DOB/DOD: October 20, 1896 (Red Bank, NJ) – January 1, 1944 (Norwalk, CT); 47 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Helen L. Underhill (1905-1971).
CHILDREN: Four sons, Arthur U. (1924-2001), John E. (1925-1967), Richard H. (1937-1995), and Robert A. Sr. (1939-2020).
LOCAL ADDRESS: 6 Knight Street, 64 Osborne Avenue, 44 Orchard Street, and 6 Nottingham Place, Norwalk
ENLISTMENT: July 3, 1917
SERVICE NUMBER: 64 372
DISCHARGE: June 12, 1919
UNIT: Company D, 102nd Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division
FAMILY: Born to Reuben (1863-1925) and Rebecca Frost Booth [born in Ireland] (1864-1923). One brother, Reuben T. [WWI veteran] (1900-1968). Two sisters, Ethel Booth Salter (1898-1955) and Elizabeth Booth Ross Berger (1913-?).
Wounded in Action June 2, 1918
Wounded in Action July 31, 1918
Wounded September 27, 1918
From The Norwalk Hour November 22, 1918
BOOTH IS WOUNDED IN A FRONT BATTLE
Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Booth of 6 Knight Street, recently received a letter dated October 5 from a nurse in one of the base hospitals in France, stating that their son, Arthur J. Booth, one of the few who remain of the famous New Haven Blues, Company D, 102nd Regiment, who have suffered so much [this portion of sentence is illegible]. In the casualty list published on Tuesday, November 19, was the following name, Arthur Booth, nearest relative Mrs. Rebecca Booth, 6 Knight Street, New Haven. He was reported slightly wounded. The son of Mr. and Mrs Booth, upon his entrance into the service, gave the name of his mother, Mrs. Reuben Booth, 6 Knight Street, Norwalk. It has been ascertained that there is no Knight Street in New Haven, so Mrs. Booth feels that the name in the casualty list was that of her son, and that the address of New Haven was a mistake, probably due to the fact that he belonged to the New Haven Blues. She is writing to Washington for confirmation. Arthur Booth is 21 years of age and enlisted in the New Haven Blues on July 3, 1917. He sailed with them on September 9, 1918. He has been in all of the big battles and has seen many of his comrades shot down on all sides, but he somehow came through with a whole skin. In June 1918, he was quite seriously gassed, which put him out of the fighting for a short time. Mrs. Booth has received no word regarding her son since the communication which was written by the nurse at his request, and is hoping for an encouraging report soon.
From The Norwalk Hour December 27, 1918
WOUNDED SOLDIER ARRIVES IN NORWALK
Private Arthur J. Booth, of Company D, 102nd Regiment, New Haven Blues, made an appearance in Norwalk Wednesday, his first appearance in Norwalk for a year and one half, around eight months of which time he has spent in active service in France, taking part in many of the serious battles, including the battles of Seicheprey, Verdun, Chateau-Thierry, etc., and having been twice gassed, and receiving one bullet wound. He is now under the care of the Greenhut Hospital, 8th Avenue and 19th Street, New York City. About six or seven weeks of his time he has spent in base hospitals recovering from his wound and gas attack. At 8 o’clock Monday evening, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Booth, who lives at 6 Knight Street, received a telephone call from her brother, John Harper, of Hoboken, New Jersey, stating that their son, Private Arthur J. had come in on the “George Washington,” and that he was at Greenhut Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Booth immediately went to New York to the side of their son where they found that he is recovering from the effects of the gas, and that his eyesight had not quite returned, but that his lungs are still affected, and do not seem to be making very rapid progress toward their former perfect condition. Mr. Booth returned to Norwalk Tuesday, but Mrs. Booth, stayed until yesterday. Private Booth came to his home yesterday afternoon, but was obliged to return last evening, and in his short stay he told many interesting things about warfare in the fields of France. Private Arthur J. Booth enlisted in the New Haven Blues in July 1917, and sailed for France in September of that year. He did not see active service in the front line trenches until February of 1918, but since that time had had been right in the fighting. In June he was gassed and was in a hospital for a month. In the latter part of July he received a bullet wound just above the knee, which placed him in a hospital for two weeks. Then in September he was again gassed and this time more severely, for he was in a base hospital until along in October, when he was started toward the States. One rather peculiar and tragic incident, which he spoke of, took place the day he had entrusted $100 to his lieutenant. The day after he had lost the money in the lieutenant’s care, the officer was taken prisoner, and the “Hun” benefited by the money. He also told of an incident, where a corporal, who was standing right beside him, giving his instructions, was shot through the heart, falling dead at his feet. Private Booth expects to be again able to get home on Sunday, December 29, and he will, without doubt, have many interesting accounts to tell of his adventures.
From The Norwalk Hour August 20, 1932
ARTHUR BOOTH OF YANKEE DIVISION GETS PURPLE HEART
Arthur Booth of 2 Nottingham Place has been awarded the decoration of the Purple Heart by the War Department for meritorious service in France. Mr. Booth received his notification of the award today. During the World War, Mr. Booth was a member of the Yankee Division. he was in France two years and was attached to the 102nd Regiment, the first to see active service. He was wounded at Chateau-Thierry and in the Argonne.
From The Norwalk Hour January 3, 1944
ARTHUR J. BOOTH DIES; WORLD WAR 1 VET
Arthur Joseph Booth, husband of Helen Underhill Booth of 44 Orchard Street, a veteran of World War I died on Saturday afternoon. Full military honors will be accorded Mr. Booth who was with the 26th Yankee Division and was a member of the local Yankee Division organization. He was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. Besides his wife, he is survived by four sons: Arthur, USA; John, Richard, and Robert of this city; one brother, Reuben Booth, and one sister, Mrs. William Salter, also of this city. The body will be taken from the home of his sister-in-law, Mrs. James Reilly, at 26 Lounsbury Avenue on Tuesday morning at 9:30 o’clock and the funeral services will be in St. Mary’s Church at 10 o’clock. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Broad Street, Norwalk, Connecticut; Section unknown. Photo from FindAGrave.com.
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Honor Norwalk CT veterans 
A 50-year old Pvt.?
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He didn’t die in WWII. He was wounded three times in WWI, awarded the Purple Heart in 1932, and died in 1944. The sad part about his story is he came back from WWI with clear signs of “shell shock” as they called it back then. Multiple car accidents in his life. In one incident, he was found on a local street in his underwear in 1922. He was in a total rage and beating up people. The police finally had to subdue him. Thanks for being a fan of the work.
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That is sad. They really had no answer for ‘shell shock’ back then. In fact it’s difficult to treat now, each case is different.
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100% agree. There’s a better chance now with medications and lessons learned by therapists.
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