James Arthur Kruse

James Arthur Kruse of West Union was raised on a dairy farm. He received his education from Saint Luke’s School located in Saint Lucas. Kruse was drafted into the Army and served as a medical corpsman. He began his tour in Vietnam on May 4, 1969. PFC Kruse was killed a month later on June 10, 1969. He was fatally wounded by hostile fire while in a nightime defensive position in Quang Ngai Province. A funeral service and burial with full military rites took place at Saint Luke’s Catholic Church and Cemetery in Saint Lucas. Kruse was 20 years old at the time of his death.