Biographies of the Men that the Unit is named

Rufus Kyle Anderson

 

Rufus Kyle Anderson was born January 16, 1896 in the northeast part of Fannin County near Oakland Community. He was the son of Martha Lewis Anderson and M. D. Anderson. He attended rural schools of Fannin County and Dodd City. He enrolled in Bonham High School, but at mid-term his first year he left school to join the United States Navy. This was a few months before the United States entered World War I.

 

He trained at the Great Lakes Training Station and at the end of his training period was assigned to the USS Louisiana . While at sea, he took sick. He was returned to Pennsylvania where he later died. He was brought to Bonham, Texas and buried in the Willow Wild Cemetery.

Ellis H. Roberts

 

Ellis H. Roberts was born at Smithville, Texas on September 6, 1912. He was the son of Ellis H. Roberts and Maggie Moore Roberts, who lived on West 8th street in Bonham.  He attended the public schools at Bonham, Texas. He graduated from Bonham High School and entered the Army Air Corps on March 13, 1942 training at Sheppard Field, Texas, Tyndall Field in Florida and Greenville, South Carolina. He had been in the service for 10 months and one (1) day. When he was killed in a plane crash on Jan 14, 1943 on the coast Dutch Guinea. He received numerous citations, Theatre Ribbons and other honors. His brother, S/Sgt Charles E. Roberts was killed in action in Italy, Dec 6, 1944. and another brother, J. T. Roberts, received a medical discharge during WWII.

 

Ellis H. Roberts was first buried in Trinidad in a group burial. Later, his body was moved to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Both brothers are buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.