Lloyd had just married his sweetheart Thelma. Miss Thelma Beach. It was 1922. Things were going well but in just a few weeks he would be leaving Thelma for Camp. He had come back from WWI in 1919 a little different but he was an outstanding solider, well liked and had a promising future. When Lloyd heard that Battery A was going to be organized by the National Guard again he joined as soon as he could. As did his best friend and war buddy Emil Krueger. In a few weeks he would be leaving again with his Troop for “Maneuvers” out to Fort Mead. Lloyd was proud of his continued service. They were Veterans. They were Calvary.
Lloyd had joined the South Dakota National Guard on April 4th 1917 into old “Troop D”. War was here and he needed to do this. Troop D was mustered into the regular Army on July 15th and Lloyd was sent to France. His best friend Emil had joined up with him as did the other Moody County local farm boys; Roy McFarland, Cort Wheatly, Homer Hales and Ray Bowen. They all served together in France. Emil and Lloyd had some very narrow escapes from the Germans in the last few months of the war. It had made them closer, better friends.
Off to Camp. Lloyd did not want to leave Thelma but he would be gone for a few weeks to Fort Mead. Thelma would stay with his mother and father, Walter and Laura Dora and his younger brother Ervin Marvin at home. Lloyd’s other brother Harry was living in Pueblo. Thelma would be safe. Ervin would look after her and Lloyd would be home soon.
It happened so quick. It was almost noon and Lloyd was waiting at the Vilas train depot with his best friend Emil and the rest from Battery A. They were tasked with bringing the Batteries horses back from Camp. Just a few more minutes and the train would arrive and they could be closer to home and to his wonderful Thelma. It the commotion of getting there side arms and other equipment ready so they could board the train it happened. One shot. One errant shot. A mistake. An accident…… A tragic accident. Emil was having trouble with his sidearm or was he cleaning it? As he was placing it into his holster, it fired. One round. The round hit the floor. Thank goodness no one was hit….? The round didn’t stop. It glanced off the floor and hit a seat in the depot. A seat Lloyd his best friend was sitting in. Thank goodness it hit the seat….but it didn’t stop. The bullet, accidently fired by Emil, glanced off the seat and had struck Lloyd in the back of the head near his right ear.
Twenty five miles to the hospital. Just down the road. They put Lloyd in the back of a truck and drove like hell. Lloyd was having some trouble breathing but was still alive. They could make the 25 miles to Madison. They arrived in Madison and the hospital. The boys of company did all they could getting him there so quickly. They operated as quickly as they could and were successful in removing the bullet but it was too late. The bullet had severed leading arteries. Lloyd died shortly after 8 o’clock.
They brought Lloyd back home to Flandreau and his Thelma on Friday July 28st 1922. Lloyd was taken to his grandfather’s home to lie in state. On Monday July 31st, 1922 at 10 o’clock the whole town turned out for the funeral at the Catholic Church. All of the business were closed as a sign of respect. The flag draped coffin was carried on a caisson drawn by six black stallions of Battery A. Lloyd’s pallbearers were Emil, (his best friend who had accidently killed him), Vincent Watters, Fred Bates, Homer Hales, Merle Sherburne and Ray Bowen. The American legion was there too as an escort. A firing squad from Battery A was standing ready. Francis Watters playing taps on the bugler. A Company of men from the Madison Battery had also come to show their respects. Father Kelly conducted the ceremonies and Lloyd was laid to rest at St Simon and Jude Cemetery. It was one of the largest funerals the county had ever seen.
So Paul….what of Thelma? Well I can sum that up with this….One year and eleven days. One year and eleven days isn’t very long. A lot can happen in 1 year and 11 days. On June 5th, 1923 Thelma married her brother in law, Ervin Wilcox, younger brother of Lloyd, 1 year and 11 days after Lloyd’s passing.
So the question was: If your brother was shot by his best friend would you marry his wife? Answer: In this case….Yes.