Just Plain Joes: RIP Service Men & Women

This thread has been started with Keith's permission, in response to posts on other threads about the military, and remembering/honoring them.

I would like to start this "day-after-veteran's day" thread with a post honoring several veterans that never made it to the headlines for their actions (although in some cases, should have!), but should be honored/remembered by all of us.

My dad: Byrl Payton Adkisson Sr. He went into the US Navy at the height of WWII, the day AFTER D-Day in Europe (June 7, 1944). He went to bootcamp in San Diego, and came OUT of bootcamp as a Seaman First Class/Petty Offiicer. One of only 5 men (out of nearly 200) in his class to have a "right shoulder rating." BTW - this right shoulder rating was abolished in 1949.

He served his ENTIRE time on the USS Jerauld (APA-174), starting with the sea trials in November of 1944 in Astoria, OR, and ending on June 1, 1946. In that time, he saw action on Saipan, mop-up at Iwo Jima, and was there at the beginning of the heavy fighting on Okinawa.

He piloted a Higgins Boat, which meant he took marines FROM the main ship, and took them either right ON the beach to disembark, or just a few yards out. He then took the dead and wounded to the Hospital ship.

At Okinawa (it took me YEARS to get this out of him. He HATED talking about combat issues), he was under constant attack while operating the Higgins, and since this was the last island before the mainland, kamikaze attacks were DAILY, and carried out by numerous "Sons of Nippon."

He was (obviously) a boatswain's mate, and since the beginning of bootcamp, had been on the "boat crew." He was tabbed for this, as he grew up along the Clinch River here in East Tennessee (Clinton), and after Norris Dam went in in 1936 (First dam constucted under the new "TVA"), he, his younger brother, and step-dad (more on him later - he fought with Alvin York) spent many, MANY hours on that like, and dad was a natural piloting a boat.

I remember when I was in my early teens and we were watching "They Were Expendable" on the late show, I asked him if he "drove" a PT boat, and he said no, that he drove something a bit smaller, but just as important. he then said (with his dry wit) that PT boats were only for future presidents to operate....and sink!!!

He was, of course, joking, and went on to explain about both Higgins Boats AND PT Boats, and what a hero JFK was.

Before he went to war, he work in the motor-pool of the new "Clinton Engineering Works," or as it was named: Oak Ridge, TN, the site (unknown to all but a few until the day the bomb was dropped) of significant importance in the Manhattan Project.

I'll share more in the coming days, as there is a lot TO share, and more men and women to talk about.

Keith, Kevin, and Jim...THANKS for letting me start this thread. It's hard to see what i'm typing with my eyes full of grateful tears for my dad, all veterans, and you guys...

There's a bit more on dad that I want to share, but my uncle Leo Braden (Sgt. US Army) fought with Patton in Europe, and earned a purple heart in the Sicily campaign.

He was set to go ashore on D-Day, but was held back the night before by the Dr., as he had a bad case of "Mumps." we all believe that this childhood disease saved his life.

Thanks, Mark.

I'm the family historian, so this kind of stuff is like an opiate (of sorts) for me. I'll be sharing more and more as time goes on.

OK...more on my dad's step-dad.

He was Jerry Morris Taylor, and he was born and rasied in the "New River" section of Anderson County, TN. For those of you not familiar with this area, this county is the home of Norris Dam - first dam of the newly formed TVA, built from 1933-1936 - and also, most notably, the "Secret City" of Oak Ridge, built out of Black Oak Ridge, and Bear Creek Valley.

New River is tucked WAY, way up and back in "the hills," close to three other counties, and the people there were/are still distrustful of the outside world, and were VERY self-sufficient. Music was/is a large part of the culture (Welsh, Scots-Irish, German, Irish, and Scotish), and my grandfather was a MASTER of anything with strings on it.

He was born on November 11, 1898 (his die was already cast...), and grew into a large, raw-boned country boy that liked to "fit," carouse, and chase women. That sounds like another Tennesseean we all know and love (more on him later).

