Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind was one of the first Asian Indian soldiers and first turbaned Sikh to serve in the United States Army during the First World War.
Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind was born on October 3, 1892 in Taragarh, Punjab, British India. Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind arrived to Seattle, Washington on July 14, 1913 on board the ship Minnesota from Manila, Philippines. His younger brother, Jagat Singh Thind died onboard the ship Komagata Maru, which had been forced to turn back from Canada in 1914 because of country’s racial laws. When the ship returned to India, the British government thought the Indians on board the ship were attempting incite revolutionary activities, and a riot broke up out. Many were killed and jailed, including Jagat Singh Thind. Dr. Thind came to the United States for higher education to become a spiritual teacher and scholar. He made his way to Oregon and eventually settled in California later in life.
Dr. Thind came to the United States for higher education to become a spiritual teacher and scholar. When America entered the war, Dr. Thind was studying at the University of California, Berkeley for metaphysics, spirituality, and religion and it is safe to assume that he wanted to serve his new home and uphold the strong warrior tradition of the Sikh faith. He enlisted in the United States Army when the country entered the war in the 1917. He trained at Camp Lewis in Washington state but did not see overseas action. He also listed in October 1918 issue of the newspaper and journal Young India with other Asians serving in the U.S military during the war. Dr. Thind was one of the thousands of Indian Sikhs that bravely served in the war, but he was the first turbaned Sikh to serve in the U.S during the war. Dr. Thind received an Honorable Discharge with the of rank of acting sergeant in 1918 when the war ended.
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Abbas Alee
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Abbas Alee born around 1888. Abbas Alee served in World War 1 with the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.
Story of Service
Abbas Alee was born on June 4, 1888 in Calcutta, British India to Amed Alee and Sheburne Beybi. His parents were from Persia.
He immigrated to the United States on March 15, 1910. Alee settled in California after his arrival.
By 1917, Abbas was living in Los Angeles. On June 5, 1917, Alee registered for the draft. His draft registration card recorded his race as Hindu, birth of place as India, and occupation as a moving picture actor at Keystone Studios.
Abbas Alee married Maria or Mary Llampallas on September 25, 1918 in Los Angeles, California.
On November 14, 1918, Alee petitioned for U.S. naturalization as a soldier at Camp Kearny, California.
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Mohan Singh
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Mohan Singh born around 1884 or 1885, Mohan Singh served in World War 1 in the manner described below.. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.
Story of Service
Mohan Singh was in Amballa Cantt, British India in either 1884 or 1885 to Heera Singh. He immigrated to the United States on December 13, 1913 from Southampton, England. Singh settled in Stockton, California. Mohan Singh attended the University of Utah and University of Minnesota for medicine. He is listed in the University of Minnesota's 1918-1919 student directory. The University of Utah has his student record.
Singh enlisted at ERC Fort Douglas, Utah on November 19, 1917. He was assigned to the Student Army Training Corps at the University of Minnesota. Private Singh did not serve overseas and was honorably discharged on December 14, 1918.
After the war, Singh returned to Stockton. In 1920 Singh applied for a U.S. passport to go to India for its southern climate on the advice of his doctor to help an infection of his lungs.
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Nilkanth Ramchandra Chavre
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Nilkanth Ramchandra Chavre born 1895. Nilkanth Chavre served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1918.
Story of Service
Private Nilkanth Ramchandra Chavre was born on September 2, 1895 in either Vaduja or Kolhapur, British India. He immigrated to the United States on February 16, 1916 on the ship Stumpalia via Genoa, Italy. Chavre settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
He studied at the College of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Michigan. Chavre was listed in 1919 Catalogue of the University of Michigan under the College of College of Engineering and Architecture's roster.
On June 5, 1917, Chavre registered for the draft while as an engineering student at University of Michigan. His draft card recorded his race as Caucasian, birthplace as Kolhapur, naturalization status as an alien. The card also recorded that he was single and resided at 210 Glen Ave.
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Stephen Dorje
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Stephen Dorje born around 1887. Stephen Dorje served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1919.
Story of Service
Private Stephen Dorje was born on June 24, 1887 in Darjeeling, British India. He immigrated to the United States on January 24, 1915 on the ship Minnewaska from British Indian via London, England at age of 30. The New York Passenger List from this date recorded, Dorje's race as British Indian and final destination as Washington, D.C.
