Woonsocket Doughboy's Dog Tags Found in Pawtucket Garden

The primary mission of the Rhode Island World War One Centennial Commission (RIWW1CC) is to commemorate the service and sacrifice of the men and women from Rhode Island who served during World War I. Occasionally, we are contacted by members of the public who have World War I related artifacts that they are seeking information about. This is the case with a World War I era dog tag that was discovered by Joe Gaboriault while gardening at his home in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The World War I era dog tag that Joe found belonged to Private First Class Joseph Collin Fraser (Army Serial Number #589,310) of the 20th Company, Rhode Island Coast Artillery (R.I.C.A), Narragansett Bay Defenses (N.B.D). Joseph enlisted in the U.S. Army at Woonsocket on May 20, 1916, before the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. At the time of his enlistment he was a 21 year old single man living in the village of Slatersville, town of North Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island.

Private First Class Fraser served with the Company 6 Coast Artillery Corps (20th Company Coast Artillery Corps at Fort Getty) until March 21, 1918. He was reassigned to Battery C, 54th Coast Artillery Corps.

On April 23, 1918, he embarked in the troopship Mercury at the U.S. Army's port of embarkation (P.O.E.) at Hoboken, New Jersey. He was part of the April Replacement Draft (Detachment) from Coastal Defenses of Narragansett Bay. The ship departed Hoboken, New Jersey, on April 23, 1918, bound for England.

While in France with the American Expeditionary Force, Private Fraser served with the 54th Coast Artillery Corps and the 44th Artillery Coast Artillery Corps.

On January 26, 1919, Private First Class Fraser embarked in the troopship Cedric at Brest, France, for his return to the United States. Upon arrival in Hoboken, New Jersey, on February 4, 1919, he was sent to Camp Mills in Long Island, New York, for demobilization. He was discharged from the U.S. Army on February 13, 1919.

Joseph was born on July 15, 1897 at Woonsocket, Providence County, Rhode Island. He was the second oldest son of Simon A. Fraser and Catherine (nee Kelleher) Fraser. His siblings were: Francis Cornelius Fraser (1895-1971), Charles Parker Fraser (1902-1939), Mary Ellen Fraser (1903-1942), Harold Fraser (1904-1972), and Rosa Fraser (1909-1917). Private Fraser's family lived at 61 Watson Street, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, during the war.

Joseph Fraser checked into U.S. Veterans Hospital #60 at Oteen (Ashville), Buncombe County, North Carolina, on January 8, 1922. He was 24 years old and suffering from being gassed during the war. He died at 1:30 am on February 22, 1922. His body was returned to Rhode Island via train arriving in Woonsocket on the evening of February 23, 1922. Private Fraser's body was accompanied back to Woonsocket by his brother, Charles.

Private Fraser's remains were escorted to Timothy S. Quinn's funeral parlor, on 102 Arnold Street, in Woonsocket by an honor guard comprised of members from the Lieutenant Harold F. Flynn post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Private Fraser's funeral was held at 1:30 pm on February 26th. The funeral procession from Quinn's funeral parlor to St. Charles' Church was lead by a color guard and a detail of members of the Lieutenant Harold F. Flynn post who escorted the hearse while the funeral cortege made its way through the city. Services for Private Fraser were conducted immediately following the funeral cortege's arrival. Reverend Frederick A. Baker officiated.

Please contact Matthew B. McCoy at riww1cc@gmail.com if you are a relative of Private Fraser's or if you know anything additional about Private Fraser and his military service.

Special thanks to Ken Carlson at the Rhode Island State Archives and Roger Beaudry of the American-French Genealogical Society for their research assistance.

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