KEITH MOUNCE WAS KILLED IN ACTION JAN. 15
Word reached this newspaper last Saturday of the death of Keith Mounce, who was reported missing in action in Europe last January. The news came in a letter from his father, Supt. J. R. Mounce, formerly of Jefferson and now of Clinton.
Supt. and Mrs. Mounce received definite word from Staff Sgt. Charles P. Swann, a comrade of Keith’s and now a patient at Foster General Hospital in Jackson, Miss. He stated that Keith was killed in action on Jan. 15, this past winter.
Keith was company runner for Company L of the 394th infantry. On Jan. 15 one of the platoons was sent out on a mission into enemy territory in eastern Belgium. Because the platoon runner was not feeling well, Keith volunteered to go. The group was ambushed and Keith was killed by enemy machine gun fire.
The former Jefferson high school student and athlete was born at Donnellson, Iowa, September 19, 1924. He was graduated from Jefferson high school in 1941, and spent one semester at the University of Southern California and three semesters at the University of Iowa before entering service July 19, 1943.
He received his basic training at Ft. Benning, Ga., and was assigned to the ASTP at Arkansas State college. When the Army discontinued the ASTP in March 1944, he was transferred to the 99th infantry division at Camp Maxey, Texas. The division went overseas in September 1944 and, after a short stay in England, was sent to the front lines near Aachen in November. Keith received shrapnel wounds in December but returned to his company without being hospitalized.
On April 12, 1944, he was married to Ilah Mae Richards of Jefferson and a daughter, Constance Louise, was born to them March 6, 1945. They are now living at the Mounce home in Clinton.
Source: Jefferson Bee, July 17, 1945
Pvt. Mounce served in World War II with the U.S. Army 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division and was MIA/KIA in Belgium. He was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster.
He is buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium.
Source: fieldsofhonor database
