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World War IIUS Army184th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division Service Number: 38085122 Born: February 14, 1914 Inducted: March 2, 1942 Killed in action June 6, 1945 on Okinawa Buried: Yuma Cemetery, Lot 171 new addition, Yuma Purple Heart w/Oak Leaf Cluster |
Son of Mrs. Alberta Runkle Partch of south of Yuma. Husband of Inez Wagner Runkle.
Yuma Pioneer July 19, 1945
Archie C. Runkle Killed on Okinawa Friday June 6th
Fateful Message Received by Relatives Friday, Telling of Supreme Sacrifice Made by Soldier in BattleAgain we are called upon to report that another fateful message from the War Department arrived in this community Friday, and brought news of the death of PFC Archie C. Runkle, son of Mrs. Alberta Partch and husband of Inez Runkle.
The message reads as follows: "Mrs. Inez W. Runkle: The secretary of War has asked me to express his deep regret that your husband, PFC Archie C. Runkle was killed in action in Okinawa June 6, 1945. Confirming letter follows. Edward F. Witsell, acting General of the Army."
PFC Runkle entered military service a little more than three years ago and received training at Camp Haan, Ft. Lewis and Ft. Ord. In July 1943, he left the United States and was sent to Kiska, then on to Hawaii. Later he went to the Marshall Islands but was returned later to Hawaii for hospitalization. While on active duty in Leyte he contracted malaria fever and received treatment at a rest camp in Dutch New Guinea. He entered Okinawa with the 7th Division, where he met his death on June 6, at the age of 31 years. He had been presented the Purple Heart sometime in May.
PFC Runkle was born at Logan, Kansas, where he lived until 1917 when he came with his mother and sisters to the homestead 27 miles south of Yuma. His father died when he was a small boy, and he spent most of his early years assisting with the work on the farm. He was proceeded in death by his father and a sister, Stella Bailey. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Alberta Runkle Partch, and four sisters; Rowena Alexander of Yuma, Irene Peters of Denver, Lela Boatman of Edmond, Kansas and Gladys Bailey of Hale.
Yuma Pioneer - April 21, 1949
Body of Yuma Soldier is Being Sent Home
The body of Pfc. Archie C. Runkle arrived in the United States last week from the Pacific and will be brought to Yuma for burial. He was killed in action on Okinawa on June 6, 1945, while serving with the Seventh Division. He had entered military service three years earlier and had served on several of the Pacific islands. He is the son of Mrs. Alberta Runkle Partich.
Pfc. Runkle's body was one of twenty-three Colorado men, including Sgt. Robert P. Elder of Cope, in the 1,692 returned on the army transport, Sinnet. They were taken from the military cemeteries in Hawaii, Okinawa, the Mariannas and Australia.
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