Julius Harry Bloom
Biography and photos courtesy of Andrew Pestle
Julius Harry Bloom was born into a Jewish family in the Russian Empire (current day Poland) on November 19th, 1891. It was perhaps due to resurgent waves of antisemitism and violent pogroms that led his father to immigrate to the United States in about 1904 and soon begin working in South Carolina. The other members of the Bloom family followed him to America a few years afterward and later settled in Greenville, SC.
Julius became a naturalized American citizen in the subsequent years and completed a high school education. He was working in his father's mercantile store in 1910 and listed an occupation as a merchant on the 1917 draft registration. Julius also listed his parents as personal dependents during the draft and claimed a deferment from military service due to his father being "sick and deaf." He was later inducted into the US Army on October 9th, 1917, and completed basic training at Camp Sevier. He was then assigned as a Private with Company "A" of the 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, and sailed overseas aboard the SS Canada on May 11th, 1918. His regiment initially landed in Liverpool, England, but soon crossed the English Channel into France.
The American 30th Division experienced significant fighting in the final months of the war, particularly during the Ypres-Lys Offensive and Second Battle of the Somme. They gained notoriety for breaking through the Hindenburg Line near Bellicourt, although this came at a very high cost. The 118th Infantry suffered more than 1800 casualties during their AEF service, including several hundred men killed in action. At least 23 Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded to the men of the 118th Infantry, in addition to a remarkable 6 Medal of Honor recipients (more than any other National Guard unit in the Great War).
Amongst the regiment's wounded was Julius, who was sent home early with a group of convalescing doughboys aboard the USS Leviathan on December 16th, 1918. The exact details of his wound(s) remain unknown, but he appears to have recovered for several additional months in the United States before receiving an honorable discharge as a Private First Class on March 29th, 1919. His service number was 1310030. This stateside photograph depicts PFC Bloom in uniform shortly after returning to the USA. Note his 30th Division shoulder sleeve insignia, wound chevron, and one overseas chevron for 6-12 months of AEF service.
Julius married in August of 1919 and eventually had three children. He continued his life in South Carolina and worked as a clothing store merchant on the main street of Greenville for over 50 years. He was also a member of the Congregation Beth Israel, was on the Jewish Welfare Board during WW2, remained active with the American Legion, and was a Freemason. Julius lived to the age of 81 years, dying on June 14th, 1973. He now rests beside his wife in the Beth Israel Cemetery of Greenville, SC. There does not appear to be any form of veteran's marker at the gravesite.