Willis Lewis Burnworth
Sergeant, U.S. Army

Willis Lewis Burnworth was born on 6 June 1891 in Bremen, Fairfield County, OH.

Burnworth and his unit sailed on the USS Leviathan from Hoboken, NJ, on 15 June 1918 and landed at Brest, France, on 22 June 1918.

After arrival in Europe, Burnworth and his unit fought in the following sectors:

● Baccarat Sector from 4 August to 16 September 1918
● Avocourt Sector from 21 September to 25 September 1918
● Meuse-Argonne Offensive from 26 September to 1 October 1918
● Pannes Sector (St. Mihiel) from 7 October to 16 October 1918
● Flanders Offensive (Lys) from 31 October to 1 November 1918

Burnworth received a promotion to Sergeant on 25 October 1918.

On 31 October 1918 during the Flanders offensive near Eyne, Belgium, a large-caliber shell (210) burst about 10 feet from Sgt Burnworth and he was killed instantly by the concussion. There was not a mark on his body where anything had hit him.

Medals and Awards

Silver Star Medal (see Citation Star explanation below)
World War I Victory Medal

Citation Star *

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Sergeant Willis L. Burnworth (ASN: 1518883), United States Army, is cited for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Sergeant Burnworth distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Company H, 145th Infantry Regiment, 37th Division, A.E.F., in action near Olsene, Belgium, on 31 October 1918. Sergeant Burnworth displayed exceptional coolness and courage in charging and capturing a strong machine gun nest.

General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 3 (1922)

* The "Citation Star" (a 3⁄16 silver star) was established by an Act of Congress on 9 July 1918 and authorized to be placed upon the ribbon of the World War I Victory Medal awarded him. On 19 July 1932, the Secretary of War, Patrick J. Hurley, authorized recipients of the "Citation Star" to exchange them for the new Silver Star Medal. About 10,000 service members requested that exchange. For that reason, the Silver Star Medal is displayed under Sergeant Burnworth's Medals and Awards.

Honors

● A memorial bearing Sergeant Willis Lewis Burnworth's name is located in front of the American Legion Post at 201 North Broad Street, Bremen, OH.
● A second memorial bearing Sergeant Willis Lewis Burnworth's name is located at the Rushcreek Memorial High School, 210 Strayer Avenue, in Bremen, OH.

Burial

Sergeant Willis Lewis Burnworth was killed in action on 1 November 1918. He was buried on the roadside near Olsene in a isolated grave. On 13 June 1919 he was disinterred and reburied in Grave 79, Plot D, American Military Cemetery, West Flanders, Belgium. When his parents were asked if they wanted the remains to be returned to the USA for private burial or burial in a National Cemetery, they wrote: "We want his remains be left over there as we are informed they will be taken care of and remembered by a grateful nation for what he has done." Sergeant Willis Lewis was disinterred and reburied on 22 June 1922 in Grave 8 of Plot C, Row 1, Flanders Field American Cemetery, Wortegemseweg 117, 8790 Waregem, Belgium.

A cenotaph for Sergeant Willis Lewis Burnworth is located at Grandview Cemetery in Bremen, Fairfield County, OH, next to the graves of his parents.

Adoption of Grave *

The grave of Sergeant Willis Lewis Burnworth was adopted on 16 August 2014 by SGM Peter Stassen (Belgian Army) and his wife MCPO Colette Vanhoorneweder (Belgian Navy), Zerkegem, Belgium.

* The wonderful Adopt a Grave program for the Flanders Field American Cemetery is under the oversight of the American Legion "Flanders Fields" Post BEO2. The Post's adopt-a-grave program started in March 2014 to invite local families to volunteer to adopt each of the fallen who are buried at the Waregem cemetery, which was established in 1919. Each of the 368 graves were adopted by locals who agree to visit the grave on a frequent basis, decorate it (especially on holidays like Memorial Day), and to learn about the soldier buried there.

Note from the Military Hall of Honor

It is worth noting that Burnworth's parents reason for wanting him buried in Belgium was because "We want his remains be left over there as we are informed they will be taken care of and remembered by a grateful nation for what he has done." That desire has certainly been fulfilled by the people of Belgium!

[Most of the information in this biography, and all of the photos that are a part of the honoree record, were contributed by SGM Peter Stassen (Belgian Army) and his wife MCPO Colette Vanhoorneweder (Belgian Navy), Zerkegem, Belgium. All is used with their express permission.]