Remember the Fallen John F Glass Jr., WW1 Casualty As a new feature, The Gazette occasionally will publish biographical sketches of Middleboro’s war casualties. This is intended to remember the sacrifice of all veterans and those who gave their lives in service to our country.

JOHN F. GLASS Jr. was born on October 8, 1897 in Middleboro. He was the son of John and Helen Agnes (Reardon) Glass. Prior to his service time he worked as shoemaker at the George E. Keith Company (Walkover Shoes) in Middleboro.

He enlisted in the Massachusetts National Guard on June 23, 1916, and was assigned to the 5 th Infantry of Plymouth. He saw service on the Mexican border. He was called to active duty on July 25, and, on August 8, 1917 and was transferred to Company D, 101 st Infantry of the 26 th Yankee Division. On September 7, 1917, he was shipped overseas with the Division.

He was wounded on August 28, 1918. A letter home from Private Peter Letourneau, who was assigned to the same Company as John Glass, was reprinted in the Middleboro Gazette, “John Glass, Jr., was killed (October 26, 1918) by a German explosive bullet hitting him in the head.”

Letourneau reported that he was only but 50 feet away when this happened. He also wrote that he was close at hand when Sergeant Simeon Nickerson met his death.

John F. Glass, Jr., had been in France 14 months, when his father John of “West Street received official notification from the war department at Washington, that his son, John Glass, Jr., fell in battle”…..according to an article of December 6, 1918 in the Gazette.

On May 30, 1929, as part of Memorial Day Services, Everett Square was renamed and dedicated to John F. Glass, Jr. A plaque was placed in the square in his honor. Middleboro’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2188 is named after him.

The Keith Shoe Company published a booklet about its employees who served during WW1. A photo of John Glass (a copy hangs in the VFW) with a brief write-up about him is included in the booklet.

John F. Glass, Jr., is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France. His remains are located in Plot G, Row 11, Grave 8.