Charles Gustave Sonntag – Private, United States Army

Charles Gustave Sonntag
Born at Charleston, South Carolina, 20 November 1872
Died at Sandy Run, Berkeley, South Carolina, 19 February 1937
Buried in Section 17, Grave 28239, Arlington National Cemetery

Thursday, 28 February 1929

An Act To recognize the high public service rendered by Major Walter Reed and those associated with him in the discovery of the cause and means of transmission of yellow fever.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in special recognition of the high public service rendered and disabilities contracted in the interest of humanity and science as voluntary subjects for the experimentations during the yellow-fever investigations in Cuba, the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to publish annually in the Army Register a roll of honor on which shall be carried the following names: Walter Reed, James Carroll, Jesse W. Lazear, Aristides Agramonte, James A. Andrus, John R. Bullard, A. W. Covington, William H. Dean, Wallace W. Forbes, Levi E. Folk, Paul Hamann, James F. Hanberry, Warren G. Jernegan, John R. Kissinger, John J. Moran, William Olsen, Charles G. Sonntag, Clyde L. West, Doctor R. P. Cooke, Thomas M. England, James Hildebrand, and Edward Weatherwalks, and to define in appropriate language the part which each of these persons played in the experimentations during the yellow-fever investigations in Cuba; and in further recognition of the high public service so rendered by the persons hereinbefore named, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to cause to be struck for each of said persons a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, and to present the same to each of said persons as shall be living and posthumously to such representatives of each of such persons as shall have died, as shall be designated by the Secretary of the Treasury. For this purpose there is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of $5,000; and there is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such amounts annually as may be necessary in order to pay to the following-named persons during the remainder of their natural lives the sum of $125 per month, and such amount shall be in lieu of any and all pensions authorized by law for the following-named persons: Private Paul Hamann; Private John R. Kissinger; Private William Olsen, Hospital Corps; Private Charles G. Sonntag, Hospital Corps; Private Clyde L. West, Hospital Corps; Private James Hildebrand, Hospital Corps; Private James A. Andrus, Hospital Corps; Mr. John R. Bullard; Doctor Aristides Agramonte; Private A. W. Covington, Twenty-third Battery, Coast Artillery Corps; Private Wallace W. Forbes, Hospital Corps; Private Levi E. Folk, Hospital Corps; Private James F. Hanberry, Hospital Corps; Doctor R. P. Cooke; Private Thomas M. England; Mr. John J. Moran; and the widow of Private Edward Weatherwalks. 45 Stat. 1409-1410.

SONNTAG, WHO RISKED LIFE FOR SCIENCE, DIES
South Carolinian, One of Dr. Walter Reed’s Volunteers,
Braved Yellow Fever Germ

COLUMBIA, South Carolina, February 20, 1937 – Charles G. Sonntag, a member of the brave band of men who volunteered, under the leadership of Dr. Walter Reed, to submit themselves to the bite of the yellow fever-bearing mosquito, died last night.

Mr. Sonntag, who was 64, died at his home in the Sandy Run section of Calhoun County.  Internment will be in Arlington Cemetery near Washington, D.C, Monday with full military honors.

To further efforts to stamp out the then deadly yellow fever, Sonntag and several others, after the Spanish-American War, submitted to the bite of the germ-bearing mosquito.

Mr. Sonntag was one of those who recovered and he lived to see his government award him a special medal commemorative of his services beyond the call of duty.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Hatti Pou Sonntag of Sandy Run; a sister, Mrs. Marie Owings of Denmark, and a brother, Otto Sonntag of Washington.

SONNTAG, CHARLES G
PVT HOSP CORPS USA
DATE OF DEATH: 02/19/1937
BURIED AT: SECTION WH EN  SITE 23239
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard