Ernest A. Rousselot
Biography: Ernest Alfred Rousselot was born in 1921 to Ernest and Violet Rousselot of Kansas City, Kansas. Ernie, as he was known, attended local schools in Kansas City and worked at a Western Auto store after graduation. He also joined the Kansas National Guard, along with three of his brothers.
Service Time: Ernie entered the service on November 23, 1940, and was eventually assigned to the Headquarters Company of the 635th Tank Destroyer Battalion. The unit landed on Omaha Beach on June 8 (D-Day+2) and received credit for five campaigns. The photo shown at left was taken in 1944, while Ernie was in Huy, Belgium. At the time, he was a Staff Sergeant.
He returned home from the war and went back to work for Western Auto. On July 12, 1946, Ernie married the former Lillia Jean Diven of Kidder, Missouri, and the new family made their home in Trenton, MO. Together, they had three children, Mike, Carol and Ann. In 1952, Ernie purchased his own Western Auto Store in Trenton but in 1975, the store burned down and he went to work for the Farmers Insurance Company until he retired in 1991.
The photo to the left is Ernie while the unit was stationed at Burbank, California, on April 30, 1942.
Ernie enjoyed photography and he continued in the hobby throughout his life along with genealogy research. He was a member of the 635th TD Battalion Association as well as the VFW. He passed away on May 16, 2007, and was buried in his home town of Kansas City.
I want to thank Ernie’s grandson, Justin, for providing the information and main photo used in this tribute.