Gustaaf-Octaaf Desmet was born on 14 October 1889 in Ingooigem (Ingoyghem), Belgium.  He was the son of Leo Desmet and Sidonie Defoor, and he had a sister named Maria Alphonsina Desmet.  On 13 July 1912, Octaaf left Antwerp on the SS Zeeland, and arrived in New York ten days later.  Octaaf settled at 114 Michigan Ave. in Gladstone Michigan.  He worked as a Flour Handler for the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Sault St. Marie Railroad Company, which was commonly known as the Soo Line from the phonetic pronunciation of Sault.
Octaaf registered for the draft on 5 June 1917, and a photograph of Octaaf with other men appears to show him entering the service on 29 April 1918.  He was ultimately assigned to the Headquarters Company of the 4th Infantry Regiment.  From 21 September to 1 November 1918, the 4th Infantry Regiment was heavily engaged in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.  Although no documentary evidence of this has yet emerged, it is likely that Octaaf was wounded in this offensive and was transported to Allery, France.  At Allery,  the United States Medical Corps had a Hospital Center with 15,000 beds that treated wounded from the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives.  On 23 October 1918, Octaaf died at Allery from wounds recieved in combat.  He was originally buried at the temporary American cemetery at Allery.
Octaaf’s sister Maria was his only next of kin, and she requested the Octaff be returned to Ingooigem for his final resting place.
Information provided by Chris Sims and Willy Desmet with additional information drawn from Col. Joseph H. Ford’s Army Distinguished Service Medal citation.