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Ervin Theodore Blix or Ervin Theodor Blix (November 13, 1898-4 October 1918) was a Lutheran Electrician's Mate Third Class on the USS Herman Frasch (ID-1617) and died from the ship collision with the USS George G. Henry [citation needed] He was posthumously awarded the World War I Victory Medal and the American Legion Post in Clearwater County was named in his honor.[1]
Ervin Theodore Blix | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 13, 1898 |
| Died | 4 Oct 1918 (age 20) |
| Cause of death | Drowned |
| Burial place | Suresnes, Departement des Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France |
| Other names | Erwin and Irvin |
| Citizenship |  America |
| Years active | 1917-1918 |
| Known for | Clearwater County's first fatality in World War I |
| Parent | Albert Nicolai Blix (1856–1918) Anna Marie Paulsdatter (1861–1921) |
| Relatives | Lars Schjonning Blix 1818-1900 (grandfather), Engebor "Ingeborg" Anne Hansdatter Klaeboe 1824-1917 (grandmother), Dr. Adolph Leonard Blix 1881-1942 (brother), Henry Garfield Blix 1882-1946 (brother), Antony Oscar Blix 1887-1932 (brother) |
| Awards |  World War I Victory Medal |
Early Life
editErvin was born in Granite Falls, Clearwater County, Minnesota to Norwegian immigrants Albert (1856–1918) and Anna Marie Blix (1861–1921), he was baptized as a Lutheran at the Wegdahl Trinity Lutheran Church on Christmas day of 1898.[1][2]
Ancestry
editBoth of Ervin's parents are of Norwegian descent, Ervin's father, Ervin's paternal grandfather Lars Schjonning Blix Valle immigrated to Quebec, Canada in 1859 and got employment as a farmer.[3]
Military Service
editUSS Herman Fransch
editThe ship was built in 1910 by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company in Quincy, Massachusetts and was named after the Company's president Herman Fransch, the ship was made to transport sulfur for the Union Sulpher Co.[4][5]
Death
editErvin traveled to Minneapolis to enlist in the Untied States Navy on May 3, 1917, he began training as a radio operator attaining the rank of EM3. In late September 1918 he was sent to Europe on the large bulk cargo ship, USS Herman Frasch. On October 3, 1918 near Nova Scotia, Canada the Fransch crashed into the USS George G. Henry and the ship sunk. The following day a search party was sent to the wreck and 65 men were saved and 23 men including Ervin Blix drowned at sea.[1][2]
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References
edit- ^ a b c "ERVIN T. BLIX". Clearwater County Veterans Memorial. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
- ^ a b "Blix, Ervin Theodor (1898–1918) | MNopedia". www.mnopedia.org. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
- ^ United States Census, 1870
- ^ "Civilian Ships--Herman Frasch (American Freighter, 1910)". www.shipscribe.com. Retrieved 2024-10-06.
- ^ "Herman Frasch (ID 1617)". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 2024-10-06.