By: Mark Holtsberry
Paul Philander Gusler was born June 29, 1895 near Grover Hill, Ohio. He was the son of Simon Allen and Catherine Eunice (Gilbert) Gusler.
By 1900 Simon, Catherine along with 8 children, were living in Latty, Ohio. Simon was a farmer who made sure that Paul received an education. Paul was schooled in county schools of the community. Simon was still farming and Paul was attending Haviland School. Paul went on to receive college training at Tri State College, Angola, Indiana, he also went to the College of Agriculture at the Ohio State University.
Paul enlisted in Company B. of the 2nd Ohio National Guard in Paulding, July of 1917. On June 5, 1918, in Latty, Ohio, Paul registered for the draft. Records state that he was single and medium build, medium height, dark brown hair, with dark brown eyes. On June 15, 1918, Paul was shipped out to be sent to France, from Hoboken, New Jersey on the ship “Leviathan”. Once arriving in France, Paul was assigned to Company I. of the 145th Machine Gun Company, 37th Division, and given the rank of Sergeant.
After being stationed in the Vosges Mountain region, Paul wrote an article to the Paulding Republican newspaper talking about the scenery. “The view from the top of a hill with the sun brightening up the opposite slope of the valley is the finest kind of scene you can imagine”. “No I haven’t learned how to speak French yet, but I have picked up a few things in the couple of weeks we have been here.” “No doubt there is a letter somewhere on the road for me. At least I hope so. From now on it will be pretty difficult to answer letters, as you can see.”
Paul, along with his unit, took part in the Muese-Argonne Forest, as well as the Ypres- Lys Defensive sector. During the Flanders offensive, on October 31, 1918, in Belgium, the first day of the offensive along the Lys and Scheldt Rivers near Olsene, Paul was killed by a shell fragment in the throat. In early December 1918, Paul’s father, Simon, received a letter from a young man whom had served with Paul since the early armory days in Paulding, that his son Paul had been killed. This man’s letter was received before any government official could reach the family.
Paul was cited posthumanously for Meritorious Service in Action by Major General Farnsworth, Commanding General of the 37th Division. Paul was buried in the American Military Cemetery, in Waergham, West Flanders, Belgium, in Block A., Row 2., Grave 18. During the 1920’s, the Gold Star Mothers Association, lobbied for a Federally sponsored pilgrimage to Europe for mothers with sons buried overseas. In 1929, Congress enacted legislation that authorized the Secretary of War to arrange for the mothers to visit the graves of their sons in Europe. Mrs. Catherine Gusler, of Grover Hill, chose not to go. The villagers of West Flanders, to this day, still take care of this Cemetery!
