and sacrifice by paying our respects to him, and all of his fellow veterans laid to rest at Maple Hill.
We wish to thank the staff at the Maple Hill Cemetery, Hibbing's VSO officer, members of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Hibbing/Chisholm, and the Mid Range Honor Guard for all of their help and support, for without which, this would not have been possible.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
- Laurence Binyon
*Sources
National Archives and Records Administration
United States Secretary of War, "Battle Participation Credit of Organizations of the American Expeditionary Forces In France, Belgium, and Italy, 1917–1918.", 1920, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 36–37
Center of Military History, "Lineage And Honors Information", Sept. 2002, https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/regt/0359rgt.htm
National Archives, "The Meuse-Argonne Offensive", https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww1/meuse-argonne
Honor States, https://www.honorstates.org/profiles/568543/