Military service

 

Based on the provided sources and our conversation history, there is extensive information regarding military service among the individuals mentioned. The excerpts detail service in various branches, across several conflicts, and highlight specific roles, experiences, awards, and post-service activities.

Here's a discussion of military service based on the sources:

Conflicts and Eras:

The sources cover individuals who served in a range of conflicts and eras:

• Civil War: Service in both the Confederate Army and the Federal Army is mentioned. Confederate units specified include Company D, Fourteenth Virginia Cavalry, which saw service in the Greenbrier, Monroe, and Valley Campaigns, participating in actions near Staunton, Lynchburg, and Monocacy. Another Confederate soldier served in the Greenbank Company, 31st Virginia Infantry, C.S.A.. An Isaac Shinnaberry is listed as PVT 2nd Co D 62 Reg Va Inf, enlisted in Pocahontas Co, Virginia in 1862 for 3 years. One Federal Army veteran built a church and cemetery near his home after the war. One Confederate veteran died at sea.
• World War I: Several individuals served during World War I. Specific branches and roles include the Army Quartermaster Corps serving in France, a sergeant in the Service Park Unit M.T.C. engaged in battles like Nantillois Sector and Argonne Meuse Offensive in France, and service with the Tenth Regiment. One veteran served in the Army from 1919 until 1929 and was part of the honor guard for the burial of the first unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Another was noted as a soldier in the First World War who was a retired employee of the Western Maryland Railway. One individual who saw "hard and active service" returned afflicted with rheumatism. A veteran member of the Odd Fellows Lodge served in WWI. Another WWI veteran was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Holy Name Society. George served one year in World War One in Co. G 125 Infantry. A World War I veteran was a member of the Marlinton Presbyterian Church and the Cass Riverside Masonic Lodge. Individuals listed with WWI service in the cemetery records include those serving as Private and Private, Co. M, 168 Infantry.
• World War II: World War II service is very prominent in the sources, with many individuals serving in various branches and theaters.
  • Army: Saw service in Europe, E.T.O., Italy, Algerian-Moroccan, and Tunisian Campaigns, Battle of the Bulge, and Iran and Germany. Specific units mentioned include the 137th Infantry in Europe, 103 Infantry Division in the E. T. O., Company F. of the 103rd Division, 410th Infantry, Company B of the 275th Engineer Battalion in France, Belgium, Germany and England, 99th Division in Europe, and the 66 Black Panther Division of the Infantry in Europe. Service locations include North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Austria, England, France, and Germany. One veteran died in Sicily following an operation. Another died from wounds received in action in Germany. One sergeant was killed in action over Germany. Sergeant John Alderman was killed in Africa. T. Sgt. Edward Keith Hudson was killed near Urwhiller, France. Colonel Goodsell served twenty-five years in the Army Corps of Engineers. James H. Wilson, Jr. served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Ernest Templeton is listed as PVT U.S. Army WW I (though other sources list WWII dates for others). Other individuals listed with WWII service in cemetery records include those serving as PVT U.S. Army WWII and SGT U.S. Air Force WW II.
  • Navy: Served in the Pacific. Specific ships mentioned include the USS Hunt (DD674), USS Dobbin (A03), and USS Norman Scott (DD690). Others served 20 months in the South Pacific Theatre, or were Naval aviators. One served 8.5 years in the U.S. Navy. A veteran worked at Langley Air Force Base. Lieutenant Vaughan's 30-year Navy career included radio communications work for President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 and supervising construction of radio and radar stations along the French coast. He also served in the invasion of North Africa and action in the South Pacific during the war. One veteran retired from the Bath Iron Works. Dyer M. Burr served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. Kenneth J. Williams served as CM 2 US Navy WW II. A US Navy veteran is mentioned in connection with the Minerva Park United Methodist Church.
  • Marine Corps: Served during World War II. One retired from the U. S. Marine Corps after serving in WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam. Paul Dilley served with the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II. J. T. Shinaberry was a Corporal in the U. S. Marines and died in Honolulu from injuries received while on duty.
  • Army Air Force / Air Force: Sergeant Eugene P. Bussard was killed in action over Germany as a radio man on a B-17 plane. Served 3 years in the Air Force in the China-Burma-India area, building and maintaining a radio communications center. One veteran served from September 6, 1943, to February 21, 1953. Master Serjeant Plyler made a career of the Air Force after graduating from Green Bank High School. Captain Paul A. Fitch was a captain of the U.S. Army during World War II, with duty including the Pentagon, Manila, Philippines, and Tokyo, Japan. William A. O'Brien served with the U. S. Army Air Force during World War II. Sergeant McNeill entered the Air Corps in 1942 and trained as a radio operator and gunner. John Jacob Must retired from the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel. George Eddison Thomas served as AMN U.S. Air Force.
  • Coast Guard: Served during World War II. James Burlyn McCarty served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II.
  • Nurse Corps: One woman entered the Armed Services as an Army Nurse in September 1942, served as a Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant, spending three years in England and France. Lieutenant Decima McLaughlin, a United States Army Nurse, died in Sicily in October 1943 following an operation.
• Korean War: Service in the Army and Air Force is noted. Specific experiences include serving in combat in Korea and serving in Japan during the Korean Conflict with the First Cavalry. One veteran retired from the U. S. Marine Corps, having served in WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam. Colonel Calhoun was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Lt. Vaughan was recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict, serving nearly three years with the Severn River Naval Command Communications Office. Russell Woodward Rea is listed as CPL US Army Korea. Herbert Booker Clark is listed as US Navy Korea. T SGT U.S. Air Force WWII Korea is also listed for one individual. Meade Lanier Waugh served during World War II and the Korean War. James Clifford Mitchem is listed with US Army National Guard Military Police.
• Vietnam Conflict: Service in the Marine Corps, Army, and Navy is mentioned. Marshall David Wolford was killed in Viet Nam. Mr. Marks was a veteran of the Vietnam Conflict and served with the U.S. Army. Mr. Speller was a veteran of the U. S. Navy, serving during the Viet Nam War aboard ship and at the Pentagon.
• Peacetime/Other Service: Service in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression is mentioned. Service in the Army prior to World War II (starting in 1937) is noted for one individual. Panama Canal Zone in the Army prior to World War II. National Guard service is also mentioned.

