Cpl Albert Wimbish

Our Hometown Heroes

Albert Wimbish

Spalding Undertaking Company

As gruesome as it sounds, Albert Wimbish’s special skills were needed along the front lines during World War 1. Working for Spalding Undertaking Company, Albert Wimbish was drafted to serve in World War 1. Born June 6, 1893, Wimbishquickly rose to the rank of corporal in the army.

Wimbish along with millions of others, would contract pneumonia, now known of as the dreaded Spanish Flu plaque.Sadly, Wimbish died of the disease on December 14, 1918. His mother, Naomi Smith Wimbish, who lived at 333 E Chapel (sp.) (Chappell) Street, was notified of her son’s death. He is buried in the Rest Haven Cemetery in Griffin.Wimbish was black and was not listed on the World War I Monument. Forgotten until now.

This changed during the Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30, 2016 as Wimbish and other, “Lost and Forgotten,” World War I soldiers were honored with individual plaques and their names on the Veterans Memorial Park “Doughboy” statue. Thanks to efforts of Griffin Archivist Cynthia Barton, the Veterans Military Affairs and Honor our KIA committees, Albert Wimbish is now remembered as one of Griffin-Spalding’s Hometown Heroes.

An individual plaque honoring Albert Wimbish will be installed in Griffin’s Historic District sponsored by the Vaughn-Blake VFW Post-8480.