Surname Index
Updated: 08 Sep 2009

Daily Oklahoman, The
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
October 4, 1918, pg 9

Photo courtesy of Teafor2

Military Funeral
For Pitts Sunday

The body of Private Lee Pitts, who died from the effects of chlorine gas while working a munitions factory at Stamford, Conn., is expected to arrive in Oklahoma City today or Saturday,

Burial will be in Fairlawn cemetery Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock.

A military escort, composed of a firing squad from company H, Second infantry, and the regimental band will form at the armory shortly after 2 o'clock. They will be joined by one of the camps of the Woodmen of the World here and a guard of honor from the Knights and Ladies of Security. The escort will proceed to the Pitts residence at 1412 West Twenty-fifth street, whence it will accompany the cortege to the cemetery. At the close of the ceremonies three volleys will be fired and taps sounded.

Daily Oklahoman, The 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
October 6, 1918, p18

Joseph Lee Pitts Will Be
Buried This Afternoon.

Taps Will be sounded today by an army bugler as the body-of Joseph Lee Pitts, in a flag, draped casket, is lowered into the way shadows of a soldiers' grave at Fairlawn cemetery.

There will be a rattle of side arms and, grim-faced men in olive drab from Company 1.1 of the Oklahoma National Guard will fire three volleys over the grave as their country's tribute to their comrade in arms who has made the supreme sacrifice.

Pitts was denied the death of a soldier. When he was drafted, last August he was not certified for general service, but was sent, because of his training, to the Elmwood arsenal at Stamford, Conn., to make gas. An attack of chlorine gas weakened him and pneumonia set in.

Description of Military Funeral for This Soldier continues on with clipping...

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, September 2009. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?

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