Rosslee Benton
Veteran for May 2009
Rosslee Benton was born on July 4, 1925, to Marcellous and Henrietta Benton. He was raised in the small south central Texas town of Flynn in Leon County. Although to call the town small is using the term loosely. In 1945 the population swelled to 150 people.
Rosslee enlisted in the Marines in 1943, and was one of the first African Americans to undergo basic training at Camp Monfort Point, in Jacksonville, North Carolina. During his military career Sargent Benton served in the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Okinawa, Nagasaki, Japan, Korea and Alaska. The end of Sargent Benton's career with the Marines was spent as an instructor at Camp Pendleton, California. Sargent Benton was honorably discharged in 1960 after 16 years and 5 months of service to his country, having served during three major campaigns: WW II, Korea and Viet Nam.
Back at home in the United States Rosslee always enjoyed his July 3rd "through the night" cookouts of leg of lamb and other delicacies for his family and friends so they could have a big celebration on his July 4th birthday. He currently resides in Wichita Falls, Texas with his wife of 25 years, Myrtle, where they are members of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church.
