Cletus Henry Eisenbath was born 7-MAR-1899. His father was Anthony Casper Eisenbath and his mother was Elizabeth Hoeckelmann Eisenbath. Cletus had two brothers; Beartram and Leonard. He had five sisters; Mary (died at age 14), Salome, Stella (passed away at the age of 2), Colotte and Leonera. All of the children were born in St. Paul Missouri. Cletus died 23-SEP-1918 of the Spanish Influenza. He was apprentice seaman US Navy Reserve Force, Company 524. Cletus had been in training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for six weeks and was sick only a few days.
Cletus is buried in St. Paul Cemetery.
From the Wentzville Union on 27-SEP 1918: Cletus Eisenbath of St. Paul. His death was reported as being caused by Spanish influenza and pneumonia. His body arrived at O’Fallon on Wednesday.
More U.S. soldiers died from the 1918 flu than were killed in battle during the war. Forty percent of the U.S. Navy was hit with the flu, while 36 percent of the Army became ill, and troops moving around the world in crowded ships and trains helped to spread the killer virus. At the time, there were no effective drugs or vaccines to treat this killer flu strain. Citizens were ordered to wear masks, schools, theaters and businesses were shuttered and bodies piled up in makeshift morgues before the virus ended its deadly global march.
Cletus Henry Eisenbath is honored and remembered at the St. Charles County Veterans Museum.