Jack Armstrong joined the U.S. Army at East Saint Louis, Illinois. He attained the rank of Private 1st Class and served as an ambulance driver in Europe. He was assigned to Clearing Station to the Evacuation Hospital. He served in Northern France, the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. Jack was awarded three Overseas Service Bars, the European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon with 4 Bronze Battle Stars, the American Theater Medal, Good Conduct medal and WWII Victory Medal.
He worked for the Southern Railroad Police Department for 22 years.
Sergeant Armstrong was shot and killed while patrolling the company's rail yards at 14th St and Walnut Ave in East St. Louis, IL, at approximately 1400 hours on Thursday, April 25, 1968. He was attacked by four men who were on a crime spree following the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. Sergeant Armstrong was transported to St. Mary's Hospital after the shooting where he succumbed to his wounds two hours later. The suspects stole Sergeant Armstrong's service weapon and later used it to murder Officer Henry Peeler of the Chicago Police Department.
Sergeant Armstrong was a US Army WWII veteran and had been with the Southern Railroad Police Department for 22 years. He was survived by his wife and daughter, and two sons, and late son.
(http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=16365)