Private First Class William Feddo Wyga
Company D, 339th Infantry Regiment, 85th "Custer" Division, United
States Army
American North Russia Expeditionary Force, 1918-1919
William
was born on November 19, 1889 in Veendam, Holland to Minto Wyga and
Anna Funt. He emigrated to the USA with his
parents in 1892. He was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan when he
enlisted in the US Army on June 24, 1918. William
took abbreviated basic training at Camp Custer near Battle
Creek,
Michigan, where he was assigned to Company D, 339th Infantry Regiment,
85th Division. William's younger brother George was also a member of
Company D. The 85th Division left Camp Custer three
weeks
later, bound for the Western Front. Upon arrival in England,
the
339th was detached from the rest of the 85th Division and assigned to
the American North Russia Expeditionary Force. They arrived
in Archangel, Russia on Sept. 5, 1918 and three days
later
Company D was sent up the Northern Dvina River to fight the Bolshevik
Red Army. Private First Class Wyga fought the "Bolos" at
Seltso, Kodish, Toulgas, Vistofka, Kitsa and Kurgomen. After
his
honorable discharge on July 18, 1919, William returned home and resumed
working in a furniture factory. He married Catherine Tenelshof on Dec.
18, 1930 in Elkhart, Indiana. William died in 1936 and is
buried
in the Washington Park Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
Sources:
Kim Rakowitz, La Vernia, TX - granddaughter of William F. Wyga
