During World War II, the 78th Division activated for service in World War II on August 15, 1942 at Camp Butner, North Carolina. They trained stateside in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia until October of 1944. They arrived in England in October of 1944 and journeyed to France in November of 1944.

They were sent to Belgium and joined the 8th Infantry Division in the Hurtgen Forest in December of 1944. They held the Siegfried Line and then crossed into Germany at the Roe and Rhine Rivers from January to February of 1945. From March to May of 1945, they were in the Ruhr pocket. After V-E Day on May 8, 1945, they were stationed in Marburg and later Berlin as Occupation Forces. They inactivated on June 16, 1946 in Germany.

Monroe soldier Orlin F. Weeks served with Company M of the 309th Infantry Regiment, 78th Division of the U.S. Army.

Orlin Floyd Weeks was born September 22, 1918 in Monroe to Elmer and Alta (Schar) Weeks.

From the 1930 U.S. Census for Monroe, the Weeks family included mother Alta, and children Laveta, Orlin, Delbert, Norris, Donlin, and Milford. No one had an occupation.

On the 1930 U.S. Census, father Elmer Weeks lived in Pecatonica, Winnebago County, Illinois. He was married. He was a horse caretaker at a fairground for wages. 

Orlin F. Weeks married Ruth M. Fleming on November 24, 1938 in Rockford, Illinois.

From the 1940 U.S. Census, the Orlin Weeks family was living in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. The household included father Orlin, mother Ruth, and daughter Diana. Orlin worked as a receiving clerk in a machine shop.

On October 16, 1940, Orlin Floyd Weeks registered for the U.S. WWII Draft in Rockford, Illinois. He was born September 22, 1917 in Monroe, Wisconsin. His employer was Mid States Colorcrete Co. in Rockford, Illinois.

Weeks enlisted for service July 19, 1944 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

From the February 27, 1945 Monroe Evening Times article “Pvt. Orlin F. Weeks Missing in Germany, Kin Here Informed,” the article stated “Pvt. Orlin F. Weeks, son of Mrs. Alta Weeks has been missing in action since Feb. 10 in Germany, according to word received from the war department by his wife, the former Ruth Fleming, Rockford...” 

From the March 5, 1945 The Capital Times, “Pvt. Orlin Weeks Killed in Germany,” the article stated “Pvt. Orlin Weeks, previously reported missing in action in Germany since Feb. 10, was killed on that date, the war department has notified his wife here...”

In the December 9, 1947 The Monroe Evening Times an article titled “City to Pay Final Tribute to Pvt. Weeks at Military Service Tomorrow Afternoon,” the article stated, “The body of Pvt. Orlin F. Weeks, Monroe, Green county’s first world war II casualty to be returned to this country from a foreign theater, will arrive in Monroe…

Nov. 24, 1938, he was married to Ruth M. Fleming at Rockford. Later he and his wife moved to Cleveland while he worked as a government inspector for war plants at Toledo and Bedford, O. He entered service July 19, 1944.

Pvt. Weeks served with infantry units in England, France, Belgium and Holland before arriving in Germany Jan. 12, 1945. He was reported missing in action early in March, 1945, and soon afterward his wife received notification of his death. He was buried in the Henry Chapelle military cemetery at Eupen, Belgium, and was returned to the United States aboard the transport Robert Burns.

Surviving in addition to his widow and children are his mother, Mrs. Alta Weeks; three brothers, Delbert E., Norris J. and Milford U., all of Toledo, and one sister, Mrs. Elmer Hanke, Monroe.

He was preceded in death by his father. A brother, Donlin, died in September, 1945.” 

Pvt. Orlin Floyd Weeks was repatriated and reburied in Greenwood Cemetery in Monroe.

Pvt. Orlin F. Weeks is listed on the National Archives WWII Honor Roll for Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He was KIA.

Thank you, Private Orlin Floyd Weeks, for your service to and ultimate sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.