PFC Russell G. Monroe

courtesy of Kate Jacques

PFC Russell G. Monroe was born 7 Apr 1924 in Woodford County, Kentucky. He was the 3rd of the 11 children born to James Elster and Lula Mae (Reed) Monroe. The family farmed near Bald Knob, Kentucky. Lula died of pulmonary tuberculosis in February 1943.

Russell was drafted in September 1943. He completed his training and was sent to the European theater. On 15 Jun 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry. PVT Monroe was promoted to PFC on 13 Aug 1944. He continued to fight with the unit until wounded on 27 Aug 1944. He was evacuated to hospital and returned to the unit on 14 Nov 1944. By then the 116th was fighting in Germany. PFC Monroe was killed in action on 25 Feb 1945.

PFC Monroe was repatriated in 1948 and re-interred in the Franklin Cemetery in Frankfort Cemetery in  Frankfort, Kentucky.

Brother, Bolivar Kenneth Monroe, would serve 1951-1953. Great-grandfather, David T. Himes, served as a PVT in I Company 4th Kentucky Infantry (USA) and great-grandfather, Sylvester W. Reed, served as a PVT in A Company 45th Kentucky Infantry (USA) during the Civil War.