Leading his men across a shell swept ridge, in the Argonne Forest, Arthur Edward Carson, ’18, lieutenant in the 91st Division, was struck by a high explosive, September 29, 1918, adding a paragraph to the deathless fame of the “Wild West” and sharing the glory of its citation for bravery.” (TYEE, 1919, pg. 38.) Second Lieutenant Carlson of the 347th Machine Gun Battalion, 91st Division, was killed in action in France near Verdun. Arthur entered the second officers training camp at the Presidio in August of 1917. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and reported at Camp Lewis where he was attached to the 347th Machine Gun Company. His company left for France in June, 1918, part of the 91st division. Notice of Arthur’s promotion to first lieutenant was received shortly after he lost his life.
The older of two sons, Arthur was born in Astoria, Oregon, to Finnish natives Frank Robert Carlson and his wife Anna Louise Johnson. The family later moved to Anacortes, Washington, where Arthur graduated from high school in 1914. He enrolled at the University of Washington and was a junior majoring in electrical engineering, affiliated with Acacia Fraternity, at the time of his enlistment. Arthur was united in marriage with Aletta Christine Anderson on March 2, 1918, in Tacoma. Originally buried in France, Arthur was reinterred at Fern Hill Cemetery in Anacortes on September 25, 1921. (bit.ly/uw_carlson)