Veterans column: Loyd Williams enlists before WWI
Cecil and Loyd Williams were born in Dakin, Nebraska. Cecil was born in 1894 and Loyd in 1895. Sometime between the 190
Veterans column: Loyd Williams enlists before WWI
Cecil and Loyd Williams were born in Dakin, Nebraska. Cecil was born in 1894 and Loyd in 1895. Sometime between the 1900 and 1910 census, their father moved his family of eight to Newark. His occupation is listed as a glass worker in the 1910 census.
In March 1916, Francisco “Pancho” Villa, a general with the Mexican Revolutionary Army, raided Columbus, New Mexico. His army consisted of anywhere from 500 to 1,000 men when they attacked part of the 13th U.S. Cavalry. There were 24 American casualties in the raid, 10 of those were civilians.
Loyd Williams enlisted in the Army in 1916; just in time to be stationed on the border of Mexico as General Pershing began his expedition to Mexico known as the “Punitive Expedition.” Pershing was to capture Villa and his men but faced difficulties when the Mexican government and the Mexican people resented what they saw as an invasion. There were skirmishes with insurgents as the army pushed as far as 400 miles from the border. The worst battle was at Carrizal in June 1916, where part of the 10th Cavalry was nearly destroyed. War with Mexico probably would have been declared, if it hadn’t been for the war waging in Europe. Pershing’s army withdrew from Mexico without capturing Villa in February of 1917.
That same month, another reason to keep the Army on the Mexican border became apparent. British cryptographers had deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman to the German Minister in Mexico. Zimmerman wrote “We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support, and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President’s attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace.”
The telegram was released for newspaper publication on March 1. The news that Germany was inciting Mexico to attack the United States following the “Pancho Villa” affair and the increase in submarine warfare was enough for America to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917.
That declaration of war changed Cecil and Loyd Williams lives’ forever.
Doug Stout is the Veterans Project Coordinator for the Licking County Library. You ma