FOOTBALL SPIRIT SHOWN IN BATTLE
Evansville Courier, November 28, 1918

Capt. Worsham and Lieut. Paul Funkhouser
Displayed Courage First on Gridiron

That the Central High School heroes who fell in battle recently showed the same spirit of daring and bravery as in the football games of their day, was brought out in all the talks made yesterday morning at the memorial chapel, held in honor of Capt. Elijah Worsham and Lieut. Paul Funkhouser.

Both of these heroes were, in their high school careers, noted football players, and their records today are a matter of comment among the boys who play the game.

"Lige Worsham's captain told me that Worsham was a fine American soldier," said Lieut. Clarence Blemker, who is the first Evansville soldier in the overseas service to return to the city. He is on transport duty from New York to England and is home for the Thanksgiving holidays. "And I know that Chateau Thierry, the battle where the Americans lost 6,000 out of 8,000 men, proved the turning point of the war, so bravely did the boys drive back the enemy. I can see Paul Funkhouser going over the top with the same dash that he used to show here in school on the football field."
Jack Brand paid tribute to the memory of Elijah Worsham and Philip Loewenthal to that of Paul Funkhouser in brief and well-chosen words. Gold stars were placed beside their names on the shields by Scoutmaster Bennett Montgomery and the entire audience stood while taps were sounded.

John Nolan told of the part Indiana had played in the war and war activities in giving a talk on the War Savings Stamp drive. Principal J. O. Chewning pointed to the four gold stars, saying the high school had aided Indiana to uphold her record in this war, and that the school would continue to do so in the war activities.

Letter to the Editor
Evansville Press, December 3, 1918

"I read in the Press of the death of my dear old pal, Lieut. Paul Funkhouser. One deeply regrets the death of men like him.",

Flying Cadet Ray Spiegel

PAUL FUNKHOUSER
The Centralian (Evansville Central High School), December 6,1918

(By Philip Lowenthal)

Again we are assembled here to honor a man who at one time attended this school and who has been called upon to make the supreme sacrifice on the altar of Liberty. Just a few days ago the parents of Paul Funkhouser received an official telegram stating that their son had been killed in action on Oct. 20. "Killed in action." No explanations, no Fourth of July oratory, no attempt at the dramatic, just "Killed in action." Without waiting for particulars, but using as authority the few things I knew about the man, and the thousands of things that we all knew about him, I say I am morally certain that he died heroically. He feared nothing in life; we have no reason to believe that he feared death.

Paul Funkhouser was a student in the Evansville public schools. He played on our high school football team and helped to make that famous 1913 team what it was. Leaving high school he attended, first, Northwestern and then Indiana Universities. When the United States entered the war he left the university to enter the officers' training school at Ft. Benjamin Harrison. He received his commission in August, 1917.

After several months in various training camps in this country he was sent to France, where he immediately went into the fighting line. At Chateau Thierry, at the Second Battle of the Marne, at the San Mihiel salient, at the Verdun sector - everywhere that Americans fought, Paul Funkhouser was in the thick of it. And then, in what in all probability was the last great battle of the war, he died gloriously as he had lived gloriously.

He was an American in the highest sense of that word. He was a man in the highest sense of that word. He was a soldier in the highest sense of that word. He and his comrades fought that Liberty might live, that democracy might be made practical. They fought as no other men ever fought, with their great purpose ever in mind. They fought, not to defend their homes, but for what is even more noble - to defend their ideals; ideals which were established by the blood and suffering of their forefathers.

We do not mourn these hero dead, for in our memories they can never die. Place one more star of gold upon the shield, for Lieut. Paul Funkhouser, soldier in the Army of the United States of America, has given his last full measure of devotion.

DOES NOT KNOW OF BROTHER'S DEATH
Evansville Press, December 13, 1918

First Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser, son of Attorney and Mrs. Albert W. Funkhouser, 920 Washington Avenue, who has been in a front line sector for months, had not learned of the death of his brother, Lieut. Paul T. Funkhouser, who was killed in action Oct. 30 in a neighboring sector, when his last letter was written to his parents under date of November 12.

"They say war is 'finis' and now I believe it is, so it won't be long till Paul and I will get to plant our number 15's under the old table for some real sure enough eats. But best of all, we'll be getting home to the best mother and father in the world," Lieut. Albert wrote.

FUNKHOUSER VOLUNTEERED DEATH POST
Evansville Journal-News, January 5,1919

Evansville Officer Asked to Lead Attacking Platoon When Killed

WAS TO COMMAND RESERVE FORCES

Capt. Cook Writes Father, Telling of Lieut. Paul's Death

Lieut. Paul Funkhouser, one of Evansville's gold star heroes, met his death while commanding a platoon belonging to a wounded fellow lieutenant, according to a letter received by Attorney Albert Funkhouser, father of the officer, from the company captain, Lloyd H. Cook.

