America is a
nation of immigrants. Adolph Brihn is an example of one immigrant who dearly loved his new
country of choice so much that he gave his life to defend the values he believed America
represented.
His date of birth was 1893 and
born in a small village near Vilno (Vilnius), Lithuania. At that
time Lithuania ,a tiny country on the Baltic Sea of Northern Europe, was occupied by
Russia. For centuries the hard working Lithuanians were being over run by conquering
nations such as Russia, Germany and Poland. Adolph wanted to escape the
hardships which so many of his countrymen knew and start a different lifestyle; one
of freedom and justice for himself. He knew about the opportunities America offered
for anyone who was willing to work hard so he immigrated to America when he was 20
years old.
He arrived in New York City and passed
through Ellis Island Port of Entry on April 13, 1913 and eventually sought work
on farms in Minnesota along with his brother Joseph. While in Minnesota, he joined
the Army National Guard. His reasons were many but he loved his new country and wanted to
help defend it. Germany-Austria (Axis Powers) were at war against England,
France, Belgium and many other European countries. The later group of countries had very
close ties to the United States whereas the former group (Axis Powers) were
making threatening gestures against American trade with the Allies. Finally the
striking blow that threw America into WWI was the sinking of the
Lusitania.
By 1917 the Brihn brothers
had developed close ties to the Clear Lake, Wisconsin area and sought to build a
new life there. On April 12, 1917 America declared war against the Axis Powers and
millions of American doughboys were drafted, volunteered or their National Guard units
were activated and called to active duty.
In early 1918 Adolph's Army
National Guard unit was activated and sent to Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa for
further training. When finished with his combat training, Adolph was sent to France as a
machine gunner with Company M, 47th Infantry, 42nd (Rainbow) Division, 1st Army.
News of his whereabouts in France was
often delayed. Months passed before an actual accounting of what happened to Adolph went
by before his family really knew about him. For example a telegram dated
November 6, 1918 said he had been wounded on about June 6, 1918 near
Chateau-Theirry, Belleau Woods and returned to duty on September 6th, 1918. But his family
did not receive the tragic news of his death which was on September 13, 1918 in the
battle of St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne Offensive until a letter arrived on March 14, 1919
which was 4 months later. As to how Adolph died in combat, there is no certain
documentation; however, the commitment he made as an American for
liberty is what we shall honor forever.
