Benton County, Tennessee Genealogy

World War II

The World War II "Gold Star Boys" were service men who lost their lives during WWII. The term began during WWII when the families would place a Gold Star in their window after they lost their son.

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James Porter Horton Address: Camden, TN Branch of Service: Army Served in European Theatre Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Private First Class Served in Company "G" 133rd Infantry, 34th Division Killed June 26, 1944 Anzio Beachhead Parent: Mrs. Eli O. Horton, Camden, TN	Ell Z. Hoskins Address: Route 1, Bruceton, TN Entered Service: April 5, 1943; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Branch of Service: Army Served in European Theatre Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Private First Class Served: 21 Months Killed in Action in Belgium Bulge December 17, 1955 Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Z.L. Haskins, Bruceton, TN	Clarence Everett Holland Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: November 21, 1940; Nashville, TN Trained at Norfolk, Virginia; Portsmouth, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Boston, Massachusetts; "Spence". The "Spence" was a destroyer of the "Little Beaver" Squadron Served in Pacific Theatre Awarded: American Defense Service Medal, Ten Major Battle Stars Rating: Chief Pharmacist's Mate Served: 49 Months Was lost in Typhoon off Guam Island, December 18, 1944. "Spence" was lost in same Typhoon, along with the "Hull" and "Monahan" and 10 smaller craft Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Clarence E. Holland, Camden, TN	Jerome W. Kennon Address: Camden, TN Awarded: Purple Heart Death: September 16, 1942 Parent: Mr. W.G. Kennon, Camden, TN
Fred Maddox Address: Big Sandy, TN Entered Service: October, 1942 Branch of Service: Air Force Served in European Theatre Awarded: Air Medal Killed November 16, 1944 Bombing mission over Germany Parent: Mrs. Romie Maddox, Martin, TN	Hoyle Marchbanks Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: April 4, 1942; Camp Sutton, North Carolina Branch of Service: Army Trained at Camp Pickett, Virginia Date of Embarkation: December, 1942 Served in European Theatre Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Private First Class Served: 34 Months Died in Germany February 25, 1945 Parent: W.L. Marchbanks, Camden, Tn	Herman Markham Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: February 4, 1942 Branch of Service: Army Trained at Fort Rodman, Massachusetts Served in European Theatre Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Private First Class Killed in Action May 31, 1944 in Italy Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Markham, Camden, TN	Connie M. McEwen Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: October 8, 1942; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Branch of Service: Army Served in European Theatre Rank: Private First Class Served: 24 Months Killed in Action in France August 2, 1944 Parents: Mr. and Mrs. James McEwen, Camden, TN
Thomas W. McKelvey Address: Camden, TN Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Bert W. McKelvey	Herdis Jethro McKenzie Address: Big Sandy, TN Entered Service: February 24, 1943; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Branch of Service: Army Trained at Camp Swift, Texas; Camp Polk, Louisiana, Camp Leonard Wood, Missouri Served in European Theatre Awarded: Presidential Citation Served: 24 Months 4 Days He Served in "Patton's Third Army" until he met his death in the "Battle of Trier", Germany, where he was killed instantly by a shot in the forehead from a German machine fun at 11:P.M. March 1, 1945. Laid to rest in United States Military Cemetery, Hamm at Luxembourg, March 8, 1945. 8,411 American Soldiers-including General Patton-were laid to rest in cemetery Hamm, and every grave has been adopted, and is being cared for by the Luxembourg people as a token of their gratitude, and love to the United States for their help in liberating them from their oppressors.	Thomas Howard Moore Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: May, 1943 Branch of Service: Air Force Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Second Lieutenant Received Wings August, 1944. P-47 Fighter Pilot Killed April 25, 1945 Parents: Mr. and Mrs. William T. Moore, Camden, TN	Vernon L. Nance Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: 1942; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Branch of Service: Army Served in Pacific Theatre Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Private First Class Wounded at Leyte Killed at Okinawa may 35, 1945 Parents: Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Nance, Camden, TN
Harold L. Rush Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: October 27, 1943; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Served in European Theatre Engagements: Siegfried Line, Normandy Invasion Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Private First Class Served: 13 Months Killed November 17, 1944, Aachen, Germany Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Andy Rush, Parsons, TN	Luther Kent Smith Address: Big Sandy, TN Entered Service: October 4, 1940; Nashville, TN Branch of Service: Navy Served in Pacific Theatre Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Seaman, First Class Served: 14 Months Killed aboard U.S.S. Arizona when it was bombed at Pearl Harbor Parent: Mrs. Lela French	Sam L. Smothers Address: Camden, TN Branch of Service: Army Served in European Theatre Rank: Corporal Served: 55 Months Killed in Luxembourg January 18, 1944 Wife: Mrs. Lorene Smothers	Tillman Ezell Thompson Address: Camden, TN Branch of Service: Army Served in pacific Theatre Rank: Sergeant Served: 46 Months Killed on Okinawa May 12, 1945 Parents: Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Thompson, Camden, TN
Truman Turner Address: Big Sandy, TN Entered Service: March 23, 1945; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Branch of Service: Army Served in European Theatre Awarded: Purple Heart Rank: Private First Class Served: 11 Months Died in Germany, April 3, 1946 Parent: Mrs. Bussie Turner, Big Sandy, TN	Robert Gibson White Address: Camden, TN Entered Service: August 20, 1939; Maxwell Field, Alabama Branch of Service: Army Served in American Theatre Rank: Sergeant Served: 33 Months Accidentally killed near Milan, TN while returning from furlough on May 14, 1942 Parents: Mr. and Mrs. R. L. White, Camden, TN	Nelton C. Winters Address: Big Sandy, Tn Entered Service: November 7, 1942; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Branch of Service: Army Date of Embarkation: December, 1943 Served in European Theatre Rank: Sergeant Served: 24 Months 19 Days Wounded November 25, 1944 - Died November 26, 1944 in Germany Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Winters, Paris, TN