Melvin Brazil Cornwell was born on the 25th of July 1894 in Token, Virginia to George S. and Martha J Cornwell. He had five brothers, and three sisters. He was employed as a Laborer by Brown and Hoff in Manassas, Virginia. Melvin was called by the Draft Board for his medical exam on the 20th of August 1917. He left, as part of the third group of County draftees, for Camp Lee, along with fifteen other men from Prince William County, at 9:47 AM on the 9th of October. The county held a reception to honor them on evening of the 8th of October at the courthouse which was followed by a short parade the next morning as they went to the train.
In November, when the 3rd Infantry was formed at Camp Greene in North Carolina, Private Cornwell was transferred there and assigned to Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. The 3rd Division (Rock of the Marne) was organized from units of the Regular Army and trained at Camp Greene, North Carolina. It arrived in France in the latter part of May 1918. On June 9th, the Division moved to Meaux on the Marne River, and participated in the Second Battle of the Marne and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. From the 15th to 22nd of July, the 38th stopped the advance of German forces on the Marne and earned their title, "The Rock of the Marne." The Regiment stopped the advance of two Divisions of German infantry while capturing 600 prisoners. The 38th would go on to participate in the St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne, and Champagne campaigns before wars end. It was during the Meuse-Argonne campaign that Private Cornwell received the wounds that he would eventually succumb to.
Private Cornwell died on the 1st of November 1918 from wounds received in heavy fighting. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. His cousin, Vernard Cornwell, would also die in France from complication resulting from influenza.
Biography compliments of the Freedom Museum
In November, when the 3rd Infantry was formed at Camp Greene in North Carolina, Private Cornwell was transferred there and assigned to Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. The 3rd Division (Rock of the Marne) was organized from units of the Regular Army and trained at Camp Greene, North Carolina. It arrived in France in the latter part of May 1918. On June 9th, the Division moved to Meaux on the Marne River, and participated in the Second Battle of the Marne and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. From the 15th to 22nd of July, the 38th stopped the advance of German forces on the Marne and earned their title, "The Rock of the Marne." The Regiment stopped the advance of two Divisions of German infantry while capturing 600 prisoners. The 38th would go on to participate in the St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne, and Champagne campaigns before wars end. It was during the Meuse-Argonne campaign that Private Cornwell received the wounds that he would eventually succumb to.
Private Cornwell died on the 1st of November 1918 from wounds received in heavy fighting. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. His cousin, Vernard Cornwell, would also die in France from complication resulting from influenza.
Biography compliments of the Freedom Museum
Melvin Brazil Cornwell was born on the 25th of July 1894 in Token, Virginia to George S. and Martha J Cornwell. He had five brothers, and three sisters. He was employed as a Laborer by Brown and Hoff in Manassas, Virginia. Melvin was called by the Draft Board for his medical exam on the 20th of August 1917. He left, as part of the third group of County draftees, for Camp Lee, along with fifteen other men from Prince William County, at 9:47 AM on the 9th of October. The county held a reception to honor them on evening of the 8th of October at the courthouse which was followed by a short parade the next morning as they went to the train.
In November, when the 3rd Infantry was formed at Camp Greene in North Carolina, Private Cornwell was transferred there and assigned to Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. The 3rd Division (Rock of the Marne) was organized from units of the Regular Army and trained at Camp Greene, North Carolina. It arrived in France in the latter part of May 1918. On June 9th, the Division moved to Meaux on the Marne River, and participated in the Second Battle of the Marne and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. From the 15th to 22nd of July, the 38th stopped the advance of German forces on the Marne and earned their title, "The Rock of the Marne." The Regiment stopped the advance of two Divisions of German infantry while capturing 600 prisoners. The 38th would go on to participate in the St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne, and Champagne campaigns before wars end. It was during the Meuse-Argonne campaign that Private Cornwell received the wounds that he would eventually succumb to.
Private Cornwell died on the 1st of November 1918 from wounds received in heavy fighting. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. His cousin, Vernard Cornwell, would also die in France from complication resulting from influenza.
Biography compliments of the Freedom Museum
In November, when the 3rd Infantry was formed at Camp Greene in North Carolina, Private Cornwell was transferred there and assigned to Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. The 3rd Division (Rock of the Marne) was organized from units of the Regular Army and trained at Camp Greene, North Carolina. It arrived in France in the latter part of May 1918. On June 9th, the Division moved to Meaux on the Marne River, and participated in the Second Battle of the Marne and the Meuse-Argonne offensive. From the 15th to 22nd of July, the 38th stopped the advance of German forces on the Marne and earned their title, "The Rock of the Marne." The Regiment stopped the advance of two Divisions of German infantry while capturing 600 prisoners. The 38th would go on to participate in the St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne, and Champagne campaigns before wars end. It was during the Meuse-Argonne campaign that Private Cornwell received the wounds that he would eventually succumb to.
Private Cornwell died on the 1st of November 1918 from wounds received in heavy fighting. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. His cousin, Vernard Cornwell, would also die in France from complication resulting from influenza.
Biography compliments of the Freedom Museum
Gravesite Details
co 1, 38 inf, 3 div ww
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
