Garden City’s Hall Of Heroes

The following is the first of a series of articles highlighting the role of veterans in Garden City’s history.

William Bradford Turner

“The Untold Story”

In this time of conflict in Iraq, when many of us open the day’s news looking for, and hoping against, reports of more US military casualties in Iraq, it is time to consider those from Garden City that serve and those have served and in some cases gave their last full measure in the service of their country.

William Bradford Turner is one of those. He is the most famous veteran of Garden City, the winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor (America’s highest decoration). He was a genuine hero of World War I, a conflict that produced some horrific American casualties especially considering that our units there were in combat a relatively short time in comparison to the other combatant.

It was a time too that a call to arms drew many and from all walks of life. This virtue seems to have changed; I can recall only the mention of Pat Tillman (former NFL star) as someone with wide name recognition. The casualty listings from the Middle East seem to show smaller town, rural and inner city names and locations than communities like Garden City.

But in 1917, such as the likes of William Bradford Turner, answered the call. Mr. Turner became a lieutenant with the American Expeditionary Force under General “Blackjack” Pershing. At the time he entered the military, Mr. Turner was a resident of Garden City, though he was born in Massachusetts. In those times, there were few who were born and raised here. My further research into Mr. Turner has discovered just how remarkable this young man was and whose answer to his country’s call was even more impressive.

He was born to privilege and import. William Bradford Turner was the grandson of a Rhode Island Governor (Richard Turner 1859-60). The Turner family has a cemetery plot and monument at South Cemetery in Warren RI. The family monument is geared towards the former Governor but includes the marker for William Bradford Turner (1893-1918). William Bradford Turner’s body is actually buried however in the American British Military Cemetery at Somme in France, where he eternally rests with so many fellow Americans and other Allied soldiers. Incidentally, the Bradford part of his ancestry dates to the Mayflower.

He was a Williams College grad. In fact to this day, Williams College’s most prestigious award to its graduating seniors is named The William Bradford Turner Award, after this 1914 graduate.

There are a number of Garden City students that have attended Williams College over the years since 1919 when the award was established. Perhaps we will hear from them in the Letter to the Editor as to the other tribute they have to Mr. Turner at Williams College. The American Legion’s William Bradford Turner Post in Garden City is also named after him, at the Veterans Day event (Nov. 11th) each year at the Veterans Memorial near the Library, the American Legionnaires and some other Garden City residents honor the Garden City residents that served in America’s conflicts.

It is a touching scene there each year and one I hope that more residents will attend. Often Scout troops are there and learning from their participation, my congratulations to their leaders that bring them there. By tradition, the ceremony occurs at 11 a.m. on the 11th of November, since this was the time and date in 1918 that the Armistice was signed in Europe. Veterans Day was previously known as Armistice Day.

My research into Mr. Turner was designed to try and place a more human face on the name. The results were of great interest for it revealed a truly good man. His Medal of Honor citation amply describes the action in which he gave his comrades and his country his last full measure.

Soon another article will portray another soldier, previously not recognized for his connection to Garden City, and also a Medal of Honor recipient. His story too is gripping and poignant and we should all learn it.