William A. Trafton

William Austin Trafton was born July 24, 1897, in Malden, Mass. He was the son of William Wallace and Etta Florence (Drinkwater, died 1905), and brother of Etta May (who married Waldo Franklin Richardson). He graduated from Malden High School in 1915, and was an electrician by trade.
Trafton enlisted in the Massachusetts National Guard in May, 1916, and served at the Mexican border. He went overseas September 2, 1917, with Co. L, 101st Inf., 26th Div. He was promoted to Corporal on January 7, 1918. Corporal Trafton was killed in action in a volunteer raid, May 31, 1918, at Richecourt, France. He was 21 years old. Trafton Building in Malden was named in his memory, as was Trafton Park. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm, June 8, 1918, with the citation reading, "On May 30-31, 1918, a large raid, commanded by Major James F. Hickey, was made into the enemy's lines to the Rupt-de-Mad, which resulted in a complete success, and the Division Commander is highly pleased with the manner in which it was carried out from the very beginning to the end, and he congratulates the officers and men who participated in the raid and makes special mention of the following-named officers and men for their spirit, enthusiasm and zeal, which was an inspiring example to all with whom they came in contact, and bears out the best traditions and initiative of this Division and of our people."

Boston Daily Globe, June 27, 1921:
Corporal Trafton Buried With Honors At Malden
Malden, June 26 - The funeral of Corp William Austin Trafton, son of William W. Trafton, and the first Malden boy to make the supreme sacrifice overseas, was held this afternoon at center Methodist Church. 
Bishop Edwin H. Hughes of the Methodist Church and Rev. Lyman H. Rollins of Marblehead officiated.
The body was escorted from the State Armory to the church and afterward to Forest Dale Cemetery. The body rested on a caisson draped with the American colors. The procession was headed by Capt. C. David Berg of Co L, 101st Infantry, Malden Post, A. L., Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other patriotic organizations were in the cortege.
The pallbearers were George Waugh, George E. Leslie, Edward Wells, Warren McQuade, George Thorpe, Edward Hard, George Roy and Edward McDonald.