Military Monday: Adolph Myren

Pvt Adolph Myren, World War I
photo from personal collection

The story of Adolph Myren, my Great Uncle, is much like that of many young American men during the years of World War I.  I grew up hearing how Uncle Adolph had served in the first World War, seeing the photo above in the family picture box as I was growing up.  His story, however, comes in bits and pieces for his service record was most likely among those destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Archives Record Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Adolph Myren was the son of Norwegian immigrants who became Dakota homesteaders and American citizens.  In June of 1917, Adolph registered for the draft in his hometown of Hillsboro, North Dakota.  The physical description listed on his registration card - tall, slender, blue eyes, and [light] brown hair - speaks of his Scandinavian heritage.

World War I Draft Registration Card
source: Ancestry.com

A detailed record of Adolph Myren's military service is found in Ancestry's "US Adjutant General Records", pictured below.  Initially he was a member of the North Dakota National Guard, enlisting about three months after his registration for the draft.  Adolph, along with other state national guard members, later became part of the regular American military forces serving in World War I.

source: US Adjutant General Records, 1631-1976
Ancestry.com

Adolph was reported as Missing in Action while he was serving in France.  His name appeared in the list published in the Official US Bulletin of 23 Sep 1918.(1)  It would appear that Adolph was missing following the Battle of St.Mihiel which occurred 12-16 Sep 1918.(2)  Since the fighting at Meuse-Argonne took place between 26 Sep-11 Nov 1918, Adolph was apparently able to rejoin his unit within a relatively short time.

Following the conclusion of the war, Adolph Myren returned to his home in North Dakota.  He was a farmer for the rest of his life. never married.  Adolph lived until his mid-90s, always standing tall and straight just as he did done many years before in his military photograph.

photo by Alexis Yokom
FindAGrave memorial #92116119

(1) Official US Bulletin, Issues 402-451. Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office, 1918, accessed through Google Books.
(2) "US Army Campaigns, World War I." http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/wwi.html.