Anyway, he was drafted, went to war in Europe in "The Great War," and fought in the All-American Division (do you see a pattern yet?!?!). He KNEW Alvin York, or at least, had MET him a few times.

I don't know the name of the battle, or even what part of France it occured, but he was shot in the face (his cheek), and the bullet exited right at the temple. Needless to say, he lost the eye on the side the bullet exited, and took a LONG time to recover.

When he came home, he worked in the mines for a little while (nearly all men and boys did then), worked lumber mills, and in addition to being a "prodigy" on the guitar, banjo ("banjer," according to him), and mandolin, he bacame an expert angler...according to him!

He played with a group from Clinton, Tennessee on one of the first "Grand 'Ol Opry" broadcasts, and toured part of the country on and off with them.

By the time I came around (in '61), he was turning into a bitter old man. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED him (we called him "Pa," pronounced "paw" in southernese), but he was sick, starting to get feeble by the early '70's, and angry about Alvin York getting all the credit (at least in his mind) that he should've shared in.

He wasn't IN the battle where York made his mark, but my grandfather (even though he wasn't really, but we thought of him that way) felt a connection to him (see Sgt. York, and you'll understand why), and I suppose felt cheated he never got the recognition he deserved.

You have to remember that WWI vets weren't always treated well, and the old Veteren's Affairs group in Washington BLED THEM DRY with regard to pensions and benefits.

I've got lots of stories about him, but my memory of him most is watching me play army, and remarking (to no-one in particular): "That blankety-blank Alvin York never done NONE of that stuff they said he done..." But after I would come in, he would regale me with stories of Alvin York's heroism, and talk about how everyone in Tennessee, and the entire COUNTRY, should thank God for him...

This is an interesting read about coal mine disasters in Anderson County...very close to one another, and of the "Coal Creek War" that was waged in the 1890's over convict coal miners.

I don't add these to start a discussion, just for you further edification.
Coal Creek War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_Creek_War

Fraterville Mine Explosion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraterville_Mine_disaster

Cross Mountain Mine Explosion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_Mountain_Mine_disaster

This is exactly what this thread is all about.

This is SO tragic.

True, Carl. No day/season is a "better" time than any other for this to occur, but during the holidays is especially rough, as so much emphasis is on family and togetherness.

Cool! I'll be adding more as well.

Carl, call me Russ! All my friends do!

My mom's grandfather (my great grandfather) was Charles (Karl) William Stocks. He was born in NYC in 1878 to full-blooded German parents. They went back to Germany for a few years when he was a child. When they came back through Ellis Island (still not sure why they had to), he and his siblings were separated, and he somehow made it to little 'ol Briceville, TN. Lots of northern immigrant workers migrated south to work in the mines, or with the railroads. We're not sure why he moved here.

He met my great-grandmother, they got married and had a baby. Sadly, the baby died at about age two. From what my research shows, the stress was too much, so he moved BACK to New York, joined the Army to serve in the Philipines for the last of the Spanish-American war. She divorced him for desertion after he left. He was released from service due to dysentery and "disease of the rectum" (I SWEAR it even says it on his discharge papers - which I have a copy of).

He arrived in San Fransisco on April 4th, was discharged, appearently hopped the first train back to Briceville, then he and his "ex" got RE-married at the end of the month - on the date of their FIRST marriage!

He became a horseback riding mail carrier, spoke fluent German (and English) to his kids and grandkids, and died in 1946. He would rarely talk of seeing action in the war, usually after his grandkinds "bugged" him.

I have a picture his sister sent from Germany in 1917, and on the back (in German), she tells of the hardship they were facing at the time. BTW...during this time, most Americans of Gemanic ancestry tended to keep it quiet, as fear of reprisal (very real possibility) was constant.

He almost moved the entire family (by now, 7 kids) to Germany, but the instability was too intense, AND (according to some I've spoken with), he predicted what happened with Hitler, including the hate crimes against Jews, just didn't know WHO would be the catalyst. He even said (in the 20's) there would be ANOTHER world war...

Can't wait to see the pics.

I know there were lots of honorable men who served in the German military. It's that way in a lot of conflicts. People get lumped into certain groups.