Biography

Early Life 
Patrick Henry Buckley was born on August 3, 1890, in Peoria, Illinois, to Patrick and Mary (Shoptaugh) Buckley. He was an only child. His father, Patrick Buckley, Sr., worked as a railroad switchman. The family moved to the Missoula, Montana area, likely to be closer to Buckley's aunts on his mother's side. 

Between 1913 and 1917, Buckley lived on Alder Street and worked at the Rochester Pool Hall on West Main Street in Missoula. While he worked at the Pool Hall, the back room was being used to train professional boxer, Yankee Allen. Buckley was described as a single man of medium height and slender build, with dark hair and grey eyes.

Homefront 
Missoula, Montana, experienced rapid growth during Buckley's time there, fueled by booming industries such as lumber, copper mining, farming, and ranching. The influx of newcomers, many drawn by the chance to prosper on homesteads carved from tribal lands, contributed to this expansion across western Montana.

This industrial growth, however, was accompanied by rising labor unrest, as miners and loggers began striking for an eight-hour workday and encouraged others to follow.

In response to the war effort, communities mobilized. Local initiatives promoted gardening in schools and neighborhoods, encouraging residents to grow their own food and conserve meat for soldiers. Banks actively advertised and encouraged the public to purchase war bonds and Thrift Stamps to support the war.

The community also hosted prominent figures in the women's suffrage movement, including Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Taylor B. Thompson, who gave speeches and published articles about her fight in Washington, D.C., as Montana's representative for Women's Suffrage.

Military Experience 
The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. The following month, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Selective Service Act. This act required all men aged 21 to 30 to register for the draft. 

Buckley registered in Missoula on June 5, 1917. He was 26 years old. He was inducted into the Army on September 19, 1917, and began his military training in October 1917 at the newly established Camp Lewis near Tacoma, Washington.

As a member of the 40th Company Training Battalion of the 166th Depot Brigade, Buckeley and other new recruits prepared for frontline combat. While direct accounts of his training are unavailable, it is presumed to align with the experiences of other soldiers at the camp.

Upon arrival, recruits underwent physicals, received shots, and underwent testing before being assigned to their units. Training quickly commenced, focusing on trench warfare, land combat, and the use of gas masks in anticipation of overseas deployment.

Despite the rigorous work, soldiers also enjoyed entertainment provided by local communities, who hosted dances, parties, and feasts. The camp was not immune to illness, and sometimes it necessitated quarantine. During these periods, healthy men continued their drills, while those afflicted rested, hoping to recover and eventually see action as American soldiers.

After completing his training, Buckley was initially assigned to Company A of the 361st Infantry. He later served in Company E of the 47th Infantry until March 19, 1918. The 47th Infantry was founded in 1917 and based at Camp Syracuse, New York. From there, he was transferred to the Machine Gun Company of the 47th Infantry. Selection for the Machine Gun Company often favored men who demonstrated strong mechanical ability, intelligence, and proficiency in caring for horses and mules.

Buckley shipped out to Europe with the 47th Infantry and arrived in France on May 10, 1918. 

The 47th Infantry was assigned to the 4th Division during World War I. After arriving in Brest, France, they continued training until July 1918 and then joined the Aisne-Marne counteroffensive. This Allied offensive aimed to break the German line entrenched along the Vesle River. Allied soldiers faced heavy machine gun fire and gas attacks. 

Private Patrick H. Buckley died in the offensive on August 10, 1918.

Commemoration 
Buckley’s cousin, 18-year-old Bessie Standiford, of Polson, Montana, was notified of his death. On September 5, 1918, The Daily Missoulian reported Buckley had been killed in action. It is unclear what became of his remains.

Buckley is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in Seringes-et-Nesles, France. In 1927, the American Legion erected a memorial to the First World War at the Missoula County Courthouse. Buckley's name is among the dozens of men who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war.

This profile was researched by Ms. Tami Redinger, a teacher at Davey Elementary School, as part of National History Day’s Researching Silent Heroes program in the 2025/2026 academic year.

This profile was funded by a contract with the American Battle Monuments Commission.



Bibliography

Primary Sources
"6,000 Acres of Flathead Land for Sale." The Ronan Pioneer [Ronan, MT], November 2, 1917. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86075298/1917-11-02/ed-1/. 
"$46,000,000 From Montana Beef Crop; 1917 Cattle Shipments Are Double Those for Year of 1916.” The Daily Northwest [Missoula, MT], December 21, 1917. Newspapers.com (190907048).

"Bethlehem Steel to Offer Plant to U.S. In Case of National Need, Works Bigger Than German Krupp." The Daily Northwest [Missoula, MT], December 29, 1916. Newspapers.com (190907229).

Burton, Harold H. 600 Days' Service: A History of the 361st Infantry Regiment of the United States Army.  James, Kerns & Abbott Co., 1921. Library of Congress (21010885). https://www.loc.gov/item/21010885/. 

Camp Lewis. Map. December 8, 1917. Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room. 

