Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - A Veteran's Service and Gravesite

Looks like I haven't had any Saturday Night Genealogy Fun in months. My last SNGF post was in July. Time to rectify that. This week's challenge from Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings is:

1)  To celebrate Veterans Day, pick one of your ancestors or relatives with a military record and a gravestone.

2)  Tell us about your ancestor's military service.

3)  Tell us about your ancestor's gravestone - where is it, what is the inscription, when were you last there?  Show us a picture of it if you have one available.  

4)  Write your own blog post about this ancestor and his gravestone, or share it in a Comment to this blog post, in a status line on Facebook, or in a Google Plus Stream post. 


My maternal grandfather, Elmer Dennis Hopkins, served in the U. S. Army twice. He enlisted the first time on 4 Dec 1911 at Middlesboro, Kentucky and was discharged 3 Dec 1914 at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He served in Troup E of the 15th Cavalry. 

Elmer on left

According to his discharge papers, he "participated in the internment of the Mexican Federal Army after their evacuation of Ojinaga, Mexico January 10-20, 1914." During the Mexican Revolution, Pancho Villa led the war in the northern part of Mexico on behalf of the revolution. In January 1914, Pancho Villa and his army drove the Mexican Federal Army out of Ojinaga. To avoid being captured by Villa, the Mexican Army crossed the border into Texas and surrendered to U.S. troops. The Mexicans were interned in Fort Bliss, Texas and Fort Wingate, New Mexico for almost a year. Elmer was involved in the interment at Fort Bliss.

His second enlistment was during World War I. He was inducted 24 May 1918 at Mt. Vernon, Kentucky and was discharged 12 Jun 1919 at Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky (near Louisville). He was stationed in France from 6 Aug 1918 to 28 May 1919 with the 315th Infantry Supply Company. 

Elmer is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky beside his wife, Emma. Headstone transcription: HOPKINS, Emma E., Oct. 24, 1900, Jan. 18, 1978; Elmer D., Apr 2, 1894, May 26, 1980.

Elmer's VA marker transcription: Elmer D. Hopkins, Cpl US Army, World War I, Apr 2, 1894, May 26, 1980.

The last time I was at Elmer's grave was a few days before Memorial Day this year.