Artel Isaac

Artel Isaac

Army

ARTEL
ISAAC

Mar 16, 1920 - Feb 21, 1982
BIRTHPLACE: Kentucky

SOLDIER DETAILS

HIGHEST RANK: Sargeant
DIVISION:
Army
THEATER OF OPERATION:
American
HONORED BY: Sons Artel Isaac Jr., Davie, Keith and Michael

BIOGRAPHY

Artel Isaac was born in Floyd County, Kentucky on the 16th of March 1920 the elder of his brothers Earl, Lee Roy, Phillip, and his sister Rosemary. His parents were Rachel and Phillip Mulkie Isaac. As a young man, Artel helped the family by working alongside his father at a sawmill and in the coal mines of Eastern Kentucky. He volunteered for the Army and was inducted into the service on November 13th, 1941 in Huntington, West Virginia. After being promoted to the rank of Sergeant, Artel was assigned to Co. D. 21st Bn. 7th Infantry Regiment with the Infantry Replacement Training Command (IRTC) as a Drill Instructor at FT. McClellan near Anniston, Alabama. There he met and married Ellen Jane Pope. They remained married throughout their lives. In 1944 he was assigned to Co. D 93rd Bn. 24th Infantry Regiment, again with the IRTC as a Drill Instructor at Camp Maxey near Paris, Texas. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, WW 2 Victory Medal, and the American Campaign Medal. He was discharged on November 19th, 1945 at the Detachment School at Ft. Bliss, Texas. As a boy, whenever I would ask my dad what he did during the war, he would softly and simply say that 'he did not fight in the war, but he helped train those men who were going to fight overseas'. He said that he was 'proud' to train men knowing the training that he, and men like my father, provided might 'help keep the boys alive and bring them home'. After the war, he moved his family to Detroit, Michigan looking for work as did thousands of veterans 'from the South' seeking a better way of life in the automobile factories. He went to work at General Motors and retired after 30 years due to his health. Artel passed away in 1982 after losing a tough battle with cancer. He is missed dearly by his sons Keith, Artel Jr. aka Ike, David and Michael, all of whom are veterans and served proudly in the US Army. He is remembered by all of his family and those who knew him not only for being a great dad, grandpa, and great grandpa, but for being a gentle, kind man, and a proud veteran who loved his country dearly.