Rutherford
B. Hayes Presidential Center
Elton
Mackin
LH- 381
Introduction
Biographical
Sketch
Scope
and Content
Inventory
Introduction
This
collection was donated to the Hayes Presidential Center in 2012. Permission to use this collection for
research purposes was granted by the donor.
Biographical
Sketch
Elton
E. Mackin was born on 22 February 1898 in Lewiston, New York to Arnot and
Harriet (Van Luven) Mackin. When Elton was an infant, his father drowned in the Niagara River and
his mother eventually remarried to Victor Chittenden. Harriet and Victor had four more children;
Irene, Leona, Victor and Alma. Elton
spent much of his early childhood attending school and working long hours as a
farm hand.
Elton
was sixteen years old when World War I officially started in 1914. At this time the United States was not
involved in the war, but this did not prevent Elton from trying to join the
Third Canadian Contingent with several of his friends. However, he never went through the enlistment
process and was instead removed from school to begin working full time.
In
April of 1917 Elton decided that it was time for him to get involved in World
War I. At the age of nineteen, he enlisted
in the United States Marine Corps and completed basic training at Parris
Island, South Carolina. Mackin was then
sent over to Europe and eventually became a battalion runner for the 67th
Co. 1st Battalion 5th Marine Regiment, United States Army
Regulars. As a runner, Elton was
assigned to take correspondence and information to fellow regiments. It was this assignment as a runner that
earned him the nickname “Lucky Mackin” because of the dangers that he
encountered. Elton participated in the Battles of Belleau Wood and Blanc-Mont,
along with several other operations during the war. Because of his efforts during his enlistment,
Elton was awarded the United States Army Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross
and two Army Silver Star citations. In
May of 1919 he was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps.
Elton
returned to his hometown of Lewiston, New York and married Emily Goodsite in
1921. They had three children; Wallace,
Marie and Harriet. The family made
several moves before settling in Norwalk, Ohio in 1935. Elton and his son, Wallace, opened an
appliance store that remained in business until 1957. In his later years, Mackin worked as a bus
driver for handicapped and mentally challenged children. He and his wife also opened their home to
numerous foster children. Elton Mackin died 21 February 1974 in Norwalk, Ohio.
Scope
and Content
This collection, spanning the years from 1917 to
1994, contains two copies of the manuscript “Flashes and Fragments,” which depicts
the experiences of Elton Mackin in the United States Marine Corps as a
battalion runner during World War I. The
manuscript was started by Mackin in 1935. Excerpts of
the material first appeared in the Marine Corps publication Leatherneck Magazine.
Four cassette tapes and a typed transcription from a
June 29, 1973 interview with Mr. Mackin are also included. Mackin’s World War I memoir published as Suddenly We Didn’t Want To
Die was adapted from his manuscript “Flashes and Fragments” and the 1973 interview
on cassette tapes. Five scanned images,
two original photographs, a February 22, 1994 “Norwalk Reflector” newspaper and
a short biography of Elton Mackin completes the collection. A typed transcription of the interview is
digitized and appears on the Hayes Presidential Center Manuscripts Division On Line Texts.
Inventory
Ac.
5816
1/3 linear ft.
Box
1
1: “Flashes and Fragments” - manuscript
2: “Flashes and Fragments” - manuscript
3: June 29, 1973 Interview transcription with
four cassette tapes
4: Photographs/Newspaper Articles