"Dance Enlivens Quarantine Life; Missoula Boys, Cooped Up in Barracks, Make Best of it." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], November 9, 1917. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83025316/1917-11-09/ed-1/?sp=2. 

"Enemy Alien Restriction May Be Extended to Women," The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], January 10, 1918. Newspapers.com (190908419).

"Forty Knights are Initiated." Great Falls Leader [Great Falls, MT], June 10, 1912. Newspapers.com (184072782).

"Gardens Stand Assault from Heat and Pests; Judges in Chamber of Commerce Contest find Excellent Patches." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], July 31, 1917. Newspapers.com (1909077).

"Hawthorne School's Garden Contest Brought to Close by Exhibition.” The Missoula Centennial, September 24, 1914. Newspapers.com (954603308). 

"Hertling Idea of Allied Aims Untrue'-Harden." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], July 28, 1918. Newspapers.com (190909018).

"If He's Going to Make the Hill with That Load," The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], November 10, 1917. Newspapers.com (83025316).

"In Land Lottery Ranches are Won.” The Missoula Centennial [Missoula, MT], September 17, 1917. Newspapers.com (954893215).

"I.W.W. Agitate Strike In Woods; Posters Found in Missoula Calling Mills of Region Unfair to Labor." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], November 10, 1917. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83025316/1917-11-10/ed-1/. 

Ketten, Maurice. Insure Your Freedom. Cartoon. The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], October 8, 1917. Newspapers.com (349041912).

"Men Who Passed Sunday." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], August 14, 1917. Newspapers.com (184067045).

"The New Rural School: II How it was Begun." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], July 23, 1913. Newspapers.com (168595657).

"Notice for Publication.” Cut Bank Pioneer Press [Cut Bank, MT], March 28, 1913. Newspapers.com (184073292). 

"The Old World." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], April 12, 1917. Newspapers.com (190909478).

Patrick Henry Buckley. Montana, U.S., Military Records, 1904-1918. Digital images. Ancestry.

Patrick Henry Buckley. Peoria County, Illinois Births 1878-1915. Digital images. Ancestry.

Patrick Henry Buckley. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Digital images. Ancestry.

“Polson Soldier Dies In Action.” The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT] September 15, 1918. Newspapers.com (34867644).

"Polson Boys in U.S. Service." The Flathead Courier [Polson, MT], September 5, 1918. Newspapers.com (184074174).

"This is Good Tip for Pork Raisers." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], April 11, 1915. Newspapers.com (348998544).

"War Garden Verses." The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, MT], June 23, 1918. Newspapers.com (190907911).

“Yankee Allen Works with Frank Delaney.” The Daily Missoulian [Missoula, Montana], January 19, 1914. Newspapers.com (168391592). 

Secondary Sources
Denfeld, Duane Colt. "First conscripts enter Camp Lewis as the U.S. Army post officially opens on September 5, 1917." History Link. Updated October 5, 2016. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://historylink.org/File/20151.

Denfeld, Duane Colt. "Wild West Division: Washington in World War I." History Link. Updated June 19, 2014. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://www.historylink.org/File/10648.

“Doughboys across Montana.” Blog.  May 23, 2017. https://montanahistoriclandscape.com/tag/world-war-i-monuments/. 

Lynch, Colonel Charles, Colonel Joseph H. Ford, Lieutenant Colonel Frank W. Weed. The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War. Government Printing Office: 1925. AMEED Center of History & Heritage. https://achh.army.mil/history/book-wwi-fieldoperations-default. 

Official History of the Thirteenth Division. State of Washington. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/SL_officialhistory.pdf.

“Patrick Henry Buckle.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, National Cemetery Administration. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/PatrickHBuckley/985B. 

“PVT Patrick Henry Buckle.” Find a Grave. Updated August 8, 2020. Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56636174/patrick-henry-buckley. 

The American Legion erected this statue of a World War I Doughboy at the courthouse in Missoula, Montana, to honor the sacrifice of local men. Buckley’s name is inscribed on the bronze plaque that honors local service members killed in action.

A World War I monument in front of a court house.

Buckley's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial, 2026. Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Patrick Buckley's name on the wall as Oisne-Aisne American Cemetery.

The Daily Missoulian reported Buckley’s death, September 15, 1918.

A newspaper article about Patrick Buckley's death.

Military record showing details of Buckley’s training, assignments, and death. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. State of Montana.

Patrick Buckley's Montana service card detailing his military service.

Map of the 4th Division's operations at the time of Buckley's death. The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War, 1925.

Map of the newly built Camp Lewis in December 1917. Tacoma Public Library.

Patrick Buckley's World War I draft registration card, signed June 5, 1917. Portions have been redacted for privacy reasons. National Archives and Records Administration.

Patrick Buckley's draft registration card.

The Rochester Pool Hall also provided training space for boxers. The Daily Missoulian, January 19, 1914.

A newspaper article about a boxer training at a pool hall.

Patrick Henry Buckley was born on August 3, 1890, in Illinois. His father was from Michigan, and his mother from Missouri. State of Illinois.

PATRICK H. BUCKLEY

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