WORLD WAR I
LETTERS HOME


Note: During World War I, as I read the accounts and reports from the front in the Record newspaper, Harry B. Doremus seemed to be the central figure. Most local young men were either serving in his Company or serving him on his staff. The letters home portray him as a man looked up to and trusted. At home, the parents of these young men in his Company must have looked at him as the father of the boys while overseas.

Harry B. Doremus was born on April 30, 1876, so he would have been 42 years old when he was KIA on October 27, 1918. A rather older man for the day and one who had already served in the Spanish American War and Mexican border conflicts. To understand how old he was for the day, the average life span at the turn of the century was 47 years old and it reached an all time low in 1918 because of the Spanish Influenza,
not the first World War, of just 39 years old.

Walter Brown who was killed in action on October 12, 1918, lived on the North end of Hackensack on Grand Avenue , which is in the area of ‘McDonalds' in River Edge today. On some local maps even today, it is marked North Hackensack . The article below tells of Walter Brown's parents receiving the message of their son's death. The article tells of his relationship with Harry B. Doremus who lived on State Street in Hackensack and
the Fifth New Jersey Regiment.

I do not know if Walter Brown attended Hackensack High School, but his connection with the town through his church and his home are solid. The River Edge American Legion Post is named in Walter Brown's honor. Harry B. Doremus was killed in action only 15 days after Walter Brown on October 27, 1918.

The Hackensack American Legion Post was named in Harry Doremus' honor.

Let us never forget the soldiers sacrifice.

Written by:
Bob Meli
June 10, 2009