Elson E. “Buddy” Behnke was born Sept. 10, 1921 to Clinton Edward and Wilda E. Woodall Behnke. He died Oct. 9, 1944 and is buried in Florence American Cemetery, Impruneta, Italy and has a cenotaph in Oakwood Cemetery, Plymouth, IA.
Pvt. Behnke served in World War II with the U.S. Army 361st Infantry Regiment, 91st Infantry Division and was KIA in northern Italy and awarded the Purple Heart.
His sister, Specialist Second Class Letha Behnke, served as a link (flight simulator) instructor for the WAVES in the US Naval Reserve.
Source: ancestry.com
