About
World War II (1939-1945)
Russell Evan Fleming was born in Schenectady, New York, on December 25, 1924. He grew up in the city of Schenectady and attended Elmer Avenue Grade School and Central Park Junior High before graduating from Mont Pleasant High School in 1943. Russell was a member of Troop 29 as a Boy Scout and participated in activities organized by the YMCA.
In July 1943, Russell enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve. He underwent his military training in Illinois, Maryland, Texas and California. He was aboard the USS Franklin on March 19, 1945, when it was heavily damaged by a Japanese air bomber raid. The USS Franklin lost 800 crew members, including Russell. He is remembered at the Honolulu Memorial, Courts of the Missing in Hawaii.
*Aviation Radio Technician Third Class
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry