An American soldier whose mother paid for a monument in his likeness to be put in the St. Mihiel American Cemetery.
From Honor States:
ORIGINS:
Walker Blaine Beale was born on March 22, 1896. According to our records Maine was his home or enlistment state and Kennebec County included within the archival record. We have Augusta listed as the city.
SERVICE:
He had enlisted in the United States Army. Served during World War I. Beale had the rank of First Lieutenant. His military occupation or specialty was Commanding Officer. Attached to 78th Division, 310th Infantry Regiment, Company I.
CASUALTY:
During his service in World War I, Army First Lieutenant Beale experienced a traumatic event which ultimately resulted in loss of life on September 18, 1918. Recorded circumstances attributed to: Died of Wounds. Incident location: Saint-Mifiel, France.
DETAILS:
Walker Blaine Beale was born on March 22, 1896 in Augusta, Maine. He was later living in the District of Columbia, Washington DC and Cambridge, Middlesex county, Massachusetts.
He was the only child of Thuxtun Beale and Harriet Blaine Beale. His parents had divorced when he was very young. He attended Harvard University in 1914 and In July, 1916, he went to Officers' Training Camp in Plattsburgh, Clinton county, New York.
In March, 1918, his division from Harvard was ordered overseas. His company arrived in England in June, 1918. Walker was Acting Captain of Company I, a position he held until his death at Thiaucourt, Saint-Mihiel, France. An enemy shell exploded and hit Beale and two other Lieutenants. It tore them to pieces, however Beale did not die until later that evening at a field hospital.
He had been born into a powerful, even legendary, American family. His paternal grandfather was General Edward Beale, who among other feats surveyed entire states for the Transcontinental Railroad, and in 1848 was given the secret task of trekking to California to bring back proof that there was in fact "Gold in them hills".
Meanwhile, his father was serving as US Ambassador to three different countries at the same time.
His maternal grandfather was James G Blaine of Maine. He was a US Senator, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Secretary of the State under three US Presidents and was the Republican candidate for President of the United States in 1884.
REMEMBERED:
Walker Blaine Beale is buried or memorialized at Plot D Row 2 Grave 2, St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.
From Find a Grave:
First Lieutenant, United States Army. 310th Infantry Regiment-78th Division. Walker Blaine Beale was born on March 22, 1896 in Augusta, Maine at the home of his maternal grandparents, James G. and Harriet (Stanwood) Blaine. He was the only child of Thuxtun Beale and Harriet Blaine Beale. (His parents divorced when he was very young.) Walker graduated from St. Paul's School in New Hampshire in 1914 and entered Harvard that fall. In July of 1916, he went to Officers' Training Camp in Plattsburg. Trained with the Harvard Unit in 1917, which was followed by a three months course in first Officer Training at Fort Myers. He returned to Harvard for another three week training and was assigned to the 78th Division at Fort Dix. In March of 1918, his division was ordered overseas. Walker was Acting Captain of Company I, a position he held until his death. (His Captain's commission came after he was killed) His company arrived in England in June, 1918. At the beginning of September 1918, the 310th Infantry was ordered to the neighborhood of Thiaucourt. On September 18th, in the fields of Xammes a shell exploded and hit Beale and two other Lietenants. Walker's uncle was famed Conductor Walter Damrosch (married to Walker's maternal aunt Margaret (Blaine) Damrosch). Damrosch published a book in 1923 called My Musical Life. In the book, he recounts the day that Walker was fatally wounded. "My nephew was killed on the 18th of the following September, 1918 at Saint-Mihiel. Reconnoitring to assure the safety of his men, he leaped a fence to join three fellow officers. A shell tore them to pieces. This was in the early afternoon. Walker was taken to a field hospital and died at eleven that night." Walker was born into two powerful American Families. His paternal grandfather was General Edward Beale. Walker's grandfather and father served as United States Ambassadors to Foreign Countries. He father served as Ambassador to three different countries at the same time. The Beale family owned Decateur House in Washington D.C. and Tejon Ranch in California. His maternal grandfather was James G. Blaine of Maine. Blaine was a US Senator, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Secretary of the State under three US Presidents and was the Republican candidate for President of the United States in 1884. (Grover Cleveland narrowly won) Prior to his death, Walker had received the majority of shares in the ownership of his maternal grandparents home in Maine. About a year after Walker's death, his mother donated her parents home to the State of Maine to be used as the Governor's Mansion in Walker's memory. The "Blaine House" is located across the street from the State Capital and has been home to over 20 Governors and their families since 1920. There is a bronze plaque located in the foyer of the Blaine House in memory of Walker Blaine Beale. His step-mother Marie Beale also donated land to Harvard University for the building of the Center for Hellenic (Greek) Studies in Walker's memory.