Army Badge
  • Name: Elmer Leeroy Luke
  • Location of Birth: Grand Rapids, Minnesota
  • Date of Birth: June 21, 1926
  • Date of Death: December 3, 2015
  • Parents: Henry Luke & Mary (Marquart) Luke
  • High School and Class: 1944 Hibbing High School, Hibbing, Minnesota
  • College: 1949 Itasca Junior College, Coleraine, Minnesota
    1954 Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in teaching
  • Highest Rank: Pvt (Private)
  • Branch: Army
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: November 29, 1944
  • Place Sworn In: Fort Snelling, Minnesota
  • Date of Discharge: October 31, 1946
  • Place of Discharge:
  • Military Awards:

  • Military Highlights:
    WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
    State: Minnesota
    Name: Elmer LeeRoy Luke
    Race: White
    Age: 17
    Birth Date: June 21, 1926
    Birth Place: Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA
    Residence Place: Hibbing, St. Louis, Minnesota, USA
    Registration Date: June 16, 1944
    Employer: Unemployed
    Weight: 148
    Height: 5-9
    Complexion: Light
    Eye Color: Blue
    Hair Color: Brown
    Next of Kin: Henry Luke, Marble, Minnesota

    World War II Army Enlistment Records (1938-1946)
    Name: Elmer L. Luke
    Race: White
    Marital Status: Single, without dependents
    Rank: Private
    Birth year: 1926
    Nativity state or country: Minnesota
    Residence: St. Louis, Minnesota
    Citizenship: Citizen
    Education: 4 years of high school
    Enlistment date: November 29, 1944
    Enlistment place: Fort Snelling, Minnesota
    Branch: No branch assignment
    Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
    Source: Civil Life
    Height: 00
    Weight: 000

    Newspaper article: The Itasca Iron News, Coleraine, Minnesota - November 1945 – “The Itasca Iron News received the following letter this week from Mrs. E. [Elwin Eugene] Kickertz of San Francisco, California. Mrs. Kickertz was formerly Eleanor Luke, and lived in Marble. Mrs. Kickertz writes: “Dear Editor: Every once in a while we read where brothers meet overseas, etc. Well my brothers met Nov. 5th in Kyushu, Japan. They are Corporal Lloyd Luke of the Marines and Pvt. Elmer Luke of the Army. (Marble boys) I received a letter from Lloyd today saying he had springs in his legs and his morale was sky high because Elmer walked in on him the day before. They are both on the Island Kyushu, Lloyd’s location being Kurume. I don’t know Elmer’s exact location. Lloyd expects to be home sometime around or soon after Christmas. My husband MOMM 2/c sailed for Sumatra the 9th of November on the SS Monitor to bring a bunch of fellows back. He expects to be back before Christmas. Then I hope not too long after that we can return to the good old Iron Range and start in where we left off, our home being Marble, that little spot on the map.”


  • Wars Involved:
    World War II

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:
    Elmer Luke married Bonnie Brownlee in 1950 in Minnesota. He taught school in Grand Rapids, Minnesota from 1951–1954 and then in Hopkins, Minnesota from 1955-1996. He coached boy’s swimming from 1957-1995 and girl’s swimming from 1972 – 1996. He also coached track, cross country and basketball. He is a member of Halls of Fame for Gustavus Adolphus College, Minnesota Swim Coaches Association, Hopkins High School, and Minnesota Coaches Association. On a personal basis he was a state high school champ and a National Master’s record holder in swimming, swimming competitively until age 78.

    Elmer died in St. Paul, Minnesota and is buried in Faith Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Hopkins, Minnesota. He is survived by his children, Brian (Jane), James, Debra (Jeff) Greuel, Tracy (Susan Larson) and Jason (Teresa); eight grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and sisters-in-law, Janet Luke, Gwen Ivancie and Lois Brownlee. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie in 2012, and two grandchildren.

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

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