Chester Howard West (January 3, 1888 – May 20, 1935) was a soldier in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
who received the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
for his actions during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
Biography
West was born in
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The population was 169,810 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an i ...
on January 3, 1888, and later enlisted for World War I in
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.
After the war, he married Maggie Elizabeth Van Sickle of
Southside on
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...
, 1932, and began working as a farm hand for Sam McCausland, the son of Civil War Confederate Gen.
John McCausland
John McCausland, Jr. (September 13, 1836 – January 22, 1927) was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War.
Earl ...
.
West died May 20, 1935, shot and murdered by Sam McCausland at West's home during an altercation. West later died at a hospital in
Gallipolis, Ohio
Gallipolis ( ) is a village in Gallia County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Southeast Ohio along the Ohio River about southeast of Chillicothe and northwest of Charleston, West Virginia. The population was 3,313 at ...
and McCausland was convicted of second-degree murder.
West is buried at the Van Sickle Cemetery in
Southside,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
, but his grave-site was lost as the cemetery became part of the
Chief Cornstalk Wildlife Management Area
Chief Cornstalk Wildlife Management Area is located on in Mason County near Southside, West Virginia. Second growth oak-hickory and mixed hardwoods forests cover much of the rolling and moderately steep slopes. Chief Cornstalk WMA can be r ...
in the 1970s.
The first attempt to rediscover West's grave was 2012 by Jack Crutchfield of West Virginia Public Television's "Obscurely Famous" series, however Crutchfield was unsuccessful. In 2015, the grave was successfully rediscovered in 2015 by Derrick Jackson, a
Boy Scout
A Scout, Boy Scout, Girl Scout or, in some countries, a Pathfinder is a participant in the Scout Movement, usually aged 10–18 years, who engage in learning scoutcraft and outdoor and other special interest activities. Some Scout organizatio ...
who used the rediscovery of the grave as his
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over ...
service project. West was reinterred at the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in
Dunbar, West Virginia
Dunbar is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Kanawha River. The population was 7,479 at the 2020 census.
History
Dunbar was incorporated on April 19, 1921, by an Act of the West Virginia Legislature. ...
on May 12, 2018, at 2:00 pm with full Military Honors with escort and Honor Guard provided by the West Virginia Patriot Guard Rides
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 363d Infantry, 91st Division. Place and date: Near Bois-de-Cheppy, France, September 26, 1918. Entered service at: Los Banos, Calif. Birth: Fort Collins, Colo. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919.
Citation:
See also
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. Recipients must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own ...
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War I
World War I (also known as the First World War and the Great War) was a global military conflict that embroiled most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies of World War I, Entente and the Central Powers. The ...
References
:
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Chester H.
United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
United States Army soldiers
United States Army personnel of World War I
People from Fort Collins, Colorado
1888 births
1935 deaths
World War I recipients of the Medal of Honor
Military personnel from Colorado
Deaths by firearm in Ohio