About Earl Jepson | News Article | Letter from Private Lokken | Letter from Earl's Mother | Interview with Tom Jepson

Almost 200 Nevada men died in the Great War. Among them was a man from Garnerville, Earl Jepson.

Earl Franklin Jepson was born in Carson City on Christmas Day, 1891. When he was six months old, his family moved to Carson Valley, where he was raised and living at the time he entered the service.

At the time he was drafted, Earl worked for Douglas County and the Virginia & Truckee Railway Company. Ironically, his father, Hans Jepson, was the head of the Douglas County draft board and issued the draft summons to his son. Earl left for basic training at Camp Lewis on June 26, 1918.

On the 20th of July, Earl was transferred to Company G, 158th Infantry, of the 40th Division and sent to Camp Kearny, CA. On August 20, 1918, he was in France. On September 21, he was transferred again as an infantry replacement and assigned to Company B, 308th Infantry, 77th Division. He join the unit just in time to advance with them into the Argonne Battle, which began on September 26.

Eight days later, on October 4, 1918, Earl was killed during the fighting east of Binarville. The Jepson family would not learn of their son's death for almost three months. During that time they continued to send him letters and packages.

Only one man was drafted in 1918 from Douglas county. Hans Jepson, as head of the local draft board, issued the notice to his eldest son. Sadly, only one man from Douglas county died in World War I. Learn more about Earl Jepson by clicking on the buttons below.

Learn more about Earl Jepson:
About Earl Jepson | News Article | Letter from Private Lokken
Letter from Earl's Mother | Interview with Tom Jepson