By Stuart Anderson Jr.

Merritt Elliot was born July 25 , 1896 in Norfolk, Virginia to Elnora and George Elliott. Elliott only attended public school. He was a cleaner and presser by trade before and after entering the war.He was a Methodist.

Elliott enlisted into the Infantry of the National Army in July of 1918. He was first stationed at Camp Meade in Maryland as a Private in the Infantry. Elliott was then transferred to be in the 543rd Engineers and was promoted to Corporal. He departed from Hoboken on the USS Rochambeau, a French transatlantic ocean liner, and made way to Bordeaux, France on Sept. 28, 1918. He participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive engagement. This engagement began on September 26, 1918 and lasted until the Armistice on November 11, 1918. It totaled 47 days of fighting which involved 1.2 million American soldiers.

Merritt Elliott was discharged from the National Army from Camp Lee, Va on July 19, 1919 as a corporal. He remained a cleaner and presser until his death on August 25, 1952.

Sources

“United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-X7HK-1?cc=1832324&wc=M6RR-BZS%3A162122701 : 22 May 2014), Elliott, Mary – Elliott, Zimri > image 128 of 604; citing NARA microfilm publication M850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Bluemink, Donna. “LIST OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE IN THE SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DURING THE WORLD WAR.” ww1-Dov-Fe, www.usgwarchives.net/va/norfolkcity/military/ww1-dov-fe.html.