Curtis Ed Girdner (Gurdner) was born 4 May 1899 (Greeneville, Greene County, TN) to William Girdner and Catherine Marshall. He was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment, 60th Infantry Brigade, 30th Division. He participated in one unit campaign: the Ypres-Lys Offensive in Belgium. It was during this offensive near Lankof Farm in Flanders, Belgium that Curtis was shot in the stomach and died before they could get him to the aide station. His brother William Ernest Girdner died 29 September 1918 in Bellicourt, France. They now rest side by side.
Service number: 1321928
Company L, 120th Infantry Regiment, 60th Infantry Brigade, 30th Division
Age 19 Killed in Action on 31 August 1918 near Lankhof Farm, Flanders (Belgium)
Interred at Monte Vista Memorial Gardens, Section 15, Lot 16, Space 10, Johnson City, TN
Unit Campaigns: Ypres-Lys Offensive, Belgium (19 August-4 September 1918)
Official Army Report of January 29, 1919:
“Killed about 3 P.M. Aug. 31, 1918, by rifle bullet, while advancing on enemy trenches during an engagement in the Ypres Sector, near Lankhof Farm, Flanders, Belgium. Hit in stomach and died in a few minutes.
Informant was eye witness.
The ground was held.
Died before reaching dressing station. Body buried at Nine Elms Cemetery, near Poperinghe, Belgium.
Informant knew his Christian name.
There are was another man by the name in the Company.
He was about 5 feet 10 1/2 inches in height, black hair, fair complexion and weighed about 145 pounds.
Information was very accurate.”
–Submitted by Allen D. Jackson, USAF (Ret)
- Rank: Private
- Date of birth: 4 May 1899
- Date of death: 31 August 1918
- County: Greene
- Hometown: Johnson City
- Service Branch: Army
- Division/Assignment: Company L, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War I
- Battles: Ypres-Lys Offensive
- Burial/Memorial Location: Monte Vista Memorial Cemetery, Johnson City, Washington Co, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar III, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Curtis Girdner
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