Lieut. Funkhouser took the command of the platoon, which was in a more dangerous position than his own, at his own request, because he wished to "go over the top" sooner than he would have with his own platoon. (Here follows letter of Capt. Cook, P. 199.)

WORLD WAR RECORD OF INDIANA ALPHA
The Phi of Hoosier Alpha, Bloomington, Indiana, April 19, 1919

SIX PHIS GIVE LIVES

Total of 126 Enlisted in Service of
United States Many Hold Commissions

* * * Phi Delta Theta has the largest representation of all the fraternities. * * * When the call to arms was sounded it was heard by Phi Delta Theta in general and Indiana Alpha was among the first in the many branches to answer the call. With the exception of the ordnance department, we had a representative in every branch of the service, which goes to show what kind of action Indiana Phis wanted. * * *

One by one of the active chapter became depleted, many entering the various officers' training camps, while others cast aside their chances of gaining a commission in their anxiety to get into the scrap. * * *

Among those who gained commissions was Lieut. Paul T. Funkhouser, one of the most active members of the fraternity in the State and the fourth of a loyal Phi Delta Theta family. He was among the first to see action. On Oct. 20 1918, he led his men over the sacks for the last time. After bidding "God speed and a safe return" to the only remaining officer of his company, he was mortally wounded by machine gun fire in taking his final "objective." Lieut. Funkhouser was a fearless Phi and a real soldier, and the news of his great sacrifice came as a shock to all who knew him.

THIRD DIVISION GUN COMPANY STOPPED FOE
Evansville Courier, Sunday, May 4,1919

Lieut. Paul Funkhouser Assisted in
Checking Germans at Chateau Thierry

It has been definitely established that Lieut. Paul Funkhouser, son of A. W. Funkhouser, one of the Evansville boys who paid the supreme sacrifice in the great war, played a part in stopping the Germans at Chateau Thierry. He was liaison officer of the Third Division divisional motorized machine gun battalion (the Seventh), and with two assistants led the battalion 100 miles to Chateau Thierry, where it was thought to have been the only Indiana boy in the battalion.

In a letter from First Lieut. D. S. Hose to Mr. Funkhouser, the lieutenant, who knew Lieut. Funkhouser, says in speaking of a divisional inspection by Gen. Pershing:

"The division as a whole was inspected by Gen. Pershing yesterday, and I was proud to note that we were the only machine gun battalion in the division that had won a flag. We had our flag out, but the others had none. We have a record that any one can be proud of, and I truly think you have reason to rejoice over the fact that, though your son gave his life to the cause, he was largely instrumental in getting that flag for us."
Official History Printed

The official history of the Seventh Machine Gun Battalion, just printed, shatters the story that the marines stopped the Germans at Chateau Thierry, and shows by the official record that that work was accomplished by the Seventh Machine Gun Battalion and that the marines were never at Chateau Thierry and took no part in stopping the Germans at the Marne. The history concedes that the newspapers and magazines which gave credit to the marines did so in perfectly good faith, and while giving full credit to the marines for their gallant service at Belleau Wood wholly acquit them of any desire or effort of claiming credit for work performed by the Seventh Machine Gun Battalion at Chateau Thierry. The nearest point to Chateau Thierry reached by the marines was ten miles and they did not get into action until in June. The Seventh Machine Gun Battalion stopped the Germans at Chateau Thierry on May 31, 1918.

The Seventh Machine Gun Battalion was the divisional motorized machine gun battalion of the Third Division, then under command of Maj. Gen. Dickman. On May 30, the Third Division, then in training 100 kilometers south of Chateau Thierry, received orders to proceed to the Marne. The Seventh Machine Gun Battalion by reason of being able to move on its own transportation reached Chateau Thierry a day in advance of the other units of the Third Division and went into action as soon as it arrived at Chateau Thierry, at 6 o'clock in the evening on May 31.

The history proceeds: "The enemy had already reached the town, and almost immediately the one machine gun battalion, consisting of but two companies with a total strength of twenty-three officers and 349 men, supported by but a mere handful of Senegales (French colored colonials), found itself in action.

Town Given Up as Lost

The town had been given up for lost but for the timely arrival of this organization undoubtedly would have been lost. The fight for the possession of the bridges was stubborn, hard and continuous, and, although it was their first time in action and although the Germans were apparently well supplied with artillery and their own artillery support practically nil for the first two days, these men, already greatly fatigued, having ridden for thirty hours in Fords, seven or eight men to a Ford with all their equipment, making rest impossible, not only held the bridges, but stopped effectively and finally the entire advance of the German army at that point.

Without any exception whatever, the Seventh Machine Gun Battalion was the first American unit to enter the town and when they were relieved on the fifth day of June, 1918, hardly a man had closed his eyes in sleep.

