Biographical / Historical

Eric Gustave Lindquist (1891–1966) was born to Swedish immigrant parents in New York City on April 30, 1891. While employed at the New York Workmen's Compensation Rating Bureau, Lindquist, along with several colleagues, was induced by a coworker who was a member of the National Guard to join Company K of the 71st Infantry, New York. Lindquist enlisted on August 17, 1915. The 71st was stationed at McAllen, Texas, during the so-called Border War, the series of skirmishes between U.S. troops and Mexican revolutionaries. Lindquist was promoted to corporal on August 10, 1916, and to sergeant on September 1, 1917. On October 14, 1917 he enlisted in Company K, 105th Infantry, which was soon absorbed into the 27th Infantry Division of the Army National Guard. Lindquist transferred to the 102nd Engineers of the 27th on December 6, 1917, and remained with regiment until his discharge on April 3, 1919. For his service in France (May 1918–February 1919), and participation in the Battle of Lys (April 1918) and Second Battle of the Somme (August-September 1918), Lindquist received the World War I Victory Medal. He died, age 75, in Bronxville, Westchester County, New York, on December 2, 1966, ten years after retiring from the management of the 42nd Street office of the Royal-Globe Insurance Companies. [See Lindquist's brief obituary in the New York Times, Sunday, December 4, 1966, page 88.]