World War I
World War I began in the summer of 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and ended in late 1918. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history.
Fireman First Class Dennis P. Quill
Atlantic Fleet - U.S.S. Dixie
Dennis P. Quill, a Charter Member of the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department, served in the U.S. Navy as a Fireman First Class aboard the U.S.S. Dixie. The U.S.S. Dixie was a destroyer tender and operated as part of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet in European waters. During World War I, the U.S.S. Dixie's base of operations was Queenstown, Ireland. Dennis Quill died on December 31, 1921 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. It should be noted that his wife, Dora, was a Charter Member of the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department's Ladies Auxiliary and is buried with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery.
Private First Class Raymond T. Payne
32nd Infantry Division, 57th Depot Brigade, Detachment QMC
Private First Class Raymond T. Payne was inducted into the U.S. Army on April 29, 1918 and was stationed at Camp MacArthur, Texas (World War I Training Camp in Waco, Texas). He was assigned to the 57th Depot Brigade, Detachment QMC. After basic training the 57th Depot Brigade was assigned to the 32nd Infantry Division that fought in Europe in 1918. The 32nd Infantry Division was known as the "Red Arrow," symbolizing the fact that the 32nd Division penetrated every German line of defense that it faced during World War I. The 32nd Infantry Division also has the distinction of being the first US troops to set foot on enemy soil in World War I, earning them the nickname Les Terribles. They are the only American division to receive the French croixe-de-guerre (medal) by the Allies during World War I. Private First Class Payne is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 43, Site 1635.