Ranks and Roles:

Various ranks are noted, including Private, Private First Class (PFC), Corporal, Sergeant, Technical Sergeant (T. Sgt), Master Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt), Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Chief Petty Officer, and Warrant Officer. Roles included radio man, pilot, flight leader, soil scientist, engineer, radio operator, gunner, test pilot, radar and navigational schools instructor, military police, administrative assistant to Senator, and educational advisor to Army Schools.

Awards and Recognition:

Several individuals received military awards and decorations, including the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster), United Nations Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, three overseas bars, Asiatic-Pacific Area (5 stars), American Area (1 star), Philippines Liberation (2 stars), Good conduct ribbon with two knots, American defense ribbon with one bronze star, Philippine defense ribbon with one bronze star, Pacific-Asiatic ribbon with two bronze stars, and distinguished unit badge with two oak leaf clusters. Many veterans received general citations and commendations or were noted for decorated and distinguished service.

Deaths and Injuries:

Tragically, some individuals died while serving their country. These deaths occurred in action in Africa, over Germany, near Urwhiller, France, in Viet Nam, in Sicily, from wounds received in action in Germany, on the USS Lexington, at sea, and from injuries received while on duty in Virginia and Hawaii. Some veterans suffered long-term health issues related to their service, including one who developed pulmonary embolism after a position related to civil service at a hospital, and another medically discharged after a heart attack.

Post-Service Life:

Military service profoundly impacted the lives of these individuals. Many became involved in veterans organizations like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Moose Lodge, Disabled veterans, and organizations specific to their service like the Golden Eagles (Naval aviators). Veteran status was often noted in their obituaries, highlighting its importance in their identity. Many received military funeral honors or rites. Some continued careers related to their military training or experience, such as soil science, working in the railroad industry, insurance, or government positions. Teaching was also a common post-service profession. One veteran donated the first electric scoreboard to Green Bank High School as a great sports fan. Participation in the honor guard for the burial of the first unknown soldier is highlighted for one WWI veteran.

Overall, the sources reveal that military service was a significant part of the lives of many individuals from the Pocahontas County area, shaping their experiences, affecting their health, and influencing their roles in the community after their service concluded.