PVT Robert Lee Stroupe

PVT Robert Lee Stroupe was born in Canton, Ohio on 6 Jun 1913 to Charles Lee and Gertrude Eva (Jackson) Stroupe. His family first lived in Cleveland, Ohio where his father worked for Timken. World War I interrupted family live in 1917 and Charles was drafted and was eventually sent to Italy where he was assigned to the United States Army Ambulance Service returning as a PFC in 1919. This apparently led to a career change based on his military experience and Charles became an attendant at the Cleveland State Hospital. He was not there long and the family moved to Binghamton, New York and Charles was working as an attendant at the Binghamton State Hospital for the Insane. Charles and Gertrude may have already been estranged in 1920 because Robert was living with his father's parents in Monroe, Pennsylvania. Robert was eventually back with his father and Charles and son were rooming at the home of Ella McCarthy at 47½ Pine Street in Binghamton. Robert was able to attend high school. At that same time Gertrude was working as a waitress in her home town of Toledo, Ohio. Unfortunately Charles died in 1933, aged 48, and Robert may have been on his own. However that might have been what brought Gertrude to Binghamton in 1934 where she found work as a nurse. Then Gertrude died at the age of 48 in 1938 and Robert was without any surviving family. He went to work for Agfa-Ansco in Binghamton, a company making cameras and photographic supplies. Then, in January 1942, he married Marguerite Cora Downer Heinrich.

Robert was drafted in March 1942. After completing his basic military training he was apparently sent to England by June 1944. PVT Stroupe was transferred from the replacement depot to C Company 116th Infantry on 5 Jul 1944. Wounded in one of his arms by artillery fire on the next day, he was evacuated to hospital and sent to England for treatment and to recuperate. PVT Stroupe was returned to C Company from the replacement depot on 28 Aug 1944 as the regiment was making the drive on Brest. He was killed in action on 1 Sep 1944 at Brest, France. 

PVT Stroupe rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery. 

Robert's only surviving family member, his wife remarried in November 1944. He and Marguerite had no children.

Robert's father served in Quartermaster Detachment USA Ambulance Service on the Italian Front June 1918 to April 1919. Great-grandfather, Tobias Stroup, served as a PVT in F Company 171st Pennsylvania Infantry (USA) and great-grandfather, Charles Armstrong, served as a PVT in the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry (USA) during the Civil War.