Vincent Sebastian Manning was born in Jersey City on January 20, 1894 to Margaret and James D. Manning, who was a police judge. He was a parishioner at St. Joseph’s Church and a corporal in the Fourth Regiment. He attended Saint Peter’s College for a period of time, but before graduating he left the College and entered officers’ training school at Fort Meyer, Virginia, in May 1917. He was assigned to Co. D, 320th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division.

In June 1918, Manning arrived in France, where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He was soon involved in active fighting at the front. On July 24, a detail of officers and non-coms was sent to the front at Arras for observation. Another detail was sent on July 27 and on July 29, word was received that one officer and several non-coms had been killed. Lt. Manning is listed as the officer killed during this observation. Thus, his date of death is listed as July 29, 1918. He was 22 years old.

His brother, Lt. Manning of No. 1 Truck of the Jersey City Fire Department, first heard of his death through a letter from a friend and then sought confirmation from the War Department.

The Official Division Record of the 80th Casualties records Lt. Manning as buried in the Somme American Cemetery in Bony, France, in grave 14, row 33, block B.  This record dates to 1920 and there is conflicting information on this, but records at Bony will be more accurate in the instance of re-internment.