Samouce, George Alexander

Title

Last Name

Samouce

First and Middle Name

George Alexander

Biographical Text

Samouce was born on February 1899 in Poltava, Russia (now Ukraine) to John Samouce and Anna Ivanovna Perhorovna-Zhikorvitskaya Samouce. In 1907 the Samouce Family, convinced that hard times were ahead in Russia, emigrated to Montreal, Canada and then emigrated again in 1917 to Lynchburg, Virginia. It was there, after the United States entered the war, that young George Samouce (who spoke both Russian and English) entered the Virginia National Guard as a Private. Once integrated into the National Army, the Virginia National Guard became the 116th Infantry within the US 29th Division.

With the 116th George Samouce participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and witnessed intense fighting at Molleville Farm, the Bois D’Ormond, and Grand Montagne. It was at Grand Montagne that he was hospitalized for shell shock on 15 October 1918 where he remained until 10 November 1918.

Despite not being an American citizen, George Samouce served, fought, and was wounded in the service of his adopted country. In May 1918 the United States Congress passed legislation that waived all naturalization requirements for soldiers who were serving in the wartime army. As long as the soldiers received honorable discharges at the end of the war, non-citizen soldiers could gain immediate citizenship. Nearly 280,000 men took advantage of this opportunity to become American citizens. It is likely that George Samouce became an American citizen through this legislation.

When war ended George Samouce returned to Virginia and enrolled at Virginia Polytechnic Institute where he majored in Horticulture and graduated in 1924. In the years after graduation Samouce returned to the US Army and served for more than two additional decades. During World War II he served as a captain and troop commander in the Pacific Theater and retired from the Army in 1945 at the rank of Major.

George Samouce died in Macon, Georgia in 1986 at the age of 87.

Hometown

Lynchburg, Virginia

Birth Date

26 February 1899

Birthplace

Poltava, Russia (now Ukraine)

Death Date

6 July 1986

Place of Death

Macon County, Georgia

Parents

John A. Samouce

VPI Graduating Class

1924

Undergraduate Major

Horticulture

Graduated

Yes

Service Branch

Army

Unit

Co. L, 116th Infantry, 29th Division

Rank

Private

Retired Rank

Major

Military Events

Overseas for 11 months

Battles or Engagements

Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Battle of Molleville Farm
Attack on Bois D'Ormond
Battle of Grand Montagne
Hopsitalized for shell shock at the Battle of Grande Montagne on October 15, 1918. He remained at the 1st Neurological Hospital in Benoit Vaux, France from October 16, 1918 to November 10, 1918. From November 11, 1918 to November 19 he was at Base # 117.

Other Events

Born in Poltava, Russia (now Ukraine) before his family emigrated to Cananda in 1907. His family moved again to Lynchburg, Virginia before war broke out in 1917.
He served with the Army's 116th Infantry, 29th Division in World War I. He received a bachelor's of science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and served as captain and troop commander on the Capeneddick during World War II.

Occupation

Before the war he a clerk at a Hardware Store of Barker and Jenning Hardware Company, after the war he indicated that he was a farmer. This was before he attended VPI. After he left VPI he continued in the service, retiring at the rank of Major in the US Army.