G. Edward Buxton Jr. participant of World War I
Gonzalo Edward Buxton Jr. (May 13, 1880 – March 15, 1949) was a colonel in the American Expeditionary Force in World War I and the commanding officer of Sergeant Alvin C. York. In later life he was the first assistant director of the OSS.World War I
Buxton resigned from the National Guard in October, 1916, and was immediately commissioned Major of infantry in the Reserve Corps of the United States Army. He was assigned to active duty at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, on May 8, 1917, where he was assigned command of the Second Battalion of the First Officers' Training Camp.
On August 26, 1917, he was assigned to the command of the 2nd Battalion, 328th Infantry Regiment, of the 82nd Division at Camp Gordon, Georgia. It was here where he first met one of his charges, then 
Private Alvin Cullum York from the Valley of the Three Forks of the Wolf River in Pall Mall, Tennessee.
During this time York began to communicate and share some of his concerns and doubts about the role of the military and questioned his ability to take the life of another human being. Company Commander Captain Edward Danforth and Buxton were both impressed with York's honesty and willingness to address his moral dilemma, not to mention the promise he showed in his basic training. Alvin  began meeting with Major Buxton and Captain Danforth. They discussed the Bible's teachings with York, citing scriptural passages from the Old and New Testaments, with the intent to convince York there are times when the sword is the instrument of peace and divine justice. In addition, Buxton, an American history scholar, shared his perspectives on freedom and the premise of self-determination.
After this discussion, Buxton allowed York a ten-day pass to go home to the mountains of Tennessee in order to sort out his feelings. Upon his return Major Buxton was ready to give York his discharge or reassign him as a non-combatant if he still espoused concerns. In the end, however, York returned refreshed and ready to engage the Germans, reassured by his faith in God. York confided years later about Buxton, "He was the first New Englander I ever knowed… I was kinder surprised at his knowledge of the Bible. It made me happy to know my battalion commander was familiar with the word of God."In November 1917, Buxton was promoted to acting lieutenant-colonel of the regiment though he resumed command of his battalion when the 328th left for overseas duty on April 30, 1918. The regiment continued their training with the British in the Somme Sector, near Abbeyville, France, in the latter part of May and the first two weeks of June. During this period Buxton, always leading by example, spent a week in the front-line trenches before Albert, with the famed British Tenth Essex Battalion (The Essex Regiment, 18th Division) from May 20 to June 18, 1918.From June 20 to August 7 the 328th Regiment was engaged in the Lagny Sector, north of Toul, and from August 15 to September 12 occupied a portion of the Marbache Sector (on Moselle). The 328th participated in the great St. Mihiel offensive, September 12–16, 1918 which straightened out the salient made by the Germans in 1914. Buxton's battalion led the attack of the 328th Infantry along the west bank of the Moselle River, capturing the town of Norroy and the commanding ridge north of that town.
On September 18, 1918, two days after the close of this action, Buxton was appointed to and served as inspector-general of the 82nd Division until January 16, 1919, when he saw continuing action as a commander and combatant in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive from September 25 to November 1. This was the crowning American contribution that brought about the Armistice of November 11, 1918.
On January 16 Buxton was assigned to "special duty" at general headquarters under General Pershing.
On February 28, 1919, Buxton was formally promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 328th Infantry Regiment and returned to the United States (Camp Upton, New York) on May 8, 1919, where he was discharged from active service.
In 1921, following his return to Rhode Island, Buxton went on the Organized (Inactive) Reserve list and in 1922 was promoted to colonel and officer commanding of the 385th Rhode Island Infantry, 76th Division. He served in that capacity until his retirement from military service in 1932.