Obituary--C. C. Upton

One of those listed on the list I posted yesterday was C. C. Upton.  At the very bottom, he is listed as having been gassed. (Actually he was gassed, then later wounded, but died of disease.)  His death is one of those that so surprised me.  Today, when we can nearly instantly communicated with our loved ones in harms way in one battleground or another, it seems strange that so many families were not notified of deaths until much later, in this case nearly a month.  And also heartbreaking to me is that so many deaths took place after the Armistice. 
Again as a tribute to all who fought in World War I, and especially to those who died here is another obituary of a local soldier.
From the 18 March 1919 Fremont TimesIndicator:

PNEUMONIA CAUSES DEATH OF SOLDIER
C. C. Upton, Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Upton, Gassed and Wounded, Dies in France

C. C. Upton, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Upton of this city, has made the supreme sacrifice at the altar of universal democracy.  A message to Mr. and Mrs. Upton received from Washington last week conveyed the sad news of the death of their son in France February 17. Death was the result of pleural pneumonia.
C. C. enlisted on June 28 1917, and was a member of the 78th Co., 6th Regiment of the Marines, and went overseas the latter part of January, 1918.  The first battle in which he was actively engaged was on the Marne.  He was gassed June 14 in the battle of Chateau Thierry and was confined to the hospital until October.  For two weeks he was totally blind and was in total darkness for six weeks which restored his sight.
On October 31 he was shot through the left thigh and was again confined to the hospital but recovered sufficiently to start for the place of embarkation.  he was taken ill with pneumonia and from this last siege he did not recover.  During all the months he was confined to the hospital no letters from home reached him.
Mr. Upton was a graduate of the Fremont high school in the class of 1912.  during his high school course he was prominent in athletics, being one of the best basketball players the local school has produced.  He also excelled in the out-door athletic activities of the school.  He was a member of the Church of Christ.
Mr. Upton was in the employ of the Cadillac Motor Co. in Detroit at the time of his enlistment.
He passed away in his 26th year leaving a father and mother, one brother and four sisters.  The sympathy of the entire community goes out to the bereaved family.

 These are the deaths that are so tragic, after the war ended, and recovered enough from his wounds to head for home, he then dies of sickness.  Thank goodness for modern medicine.