World War I served as the trigger point in the transformation of Europe and the approach by which wars would be fought for decades to come.
From this bloody epic that took the lives of more than 116,000 U.S. military personnel rises a tale of service nearly forgotten, yet carried forth through the dedication of Roscoe Enloe Post 5.
Roscoe Enloe was a local soldier killed in combat during World War I. He was inducted into the Missouri National Guard on June 30,1917, just shy of his 22nd birthday. He was later assigned to Company L, 2nd Missouri Infantry.
Company L was inducted into federal service and became the 130th Machine Gun Battalion and was mobilized for service in Europe to support the war effort.
Roscoe had a twin brother, Robert who served in the same unit. Robert penned a letter to his father that explained how Roscoe became injured on Sept. 29, 1918.
The 130th was participating in a major drive (Meuse-Argone Offensive) on Sept. 29,1918, and according to Robert, Roscoe volunteered to take a position in front of the gun squad to "observe the enemy and direct machine fire on them."
As his brother Robert explained, Roscoe was behind one of the unit's guns when a German machine gun opened fire and shot him through the right lung. Robert, who was with Roscoe at the time of injury, received only superficial wounds, and was able to carry his brother to safety so that first aid could be administered.
Enloe passed away on Sept. 30th, 1918 at just 23 years of age, making him the first Cole County resident killed during the war. He was laid to rest in Section 1, Plot 4 Argonne American Cemetery No. 1232 at Romagne-Sous-Montfaucon, Meuse, France. An honorary stone has been erected in the Enloe Cemetery near Russellville, Missouri to honor the ultimate sacrifice Roscoe made. It stands near the graves of both his parents.
In 1919, the Roscoe Enloe American Legion Post 5 was charted in Jefferson City, and to this day, prominently displays the name of the long-deceased soldier on the exterior of the post facilities to serve as a reminder of sacrifices that can easily become lost in history.

Research provided by Loretta Cook and Jeremy Amick

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