Loss they suffered; loss they inflicted all out of proportion to those they received. Honors in France they have in abundance; the French were quick to recognize the magnitude of the service which had been rendered to France and to the Allied cause by this organization.

As a result of this citation by Marshal Petain, the colors of the battalion were decorated with the Croix de Guerre, an honor seldom conferred, and an honor that will be theirs as long as the battalion exists as a unit and long afterwards in the hearts and minds of its members; an honor that will carry with it pride and reverence; pride in work well done, and reverence because in performance of that work members, whose names and memories will live forever, gave their lives that justice and Liberty might be saved to the civilized world.

AN EVANSVILLE HERO
Editorial, Evansville Journal-News, Sunday, May 4, 1919

The Journal-News today prints the story of the Battle of Chateau Thierry, with especial reference to the part taken in it by the famous Seventh Machine Gun Battalion. The story is related without flourish, but is in the nature of a true description of the heroic deeds and sacrifice of American boys who were rushed from a training camp in autos to stop the onrush of picked troops of the German army who were on their way to Paris. In this notable example of American pluck and endurance, Evansville was represented by Lieut. Paul Funkhouser, who as liaison officer of the battalion, was in the danger zone from the time his battalion entered the combat line until he gave his life for the great price the Allies were fighting for - humanity.

That this brave crew of men, less than 400 in all, should be able after the bit of training they had been given to stem the horde of German troops assembled to push their way southward to Paris seems now a miracle. To understand something of the task assigned the American lads, let it be understood that they were to go forward unattended without even a battery for a shield or the hope of troops to assist them. They were rattled off from the camp with no preparation further than the ammunition that could be crowded into their lorries with themselves, and they loaded their ma chine gun clips while speeding over French roads so that they might be ready for action the moment opportunity offered. The Marne bisects the town of Chateau Thierry from East to West. The Germans had crossed the river and had taken the south section of the city when the Seventh came upon the scene. As soon as they got into action the Germans were driven north across the river and then began to prepare a siege of the south section of the city. The machine gunners of the Seventh disposed themselves at the bridgeheads and held them for twenty-four hours, until the Third Division came up.

During this period young Funkhouser, as liaison officer, was at all points on the front of his battalion securing information to send back by his two runners to headquarters. The post of liaison officer is one fraught with greatest danger, but this brave Evansville boy never faltered in his duty to his commanding officers, to his flag, nor to his Country. Parents of such a boy can well be proud of the record he has made, and as they have suffered, may they not also rejoice in the fact that this young man had given the most precious of all his gifts in a cause whose justness is hardly yet apparent, but surely will mark an era in world history second only to that which was marked by new dispensation that came with the coming of the Man of Galilee.

FUNKHOUSERS GO TO MEMORIAL FOR SON
Evansville Journal-News, May 11, 1919

Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Funkhouser and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur F. Funkhouser left Saturday for Bloomington to attend a memorial service in honor of five members of the Indiana University chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity who gave their lives as a sacrifice to their country. They had been invited to attend the service as special guests.

Paul T. Funkhouser, who lost his life near Cunel, in the Meuse-Argonne, while leading an advance of a machine gun battalion, was a member of the chapter. Albert C. Funkhouser and Lynn McCurdy were present when Paul Funkhouser was initiated. His father and uncle, Albert W. and Arthur F. Funkhouser also are members of the same fraternity.

PHI DELTA THETA MEMORIAL
Evening World, Bloomington, Indiana

Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Funkhouser, and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur F. Funkhouser have returned to Evansville after being here to attend the memorial at the Phi Delta Theta house for Lieut. Paul T. Funkhouser, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Funkhouser. Lieut. Funkhouser, who was attached to Company B, Seventh Machine Gun Battalion, was killed in action near Cunel on the Meuse River, Oct. 20, 1918. He was with the first company of Americans to arrive at Chateau Thierry. This was the company which with 348 enlisted men and 21 officers held the Germans for two days until the arrival of fresh troops. He also was in the St. Mihiel drive and was in the fighting along the Meuse until the time of his death.

OUR WAR HEROES
The Centralian (Evansville Central High School), October 8,1919

Memorial Tablet Erected to C.H.S. Dead

A large bronze tablet has been placed in the corridor of C.H.S. in memory of the former C.H.S. students who gave their lives for their Country during the great war.

The tablet, which weighs more than one hundred pounds, was designed by George Honig, an Evansville sculptor. It was cast by Hederick Bros., a local firm.

              1917            1918
     THIS TABLET IS ERECTED
TO THOSE WHOSE NAMES APPEAR
  IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION
 OF THEIR HEROIC SACRIFICE

Paul T. Funkhouser
Chester E. Schulz
Albert C. Funkhouser
Elijah Worsham
Douglas Viele
Russell Goad
Judson McGrew
Jack Torian
William Hayden
Alfred Gymer
Ellwood Colton
William Wells