Roscoe Twine
Rosco Twine was born 1-NOV 1888 in Louisiana Missouri. His parents were Henry and Belle Twine. The family later lived in Orchard Farm MO. On his draft registration card, he is listed as a farm laborer in Orchard Farm MO. He was a private in company C, the 525th labor battalion. His serial number was 2193440. His next of kin listed on his draft registration was his sister Mrs. Sidelle Louis. He entered the service 28-APR 1918. He departed for France from New York aboard the troopship “France” on 25-AUG 1918.
Although technically eligible for many positions in the Army, very few blacks got the opportunity to serve in combat units. Most were limited to labor or depot battalions. The combat elements of the U.S. Army were kept completely segregated. The four established all-black Regular Army regiments were not used in overseas combat roles but instead were spread throughout American held territory.
There was such backlash from the African American community, however, that the War Department finally created the 92d (The “Buffalo Soldiers”) and 93d Divisions (The “Blue Hats”), both primarily black combat units, in 1917. Both of these divisions would distinguish themselves in the war. By the end of World War I, African Americans served in cavalry, infantry, signal, medical, engineer, and artillery units, as well as serving as chaplains, surveyors, truck drivers, chemists, and intelligence officers.
Rosco departed St Nazaire, France aboard the troopship Antigone on 17-JUN 1919 and arrived in Newport News, Virginia on 28-JUN 1919. His unit was recorded as Company C 325th Service Battalion Quartermaster Corps. He was discharged 9-JULY 1919 at Camp Taylor KY. In the 1940’s he lived on 4thStreet in St. Charles Missouri.
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