Russell Eugene STATE

STATE, INMAN, BEASON, GRESHAM

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/6/2010 at 08:51:17

Grinnell Herald-Register -- Grinnell, Iowa
January 26, 1948

MILITARY FUNERAL FOR RUSSELL STATE

Details of Accident Which Cost Life of Grinnell Marine

Grinnell relatives have received definite word regarding the death of Corporal Russell State of the U.S Marine corps, who was killed in an automobile accident in Tsingtao, China, on Jan. 8. Letters have been received both from his lieutenant and from his closest "buddy" in the corps. According to these letters Russell and a few friends went to a Russian restaurant in the European section of Tsingtao, a common procedure with Marines on liberty, and stayed until about 9 o'clock in the evening. On the way back he caught a ride with some boys in the Sixth division and about half way to their barracks the jeep ran into a ditch and overturned. Russell was caught underneath and killed instantly, without any pain.

MILITARY FUNERAL

Russell was given a full military funeral with a ten man firing squad and a bugler on Jan. 12 and services were also held in the German Lutheran church in Tsingtao. The men in Russell's platoon were his honor guard and six of his closest friends were his pallbearers. He was buried in plot 25 in the International cemetery in Tsingtao. Lt. Robert E. Peterson of Russell's platoon wrote his wife: "It was a beautiful but simple ceremony, one which I think he himself would have desired."

Russell's belongings are being sent home through official channels and some of the more intimate possessions will be delivered by one of his friends who is coming home. The lieutenant has also offered to send the flag which was on Russell's coffin during the funeral.

HIS BUDDY WRITES

In a moving letter to Russell's parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. A. State, his closest friend, Bart Gresham, wrote: "Russell was my best buddy. We served together for 32 months, 27 of them being overseas, where the true mettle of a man comes to the surface. There is one thing I can say with all my heart; Russell was the best buddy a man could have or ever ask for. In all our time together I have never seen him mad; he was always with a smile, willing to help us in any way he possible could.

"I know if a man can be judged by the way he lived here on earth, Russell is now living in a world of peace and plenty with our Lord."

Russell Eugene State, son of Floyd and Vena State, was born near Dows, Iowa, July 19, 1923, and lived there until 1935, when the family moved to Grinnell. He was confirmed in the St. John's Lutheran church in 1940 and remained true to his church. On August 12, 1942, he was married to Doris Inman and after they had had a few short months together he enlisted in the Marine corps.

He leaves his loving wife and parents, three brothers, Wendall in the U.S. Marine corps, and George and Douglas at home and two sisters, Mrs. Carolyn Beason and Dorothy, both of this city, besides his many friends.