Horace Signor Brannon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Horace Signor Brannon
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| Born | January 19, 1884 |
| Died | October 20, 1970 (aged 86) Louisville, Kentucky
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| Education | Louisville National Medical College (1907) |
| Occupation | physician |
| Title |  First Lieutenant |
| Spouse(s) | Octavia Brannon (d. approx 1930) Estella Shannon (d. 1960) Clysta B. Brannon |
| Children | Lloyd Brannon |
| Parent(s) | Charles H. Brannon Lottie Thurston |
| Relatives | Hattie Brannon (sister) Susan Brannon (sister) Charles Brannon (brother) |
Horace Signor Brannon (born January 19, 1884 – died October 20, 1970) was an American doctor from Louisville, Kentucky. He played an important role in World War I. Dr. Brannon served as a First Lieutenant in the 92nd Division, helping soldiers in the 365th Ambulance Company.
Contents
Early Life and Becoming a Doctor
Horace Signor Brannon was the oldest of four children. He had two younger sisters, Susan and Hattie, and a younger brother, Charles. His family lived in Louisville, Kentucky.
Horace chose to stay in his hometown for college. In 1903, he started studying at Louisville National Medical College. This school was special because it was created in 1888 to train African Americans to become doctors. Horace graduated in 1907. After finishing his studies, he opened his own medical practice right there in Louisville.
Serving in World War I
When the United States joined World War I in 1917, many people wanted to help. Even though many African Americans wanted to join, it was sometimes hard for them. The U.S. Army had only a few black regiments. Also, some leaders were not sure about sending black soldiers to fight in Europe.
To help train African American officers, the Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School was opened. This happened because many African Americans volunteered. Students from Howard University also asked for this training.
Dr. Brannon Joins the Army
When Dr. Brannon offered his medical skills to the army, he was quickly made a First Lieutenant. Like other African American recruits, he went to Fort Des Moines. There, he received special medical training at the Medical Officers Training Camp. Dr. Brannon was 33 years old at the time. He had already been a doctor for 10 years.
After his training, Dr. Brannon was sent to the 92nd Division. This division was at Camp Funston in Kansas. He was first assigned to the 366th Field Hospital.
Helping Soldiers in France
When Dr. Brannon arrived in France, he was moved to the 365th Ambulance Company. He stayed with this company for the rest of the war. Ambulance companies were very important during the war. They set up first aid stations to treat wounded soldiers right away. They also found the best ways to move injured soldiers to safer places.
The U.S. Army Ambulance Service (USAAS) and the the Sanitary Corps were created during this time. These groups helped the Medical Department get doctors and specialists where they were needed most. Life in the trenches was very tough. Dr. Brannon also had to treat many soldiers who were sick or had the flu.
Facing Challenges and Propaganda
The 92nd Division, where Dr. Brannon served, was sent to the St. Die Sector in France. They took over from another U.S. Army division. Soon after, the 92nd Division was in the middle of intense fighting. German forces were attacking with gas shells and heavy artillery.
One day, the Germans realized they were fighting the 92nd Division, which was made up entirely of African American soldiers. They changed their tactics. They sent shells that did not explode with gas. Instead, these shells contained printed papers. These papers were propaganda, meant to make the American soldiers stop fighting. The message was titled "To the Colored Soldiers of the American Army." It tried to convince them that they were not treated fairly in America. It said they should join the German side.
However, Dr. Brannon and his fellow soldiers did not believe the German propaganda. They continued to fight bravely and with honor. The fighting continued, with more attacks from the Germans. But the French anti-aircraft guns helped stop the aerial assaults.
The 92nd Division later moved to Ste. Menehold. In October, they became a reserve group for the Meuse-Argonne campaign. In November, Dr. Brannon and his unit faced another strong German attack in Metz.
Dr. Brannon was honorably discharged from the army in July 1919. He then returned home.
Life After the War
After World War I, Dr. Brannon went back to Louisville. He continued his medical practice there. For a few years in the early 1920s, he and his wife moved to different cities in Kentucky. They opened medical practices in these new places. Finally, he returned to his hometown of Louisville in 1930.
For the rest of his life, Dr. Brannon continued to practice medicine. He often moved between Kentucky and Ohio.
Family Life
Before joining World War I, Dr. Brannon married Octavia, who was a public school teacher. She passed away around 1930. Later, he married Estella Shannon, who also passed away in 1960. In the mid-1960s, while living in Cincinnati, Dr. Brannon married Clysta B. Brannon. She was also a school teacher and survived him. Dr. Brannon had one son, named Lloyd.
Later Years
Dr. Brannon passed away in 1970 at the age of 87. He was survived by his sister Hattie, his third wife, and his son.
Images for kids
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Insignia for a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
