WWI - Otis Sampson, Company C, 16th Infantry

   “Otis Sampson had suffered from gas – Stoughton boy reported as severely wounded in France is now well again”  Article headline from Stoughton Courier Hub August 7th, 1918  
See article on Blanda Sampson for continuation of this article.   

Excerpts from Stoughton Daily Courier Hub, December 14, 1918: “Otis Sampson is Killed in Action – Stoughton Boy with First American Expeditionary Force Meets Death October 9th”

   “That Private Otis Sampson, eldest son of Deputy Conservation Warden Andrew Sampson, was killed in action Oct. 9th*, was the belated news that reached here yesterday afternoon in a telegram to Mr. Sampson from the war department.  

   He was with the first American forces to land in France, and had thus been overseas more than fifteen months when he met his death, barely a month before the fighting ceases.  It was less than a week after the United States had entered the war that Otis on April 12th of last year enlisted in Madison in the regular army and in due time was assigned to Co. H, 16th regular infantry.  Two months later, June 14th, he sailed from New York, landing in France towards the end of the month.  

   Almost exactly a year later, on June 16th, he was gassed, and spent some weeks in the hospital, but eventually re-joined his unit.  He was last heard in a letter written Sept 25, that arrived here about the middle of October. 

   The dead soldier was born in this city, Sept. 7, 1898, and is survived by his parents (Andrew and Elsye), a brother, Lisle, and a half brother and half sister.” 
Stoughton Daily Courier Hub, December 14, 1918

*The Army listed his discharge/death date as Oct 8, 1918.  Engagements:  Soissons; St Mihiel; Argonne.  Served overseas from July 14, 1917 to death on Oct 8, 1918.

Otis Sampson was a Private First Class, Army, Company C, 16th Infantry.  Killed at the Battle of Meuse-Argonne in France, part of the final Allied Offensive of World War I.  Click on battle name to read more from the National Archives.

Stoughton American Legion Post 59 is named in his honor, AmericanLegion Post 59, Stoughton WI

Otis and Carl Sampson and Post 59, The Stoughton Courier Hub, Published on Sep 7, 2019 - link (scroll to bottom)


With thanks to the Kvamme Local History Collection, Stoughton Public Library