Dorje registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 in D.C. His World War I draft card recorded his race as Mongolian and married. The card also recorded that he worked as a butler for Samuel Ross at 2328 Mass Ave in D.C and was an alien.
Dorje entered in the U.S. Army on January 28, 1918. Private Dorje was assigned to the Field Remount Squadron 301, Quartermaster Corps. On April 30, 1918, Dorje departed from Hoboken, New Jersey with his unit on the ship Finland for France.
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Sam Alle
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Sam Alle born around 1894. Sam Alle served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1919.
Story of Service
Private Sam Alle was born on either February 15, 1894 or May 25, 1893 in British East India. He immigrated to the United States prior to 1918. He settled in Savannah, Georgia and worked as a laborer.
He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917. Alle's World War I draft card recorded his race as Malayan (Malaysian), birth of place East India, and as an alien. Next to the word alien there is something written, but it is illegible.
On July 20, 1918, Alle was ordered to report to the Chatman military board for Camp Gordon in Atlanta, Georgia. He was assigned to 5th company 2nd Training Battalion of the 157th Depot Brigade until July 27, 1918.
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Rajah William Bandy
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Rajah William Bandy born around 1893. Rajah Bandy served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1916 and the service was completed in 1918.
Story of Service
Sergeant Rajah William Bandy was born about 1893 in Madras, British India. According to Mary Bandy Rajah's adopted mother in a 1908 letter, his biological parents were "[..] an Irish tea planter who died and left three children and their Indian mother". His Irish aunts sent him and siblings to a native school miles away until he was adopted by Mary and her husband Charles Henry Bandy. Rajah's adopted parents were Presbyterian missionaries, who had lived in British India for some time.
Rajah immigrated to the United States in 1912 and settled with his adopted family in Ohio.
According to The Bandy Family in America by Dale Bandy, Rajah enlisted in the Ohio National Guard in 1916. When the United States entered World War I , Rajah was assigned to the Company D 146 Infantry until May 1, 1918. His last assignment was Headquarters Company 146 Infantry. Bandy served in the AEF from June 15, 1918 to March 31, 1919.
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Tara Singh (Joseph Tarao)
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Tara Singh born around 1885. Tara Singh served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1919.
Story of Service
Tara Singh was born on June 6, 1886 or March 25 or 3, 1885 in Kharody, British India. He came to the United States on February 8, 1910. He settled in California and worked as gardener throughout his life.
On April 29, 1916, Singh applied for U.S. naturalization.
On June 5, 1917, Singh registered for the draft. His World War I draft card recorded his race as Mongolian, lived at 106 4 St Danville ,and declared his intention for U.S. citizenship.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 27, 1918. He was assigned to Company F, 1st Infantry. Singh was honorably discharged on July 8, 1919.
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Joe Henry (Lahorey Singh)
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
Joe Henry (Lahorey Singh) was born around 1893. He served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.
Story of Service
Lahorey Singh was born in either 1891 or 1893 in the Village Hiran Dist Julland, British India. He came to the United States in 1910. Singh lived under an alias, Joe Henry, from about 1910 to 1930. He worked as a cook throughout his life.
On November 9, 1917, Henry enlisted into the U.S. military in Ketchikan, Alaska. He was assigned to Company Q I Provisional Training Battalion at Camp Hill in Virginia.
On January 19, 1918, he declared his intention for U.S. Naturalization in Virginia. His declaration of intention recorded his race as white. The document stated that Henry arrived on January 10, 1910 from Sydney, Australia on the ship on India.
He was honorably discharged on March 29, 1918.
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John Mohamed Mondo
Submitted by: Tanveer Kalo
John Mohamed Mondo (or Mando) served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1918.
Story of Service
John Mohamed Mondo (or Mando) was born in the late 1890s in Calcutta, British India or Punjab, East India to Mohamed Noor.
At the age of 21, John immigrated to Laredo, Texas from Mexico on July 9, 1909 or 1910. His Border Crossing Card recorded his race as East Indian, as a polygamist, and birth place as Calcutta, India.
By 1917 John Mohamed settled in California and worked as a laborer. His World War I draft card recorded his race as Caucasian and his place birth as Punjab, East India.
The dates and unit(s} of his service are unknown. Two photographs with unknown dates show him in a U.S. Army uniform.
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