Benton County, Tennessee Genealogy

World War II
Gold Star Boys

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.

Click on the picture to see full size

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U.S.S. "French" named for Corporal Neldon French of Camden, who was the First Benton County Boy killed in the Pacific Theatre. Ship was christened by his mother Mrs. Clarence French on June 17, 1944.

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Robert G. Black

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Served in European Theatre
  • Awarded: Purple Heart
  • Rank: Corporal
  • Killed in Action. First Benton County boy killed in European Sector.
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Albert Black, Camden, TN
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    William H. Bell

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Entered Service: August 1944; Camp Shelby, Mississippi
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Served in Asiatic: Pacific Theatre
  • Awarded: Combat Infantrymans Badge, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon w/1 star, Philippine Liberation Ribbon w/1 star, Purple heart
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Served: 12 months
  • Killed in Action June 9, 1945 on Cebu Island, Philippines. Was member of the 182nd Infantry. The oldest Infantry Regiment in existence, which saw service at Bunker Hill, Bull Run, Meuse-Argonne, Guadalcanal, Bougainville and Philippines
  •  
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Bell, Camden, TN
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    Albert Vernon Bradley

  • Address: Big Sandy, Tennessee
  • Awarded: Purple Heart
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Killed in Action
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Henry V. Bradley, Big Sandy TN
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    Raymond O. Brewer

  • Address: Big Sandy, TN
  • Entered Service: March 23, 1944; Camp Shelby, Mississippi
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Served in European Theatre
  • Awarded: Purple Heart
  • Rank: Private
  • Served: 10 Months
  • Killed in France January 20, 1945. Buried in National Cemetery in France.
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    James D. Black

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Entered Service: October 8, 1952; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Date of Embarkation: April, 1943
  • Served in Pacific Theatre
  • Rank: Corporal
  • Served: 30 Months
  • Killed in Action on Okinawa Island and was buried there. Served with the 7th Army Division.
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    James Ralph Bond

  • Address: Route#1, Bruceton, TN
  • Branch of Service: United States Marine Corps
  • Served in Pacific Theatre
  • Awarded: Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
  • Rank: Corporal
  • Killed in Action
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Hulon Bond, Zach, TN
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    James Lyndell Cantrell
     

    • Address: Holladay, TN
    • Entered Service: October 1942; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
    • Branch of Service: Army
    • Served in Pacific Theatre
    • Rank: Private First Class
    • Served: 16 MonthsWas killed in Action February 5, 1944 in Marshall Islands, Kwajalein. Was buried in the Hawaiian Islands until March 1948, when the body was returned to the United States and reinterred at Flatwoods Cemetery, McIllwain, TN
    • Parent: Mr. J. L. Cantrell, Holladay, TN

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    David W. Cole

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Entered Service: June 1943; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Date of Embarkation: 1944
  • Served in European Theatre
  • Awarded: Purple Heart
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Killed in action February 18, 1944 in Italy
  • Parents: mr. and Mrs. W. R. Cole, Route 1; Bruceton, TN
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    James Ewing Davis

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Served in Pacific Theatre
  • Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
  • Killed January 28, 1945 at Guadalcanal
  • Ship was torpedoed and he went down with ship, 200 other soldiers aboard
  • Parents: Mr. Clark Davis, Camden, TN
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    John E. Dougharty

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Entered service at Camden, TN
  • Date of Embarkation: June 21, 1944
  • Served in European Theatre
  • Was crew chief on C-47 transport plane. Accidentally killed October 3, 1944 at Bridgewater, England
  • Next of Kin: Mrs. Nell Swindell Dougharty, wife
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    Claudie Lee England

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Entered Service: March 26, 1941; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Served in American Theatre
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Was in the 181st Field Artillery Unit
  • Was Accidentally killed October 5, 1942 in Los Angeles, California
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Noah C. England, Camden, TN
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    Louis Evans

  • Address: Big Sandy, TN
  • Entered Service: April 1, 1941; St. Louis, Missouri
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Served in European Theatre
  • Awarded: Purple Heart
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Killed in Action February 28, 1945
  • Buried at Henri Chapelle, Belgium. Body returned to United Sates America. Buried at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Evans, Big Sandy TN
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    Hildra French

  • Address: Big Sandy, TN
  • Entered Service at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Served in European Theatre
  • Awarded Purple Heart
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Died: April 15, 1945, Western Germany.
  • Was in General patton's Army - 100th Infantry Division
  • Parent: Mrs. Eliza A. French, Big Sandy, TN
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    Neldon T. French

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Entered Service: September 8, 1940; Nashville, TN
  • Branch of Service: Marine Corps
  • Date of Embarkation: April 1942
  • Served in Pacific Theatre
  • Engagements: Tulaga, Gavutu, Tanambago, Florida Islands, Solomons and Guadalcanal
  • Awarded: American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal, Presidential Unit Citation. Navy Cross, Purple Heart
  • Rank: Corporal
  • Death: Pacific Theatre October 9, 1942
  • First Benton County soldier to be killed in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. The U.S.S. French was named for Corporal French and was christened on June 17, 1944, by his mother Mrs. Clarence French of Camden
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    Cecil Paul Goodman

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Served in South West Pacific Theatre
  • Awarded: Silver Star, Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon w/1 Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal
  • Was in Company "A" 128th Infantry
  • Died January 17, 1946 at Saidor, New Guinea
  • Parent: Mr. Nace Goodman, Camden, TN
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    Bennie G. Griggs

  • Address: Route #3; Holladay, Tn
  • Entered Service at Nashville, TN
  • Killed in Action
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Griggs, Holladay, TN
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    Jessie D. Hatley

  • Address: Camden, TN
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Killed In Action
  • Body returned to United Stated in April, 1948. Buried with Military Honors
  • Parents: Mr. and Mrs. John G. Hatley, Atwood, TN
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    Benjamin Ray Henderson

  • Address: Big Sandy, TN
  • Entered Service: April, 1941; Camp Shelby, Mississippi
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Date of Embarkation: October, 1943
  • Served in European Theatre
  • Awarded: Purple Heart
  • Rank: Private First Class
  • Served: 40 Months
  • Killed in Action August 5, 1944
  • Was in the 110th Infantry 28th Division
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    Elihu Z. Herndon

  • Address: Eva, TN
  • Entered Service: June 23, 1941; Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
  • Branch of Service: Army
  • Served in Pacific Theatre
  • Awarded: Purple Heart
  • Rank: Private
  • Landed in Manilla December 5, 1941, Missing in Action in 1941. Prisoner of War in the Philippines
  • Dead in 1946
  • Parent: Mrs. Lela Mae Herndon, Eva, TN
  • This information was generously contributed by
    E.J. Sims

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    County Host Mike Stockdale