Elmer Sharpe was born on December 15, 1921 in Mercer County, Kentucky. He was the son of Joe Sharpe and Stella Sharpe. He resided in Mercer County, Kentucky and was a member of the Kentucky National Guard's Richmond Company H, 113th Medical Regiment, 38th Infantry Division prior to the war. His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on January 17, 1941, prior to the war, from Richmond, Kentucky. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a Actor and also as Single, without dependents. Elmer served as a Staff Sergeant and Radio Operator on C-54 #42-72370, 1345th Army Air Force Base Unit, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

C-54 #42-72370 took off, with a crew of 5, from Barrackpore, India on a mission to Kunming, China. They were contacted by radio one time and were not seen nor heard from again. The entire crew was lost. Elmer was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war and his body was never recovered. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph located in Spring Hill Cemetery, Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky.

Staff Sergeant Sharpe was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov