Uniform of Maynard Newkirk, World War I

This uniform, from World War I belonged to Maynard Newkirk (b.1897, d.1956) of Worthington. Born to George and Flora Newkirk in 1897, and a descendant of Scioto Company member Israel Putnam Case, Maynard Newkirk graduated from Worthington High School in 1916. Newkirk enlisted at Delaware, Ohio on September 28th, 1918 and was discharged December 20th, 1918. During his service Newkirk attended the Students’ Army Training Corp, Ohio Mechanics Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. Following service, he was honorably discharged in December of 1918.

The uniform here, has the name “M NEWKIRK” inside the left breast. This uniform coat was the standard issue to the majority of the US troops serving in the AEF from 1917-1918. It was made of a coarse wool and dyed in a wide variety of khaki and olive drab colors. A red chevron can be seen on the left arm of the jacket. Instructions pertaining to the uniform and discharge chevron were explained in a post war pamphlet handed out to Doughboys before they mustered out of the Army. It partially read as follows: "If it is your desire to go home in uniform, it is your privilege to do so, under full grant of an act of Congress. You may wear your issue uniform as long as it hangs together if you wish. It is yours. But do not let a minute pass, after being discharged, until you have sewn on, or had sewn on a red chevron, point up, midway between the elbow and the shoulder on the left sleeve." (Where Do We Go from Here: This is the Real Dope, 1919, William Brown Meloney, page 21, 22)

In the 1940 census, Newkirk resided in Lewis Center in Delaware County with his wife Gladys and their son Paul (1924-1974). He worked as a farm laborer, likely on his father George’s farm. Son Paul lived in Worthington on Pingree Drive and was a private detective for the Columbus Detective Agency. Both Maynard and Paul are buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery.