ussell Paul Rexrode was born in Highlands County, VA in 1919. He spoke very little of his time in the service, so we are piecing it together the best we can with documentation he kept. He spoke fondly of his time in Hawaii and was very proud to have been a part of the color guard with the 35th. Carrying the flag was a great honor to him. He joined the Army in March of 1939. As a fresh recruit he would ship out on the USS Republic transport ship from NY and several weeks later landing in Hawaii where he would join the 35th. He was with the 35th L Company until the fall of 1941. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal with the 30th Infantry at Presidio of San Francisco. He returned to Hawaii for a short time to guard against possible Japanese invasion. The next record we have of him is his promotion certificate to Sgt with the 30th Infantry Anti-Tank CO at Ft. Lewis, Washington in April of 1942. From there he would go to Camp Rucker, AL in May or June of 1942 to serve with the 81st as the Anti-Tank platoon leader in HQ Co 2nd Bat 323rd. he remained with the 81st till the end of the war seeing action at Ulithi and Peleliu. He met his wife Gladys Lane Rexrode while at Camp Rucker. After the war, they would settle back down in Houston County AL and live there through the rest of their lives.