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Victor Lawrence Aldrich

Cottonwood County school system.

Private Aldrich enlisted as a Private in the Army Signal Corps and was assigned to 19th AAF Photo Section.

Boot Camp photo 1918

Narrative

Died of Spanish Flu/pneumonia in Liverpool, England. Buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Windom, Cottonwood County, Minnesota.

Victor Lawrence Aldrich was the last child born to Wilder Gardiner and Violet Jane (Masters) Aldrich on Friday, April 20, 1894, at Winnebago, Faribault County, Minnesota. Victor remained in Winnebago until the spring of 1899 when the family moved to Windom, Cottonwood County, Minnesota. It was here that Victor entered, and completed, the Cottonwood County school system. His father, Wilder Gardiner Aldrich, died on June 13, 1915. His oldest brother, Leon Earl Aldrich, was living in Crosby, North Dakota and Victor became the man of the house at age 21.

Victor was attending the Tennessee College of Photography when he registered for the draft on Saturday, May 26, 1917 (Draft Registration Card, 1917). He is described as being of medium height, medium build, blue eyes, brown hair, and appearing to be in good physical condition. His occupation is listed as "Student". Upon graduation he worked as a professional photographer in Windom.

He enlisted as a Private in the Army Signal Corps on Sunday, February 10, 1918, age 23, attended a ten week Aerial Photographer Course at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. He was then sent to Park Field, Memphis, TN and following aerial training was assigned to the 19th Aerial Photographic Unit at Fort Dix, NJ to await ship transport to France via Liverpool, England. He departed the United States on October 6, 1918 and while aboard ship contracted pneumonia. He was disembarked at Liverpool, England and died at an Army Hospital there on Wednesday, October 23, 1918 at age 24. Private Aldrich, Serial Number 484693, was buried with full military honors at the US military cemetery in Liverpool, England. A memorial headstone was erected at the Lake View Cemetery, Windom, MN (Gravestones, 1987; Newspaper Article, 1918; Statement of Service, 1988 and Field Trip 1989). His body was returned by the US Government to Windom, MN and he was reburied beneath his headstone in the 1920's.