Sgt. Lee was born in Reedy, West Virginia on January 11, 1924. His family moved to Hopedale,
Ohio, in 1925. He graduated from Hopedale High School in 1942 and went to work for his
father's trucking company. In September, 1942, he married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie
Hamilton.
He enlisted in the U. S. Army in 1943 and completed basic training at Camp Shelby, MS. He was
assigned as Motor Sgt., 1st BN 273rd Infantry. He went with the 273rd to Europe and served in
England, France, Belgium and Germany. He was with the 273rd when it met the Soviets on the
Elbe River on April 25, 1945.
After the war Lee returned to Hopedale and worked for H. O. Lee Trucking Company until he
reenlisted in the Army. He was assigned to Seoul, Korea and then General McArthur's
Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. One of the highlights of his stay in Japan was climbing Mt. Fuji
and spending the night on top of the mountain.
While in Tokyo, he was assigned to General Hume, Surgeon General United Nations Command.
Lee traveled with General Hume on his visits to hospitals in Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, India,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and Italy. While in Rome, General Hume took Lee with him to
meet Pope Pius XII. When General Hume returned to Washington, he took Lee with him on a trip
around the world. Lee still has the Around the World certificate.
N 1951, Lee returned to the states and was assigned to the Pentagon Motor Pool Dispatch Office.
He was responsible for assigning 125 drivers to cars for high government officials. In 1954 he
was assigned as chauffeur to Under Secretary of the Army and in 1959 moved to the White House
as chauffeur. He traveled with Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon.
In 1962 he was assigned to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy as her chauffeur. Since Mrs. Kennedy
did not carry any money, Sgt. Lee made sure he had money with him so he could buy Caroline
and John, Jr., ice cream on the trips to their home in Middleburg. He remained as her chauffeur
after the assassination of President Kennedy. He remained with Mrs. Kennedy, Caroline, and John,
Jr. until she moved to New York in September, 1964.
He returned to the White House Garage as Chief Dispatcher until he retired from the Army in
1971.
He then went to work for the Federal Reserve Transport Unit as chauffeur to the Chairman of the
Federal Reserve. He retired from the Federal Reserve in April 1986.
In 1987 he and his wife Marjorie moved to Orlando, Florida. Marjorie died in October 1997 and is
buried at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Florida.
Sgt. Lee leaves his daughter, Joan of Orlando, his son James and his wife Deborah of Ormond
Beach, as well as three granddaughters, six great grandchildren and and one great great
granddaughter.
MSgt. Lee will be buried next to his wife in a private ceremony at Florida National Cemetery.
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