Willie Monroe Gaskin was born on January 3, 1890, in Gallivants Ferry, South Carolina. Gaskin was the bookkeeper for the Smithfield Herald when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. He was subsequently inducted into the service in August 1918 and served with the 56th Pioneer Infantry until honorably discharged in July 1919. He served overseas from September 1918 to June 1919. Gaskin died in Goldsboro (Wayne County) on September 19, 1985.