About
Russell Evan Fleming, the son of William and Marion (Griffith) Fleming, was born on December 25, 1924, in Schenectady, New York. He attended Elmer Avenue Grade School, Central Park Junior High and graduated from Mont Pleasant High School in 1943. Russell was a Boy Scout in Troop 29 and was involved in YMCA activities.
In July 1943, Russell enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve. He held the rank of Aviation Radio Technician Third Class and received his training in Illinois, Maryland, Texas and California. Russell 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 National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Hawaii.
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry