US soldier post card album WW I

[72 usmc]

 I got this from a kid at a gas station who needed money and was taking this album to an antique dealer to sell for $75. He was only filling the tank a wee bit, and I asked why he did not fill  it up all the way. Covid just hit the US and his place of work was shutting down for 2 weeks. This happened in USA, WI.  I asked to see this album and noticed this was his  great, great grand pa' s  Post Cards from WW I and it was named. So I gave him $100 and told him to fill his tank and I would also pay for his gas. I had to save it.

 There are approximately 116 post cards that were sent home. The book is 6 cm thick and has four WWI post cards on each leaf- two on the front and two on the back.  There are combat scenes, buildings, and ships. His uniform collar disc is attached on the cover. The cards identifies the WW I soldier as Elmer K. Jerome from Sheboygan WI. He served in France 1918-1919 as a private to corporal in the First Division, 8th Field Artillery, Battery C, in the Meuse Argonne and Lorraine-Picardy offensives.  Also the Battel of Saint Mihiel as per Ancestory Fold 3 information. He depaarted France on 24 Aug 1919 from Brest, France. Most of these post cards are dated 1919.

In America there are family post card albums with saved Christmas cards, Easter, Halloween, Valentine's day, and or views of the town or village one lived in dating to the 1900s. However, there are only a few military albums with post cards showing the war that were sent home.  Then as they arrived, they actually had to be saved by a family member. I assume more than a few were tossed out. Like first person war letters, generally few letters or albums survived. So I had to save this. In an effort to save space I took views of each page and an example of one with the name (Reverse view) . I collect Christmas post cards cards. Old French and German Christmas cards are works of art. I also collect WW I Belleau Wood photos, steroview cards and  post cards.

 Here is a rare find. 

 

[Gildwiller1918]

Glad you got a hold of this, nice find!