Listed as John Earle Fik on the American Volunteer Monument in Paris,
Spanish-American War Veteran
French Foreign Legion


John Earl Fike (AKA John Smith) was born on October 21, 1883 in Creston, Ohio (Wayne County). He was reported Missing in Action on June 16, 1915 while fighting with the French Foreign Legion while fighting in the Battle of Artois. In France during WW1.
Fike served with the US Army In the Spanish American War in the Philippine Campaign and was cited for bravery while fighting in a Cavalry Company commanded by a Captain Payton Conway March (Later Chief of Staff of the US Army).
Without informing family, Fike went to France in 1914 and enlisted in the French Foreign Legion under the name of “John Smith”. John Smith was the name of his maternal Grandfather who was a Captain in the 62nd Ohio Infantry during the Civil War.
Fike served in the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st French Forign Legion. He served in a squad known as the “American Squad” along with Rusel Kelly, Kenneth Weeks, Paul Pavelka.
During the Battle of Artois both he and Russel Kelly were declared as missing in Action and presumed dead. Pavelka and Weeks were both wounded. The bodies of Fike and Kelly were not recovered.

From the Mémoire des homes (French Ministry of Defense) Website:
John SMITH
Mort pour la France le 16-06-1915 (Souchez, 62 - Pas-de-Calais, France)
Né(e) le/en 27-10-1885 à New-York (Etats-Unis)
29 ans, 7 mois et 20 jours
Career:
Rank: soldat de 2e classe
Unit: 2e régiment de marche du 1er régiment étranger (2e RM du 1er RE)
Class:1914 (EV)
Recruitment office: eLa Rochelle (17)
Recruitment roll number:292
Reference: Mort pour la France Place of transcription of death: Souchez (62 - Pas-de-Calais, France)


Sources: American fighters in the Foreign legion, 1914-1918 by Paul Ayres Rockwell and A History of Wayne County in the World War and in the Wars of the Past By Edward Harry Hauenstein