James Millage

The grave of Private James Millage in Gettysburg National Cemetery

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Immigrant who served in the U.S. Army during World War I and was killed in action in July 1918

Place of Birth:

St. Angelo, Italy

Date of Birth:

March 17, 1890

Place of Death:

France

Date of Death:

July 25, 1918

Place of Burial:

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Cemetery Name:

Gettysburg National Cemetery

Section 8, Row 2

Private James Millage was not born in the United States, but he served his adopted country in World War I as part of Company K, 157th U.S. Infantry at the rank of Private. He was one of many foreign-born soldiers who fought in WWI; they made up about 18% of the United States Army at the time. 

James Millage was born on March 17th, 1890 in St. Angelo Italy. Census records indicate that he emigrated to the United States with his family at the age of three in 1893. James and his mother arrived in New York City on July 13, 1893; his father, Pasco, had come to the United States prior to their arrival in order to find work and establish a home for the family. 

By 1910, Millage was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, working as a huckster. Several years later, James married Anna Myers on June 17, 1915. The couple lived in Parnassus, PA.  James was of medium build with brown eyes, and black hair. 

When James registered for the draft in June 1917, he identified himself as a declared citizen. This meant that prior to filling out his registration card Millage had filled out a Declaration of Intent, which was the first step in the process of becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States. The Declaration of Intent required the applicant to relinquish any connections to a foreign government. In Millage’s case this meant he had to denounce his allegiance to the constitutional monarchy of Italy and pronounce his allegiance to the constitutional democracy of the United States. 

Millage was inducted into the Army on January 3rd 1918, nine months after the United States had first entered the Great War. Millage was deployed overseas in February of 1918, initially as a member of the 162nd Infantry Regiment. By April 1918, James was a member of Company K of the 167th Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division. Known as the Rainbow Division, the 42nd had been activated in August 1917. It contained soldiers from 26 different states and was among the first American divisions to be sent overseas. During the war, the 42nd Division lost 14,683 casualties--2,058 killed, and 12,625 wounded.

According to Pittsburgh newspapers, James's mother Margaret recieved a notice from the War Department that he had been killed in action on July 3--only for her to receive a letter from James over a week later, assuaging her fears that her son had died. It appears this first notice was sent to Margaret Millage in error.

In that same month of July 1918, the 42nd Division was involved in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, launching a massive counter-attack into German positions that stretched for several weeks. Over 270,000 Americans fought in the campaign.

On July 26, 1918, Pvt. James Millage was killed near Chateau-Theirry during this offensive. 

He was initially buried in American Cemetery 608, near Aisne, France, in Grave 53, Plot 2. 

In 1922, his family requested that James be brought home to the United States for his final burial. They selected Gettysburg National Cemetery as his final resting place. 

On July 10, 1922--four years after his death in France, and almost twenty-nine years to the day from when he first arrived in the United States as a child seeking a better life--Private James Millage was laid to rest in Gettysburg National Cemetery. He had given his life for his adopted country.