Pvt. Herbert Carl Benson was born on May 18, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, to Axel Benson and Florence Nelson-Benson. With his parents and brother, he lived at 7814 West Crescent Drive, Elmwood Park, Illinois. He attended John Mills School, but since the suburb was not districted for a high school, he chose to attend Proviso Township High School in Maywood. He registered with Selective Service on May 19, 1944, and named his father as his contact person. He was a member of the Proviso graduating class of 1944.
He enlisted in the US Army on November 8, 1944. It is not known where he did his basic training. His serial number was 36, 923, 257. During his basic training he qualified to become a paratrooper. He trained at Camp Blanding, Florida, before being sent to paratrooper school at Ft. Benning, Georgia. There, he became a member of Company A, 2nd Parachute Training Regiment, Parachute School.
No information has been found on exactly what happened but he died on June 11, 1945, from his injuries after a tree fell on him. Records indicate that he was taken to ASF Regional Hospital, at Ft. Benning, where he died from his injuries. His body was embalmed, casketed, and sent home by train. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery, River Grove, Illinois, on June 15, 1945.
