Veterans' Memorial Project

Merrill Manning Benson

Sterling, IL

World War I

College: Commerce & Business Administration

Graduation Year: Attended 1914-1915

Service Branch: Army

Rank: Private

Date of Birth: 07/06/1895

Date of Death: 10/16/1918

Mr. Benson joined American Field Service July 23, 1917; attached Transport Section 526. Transferred to Reserve Mallet, U. S. Motor Transport Corps, October, 1917. Sailed for America, with injured knee, October, 1918. Died at sea of pneumonia, October 16, 1918. Buried in Sterling, Illinois, at Riverside Cemetery. It was in September, 1918, that the doctors decided to send him back from France on account of an injured knee, and October saw him safely installed on the Leviathan,— homeward bound. But his weakened condition left him helpless before the pneumonia that crept upon him, and though he fought bravely with a dogged unwillingness to acknowledge defeat so near to home and happiness, early on October 16th his spirit slipped silently away.

– submitted by James Opolony; information taken from Web site above and University records

Further information: http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=benson&GSfn=merrill&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=1918&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=41847911&df=all&

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