No. 5314; Class of 1915. Died in France April 9, 1918, aged 25. (Note there is no record of Major Kimble being wounded – however someone at the Academy listed him to the Times as KIA)
Edwin R. Kimble was born in Portland, Oregon, September 24, 1892; his father Edwin R. Kimble died when he was but nine years of age, and the boy went to Texas with his mother and younger brother when ten years of age. He spent his boyhood days in Gal- veston, graduating from the Ball High School in the class of 1908. He then attended the University of Texas, Austin, during the winter of 1910-1911, entering the United States Military Academy in June, 1911; graduating therefrom in 1915.
Mater for one month as an assistant instructor in the Department of Tactics during that summer. His first regular post was Vancouver Barracks, and while stationed there he received his first promotion to First Lieutenant the following January: promoted to Captain in May 1917, and in August of the same year he received his Majority, shortly after his arrival in France.
In October of the same year he was Battalion Commander of the U. S. Engineers, composed of the first of our soldiers on the firing lines. In letters to his mother Major Kimble spoke of occupying a comparatively quiet sector along the French front, but was near to the first Boches taken prisoners by the American soldiers, and very near to the first of our men who were first wounded in battle.
The following announced the death of Major Kimble: ARMY GENERAL, STAFF COLLEGE-A. E. F.-FRANCE.
April 9, 1918.
It is the sad duty of the Director of the General Staff College to announce the death of Major Edwin .R. Kimble, Corps of Engineers, Assistant Instructor.
Major Kimble entered the United States Military Academy in June,
1911, and. graduated second in the class of 1915. He was a student at the Engineer School, Washington Barracks, during the course of 1915-1916, and, when school was discontinued, came with the First U. S. Engineers to France in June, 1917, serving with that organization until he entered the Army General Staff College.
Major Kimble was a student officer in the First Course at the Army General Staff College and was retained as an assistant instructor in the Second (present) Course. As part of his work he was sent – to the British Fifth Corps Staff to study the work of the Corps Intelligence Service. He was with this corps during the first ten days of the Battle of Picardy (March 21-30, 1918). A few days after his return to the Staff College he was admitted to hospital and died April 9.
A. W. BJORNSTAD, Lieutenant Colonel, G. S.
Major Kimble from his entrance to the Academy in 1911 until his graduation in 1915 was a leader in many class and corps activities. The following lines written by him of another cadet for the Howitzer could equally well be said of him: “He is a staunch supporter of everything that is best in cadet life, and in Corps tradition. There is no one who does not like him and there can be no one who does not admire him. He has made a record for himself in everything that he has touched that makes all of us feel sure that the future holds nothing but success for him.”
By his pleasing personality and genial disposition he early won his way into the hearts of all who knew him. He has always proved a true and sincere friend, especially when it came to helping the goats. There are probably several men that would not be counted among West Point graduates today but for his assistance. He showed these same qualities during his short but full career as an officer in the service. He was the first member of the class of 1915 to die in France.
In the death of Major Kimble the class of 1915 loses one of its most popular members, the Academy one of its most loyal sons and the Army one of the most efficient of its younger officers.
Major Kimble was unmarried, but leaves to mourn his loss a devoted mother, Mrs. Elvira V. H. Kimble, whose home is in Galveston, Texas, and a younger brother, Second Lieutenant Frederick von H. Kimble, a member of the Class of 1919, graduated from the Academy in June, 1918.
Listing of Engineers
http://www.diehardengineer.com/Memorial.html
Family
http://genealogytrails.com/washdc/military/greatwar.html
Ship named after Kimble
http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/smallships/armycorpsdr.htm
For What They Gave on Saturday Afternoon 