Blinco Gilbert G 1894

Gilbert George Blinco

1894-1960

Father Nm: Elijah Blinco born

Mother Nm: Ella Davis

Marriage Dt: 8 Jul 1918 Michigan to Octavia Wilson at Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. Occupation Soldier.

Kin comments:

Spouse comments: Octavia Wilson Birth 17 Mar 1900 Arkansa Death 15 Sep 1982 Detroit Wayne, Michigan

Children:

Note : Gilbert was of African-American origin born in Lansing Michigan and classified black in Marriage record. He may appear in 1910 Census in Kentucky as age is correct and the family may originally come from Kentucky as well.

1910 Census Hawesville, Hancock, Kentucky

Ferdinand M Humphries 37
Catherine Humphries 32
Marietta Beauchamp 66
James M Humphries 21
Gilbert Blincoe 17 Hired man


24^th Infantry shoulder patch

WW1

Blinco Gilbert George, Sergeant, 1894, Kentucky, Sergeant 1^st Class, 1022840, 24^th Infantry Div, Coy A.

Pre-War

Gilbert volunteered to join the 24^th Infantry 24^th Sept 1914 and in the period of service leading up to the outbreak of WW1 his 24^th Infantry had an eventful time that will long remember with shame in US history.¹

1915

6 Jan. USAT Sherman departs San francisco with Gilbert part of 24th Infantry contingent. see gallery for passengers incl Gilbert.

Note: The 24th Infantry had previously in 1911 been sent to the Phillipines but I think this is the 1st time Gilbert goes overseas. The 24th Infantry returned to Madison Barracks, New York sometime in 1915.

1916

“It went to the Mexican border in 1916, staying until 1922, with its headquarters at Camp Furlong, Columbus, New Mexico. The unit operated on both sides of the border.” from Blackpast.org

The 24^th Infantry guarded the U.S.-Mexico border to keep the Mexican Revolution from spilling onto U.S. soil. When it did, the 24^th joined the “Punitive Expedition” under General Pershing and entered Mexico to fight Pancho Villa’s forces. In 1919, rebels and troops of the Mexican government fought in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, which borders the U.S. city of El Paso, Texas. The 24^th Infantry crossed over again to engage the rebels, ensuring that no violence erupted across the U.S. border.

1917

In 1917 some of the 24th Infantry men were involved in one of the most infamous military events in USA history.

The Houston Riot of 1917, or Camp Logan Riot, was a mutiny by 156 African-American soldiers of the Third Battalion of the all-black Twenty-fourth United States Infantry. It occupied most of one night and resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and sixteen civilians. The rioting soldiers were tried at three courts-martial. A total of nineteen would be executed, and forty-one were given life sentences.

Background: In the spring of 1917 after the US declaration of war, the 24^th had been sent to Harris County, Texas to guard the installation of Camp Logan and Ellington Field.

Note: Racial discrimination was nothing new but certainly more overt and enforced in the South. These black soldiers in the main had come from the North and felt indignant that they were not treated equally when on the Camp or in the city, the tension built up until one night an incident caused a riot of the black soldiers of the 24th Infantry.

As a result of the extremely harsh measures taken by the 24^thInfantry Commander, the subsequent court-martial and the extreme punishments it was thought best by Army Command to ship the 24th Infantry to the Philippines for the duration of the War.

1918-1919

8 July. Gilbert a soldier marries Octavia Wilson
10 July. Gilbert and wife Octavia appear to contribute to stop war with Germany movement featured in Detroiter Abend (german lanquage newspaper). It quite obvious Gilbert anti government stance a result of the treatment of black soldier he witnessed in 1917.

Sources

Veterans headstone application record
Texas State Historical Assoc. Camp Logan Riot
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/24th-infantry-regiment-1866-1951/

Medals

Gilbert would have certainly been awarded the Mexican Border medal for his service in 1916 and was awarded the Victory medal for overseas duty in the Philippines. In addition, a State service medal from Michigan may have been awarded.

1919

2^nd Sept. Discharged (Headstone application record)

After the War

Gilbert and wife Octavia who was a silk finisher lived in Wayne Michigan until his death. Octavia dying in California many years later.

1950 Census

1309 Virginia Park, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States22 Gilbert Blinco Head M 55 negro
23 Octavia Blinco Wife F 50 negro
24 Slater Jones Lodger M 39
25 Madeline Jones Lodger F 38
26 Sullivan Snowden Lodger M 50