Thomas Adam Umholtz was born 16 December 1888 in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the son of Jesse Umholtz (1845-1894) and Mary Ann [Ritzman] Umholtz (1852-1939). On 25 February 1918 he was inducted into the army at Elizabethville, Dauphin County.
Thomas A. Umholtz did not return home. He died in a hospital in Germany on 19 February 1919.
On 17 March 1918, while at Camp Meade near Baltimore, Maryland, before being sent overseas, he wrote a letter to his friend, George A. Koppenhaver, who was at the time in Woodlawn, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. A transcription and photographs of the 3 page letter are provided here:
Camp Meade, 17 March 1918
Dear Friend,
I will now take the pleasure time in ans. your letter which I received this morning and was glad to hear from you and also glad to hear that you are well. And I am still enjoying army life.
I and Bill and Harry Sitlinger were near out all day today. But I am tired, poor Joel was on guard duty ever since last night five o’clock and wont be off duty till five tonight. We are having nice weather for two days now. In the fore part of the week we had rainy weather so we did not have to drill and on Friday I was on guard duty for the first time therefore out on a hike on Friday after noon I was glad I was…
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not in it the way they said they must have been about six or eight miles. And on Saturday we had off all day they went to play ball. I did not go along Bill and Joel came and then I could not go along but they lost the first game on Sunday they went to play again they won the second one. You ought to see Bill in the trenches he certainly is good. I could not go with him in the trenches he certainly is a cracker Jack. You ought to be here Geo. to see this place it looks like a city you know it is build like a city but the soil is no good there is nothing but sand and yellow clay.
I received a letter from Pike [?] this week for the first time there is every body well up our way the way he told me. But they did not hear any thing ever since Wacker…
got that letter. Wopper told me in his letter that Nipper* got transferred to New York. You ought to see the skirts here on Sunday there certainly are some here but they generally have there chums here You ought to see the negroes when they are walking with lady friends they certainly look funny. I must close for this time hope to hear from you soon.
Respectfully yours.
Thomas A. Umholtz
26th Co. 154th Depot Brigade
Camp Meade
M.D.