Memorial Day is the day our country has set aside to remember and honor members of our armed forces who lost their lives as a result of their service in combat. This presentation is intended to do just that, to remember and honor those who went to war and never returned home, home to the area now known as Chattahoochee Hills.
Only two have been identified: Marvin Gullatt and Clyde Bearden. Both were killed in World War II. However, three others will also be remembered: Richard Long, James Cotton, and Winston Shell. Although they never lived here, Richard’s and Jim’s families moved to the area shortly after World War II and still have an active presence in the community. Winston and his family lived in Palmetto and were active members of New Hope Methodist Church. The unfortunate fact is that very little information is now available. World War II ended sixty-five years ago and personal remembrances have faded. It should be viewed as a blessing that such time has passed without others being added to the list. I shall try to present the information in a short, factual manor. In an absence of knowledge about the person, I have tried to gather as much information as possible about their families. |
Marvin Gullatt
Marvin B. Gullatt, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Son of Dow and Mamie Barnes Gullatt.
The Gullatt home-place is at the intersection of Barnes Rd. and Jones Fy. Rd.
Story as related by James Gullatt, Marvin’s nephew:
In essence, Marvin volunteered to die to save the rest of his unit. For his bravery, Marvin was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army’s second highest award for heroism.
Distinguished Service Cross Award citation found on the Internet:
Marvin B. Gullatt, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Son of Dow and Mamie Barnes Gullatt.
The Gullatt home-place is at the intersection of Barnes Rd. and Jones Fy. Rd.
Story as related by James Gullatt, Marvin’s nephew:
- Marvin was a tank driver with Gen. Patton. He was injured (burned) when his tank was destroyed by enemy fire. (This may have been in Sicily or N. Africa.) After recovery from his injuries, he was assigned to a machine gun unit. During the invasion of Italy at Anzio, his unit came under heavy enemy fire and was about to be over-run. Marvin was the only single man in the unit. All the others were married. Marvin volunteered to man the machine gun to hold off the Germans while the other men escaped. He continued firing his machine gun until ammunition ran out, and he was then overrun and killed.
In essence, Marvin volunteered to die to save the rest of his unit. For his bravery, Marvin was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army’s second highest award for heroism.
Distinguished Service Cross Award citation found on the Internet:
GULLATT, MARVIN B. (KIA)
Synopsis: The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Marvin B. Gullatt (34025651), Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Division, in action against enemy forces on 30 May 1944. Staff Sergeant Gullatt's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 1st Armored Division, and the United States Army. Headquarters, Fifth U.S. Army, General Orders No. 153 (1944) Home Town: Fulton County, Georgia |
He is buried in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery. A memorial marker remembering Marvin was placed in Sardis Church Cemetery by his parents. The inscription reads:
U.S.A.
Marvin B. Gullatt Staff Sergeant, Company H, 6th Armored Infantry Born June 27, 1917 Killed in Action Anzio Beachhead Italy May 30, 1944 John: 16-32 The passage, John: 16-32, is most fitting considering the circumstances resulting in Marvin’s death: Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. |
Atlanta Journal-Constitution obituary for Marvin Gullatt:
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Clyde Bearden
William Clyde Bearden, Private., U.S. Army
Son of Dailey and Lizzie Bearden. Husband of Louise Barnes Bearden.
Information provided by Jackie Croker, Henly Phillips, Helen Barnes Nixon, and Ruth Barnes.
Clyde is buried in Rico Cemetery. Information on his tombstone reads:
Born Oct 19, 1913
Died Feb. 28 1945
Private, 164 Infantry
Americal Infantry Division
Clyde was killed in action in the Philippines, probably on the island of Leyte or Samar. This was remembered by a couple of people and verified from on-line information concerning his unit. It is not known when Clyde joined the army or for how long he was a member of the 164th Inf. Reg. The following online information details the history of the Americal Inf. Div. at the time of Clyde’s death:
Clyde was married to Louise Barnes. It is not known when they married, but a picture of Rico women homemakers from about 1936 includes Louise, so it can be assumed they were married by that time.
The Bearden family lived in the Goodes area between Rico Rd., Old Rico Rd., and Old Phillips Rd. Dailey and Lizzie Bearden are buried in New Hope Cemetery.
Jackie Croker remembered Clyde as having red hair and that his mother operated a small store in the general area of the intersection of Old Rico Rd. and Hopkins Rd. This area coincides with where the Beardens lived. Jackie said she was always referred to as “Widow Bearden” and this would seem accurate as her husband, Dailey, died in 1937.
William Clyde Bearden, Private., U.S. Army
Son of Dailey and Lizzie Bearden. Husband of Louise Barnes Bearden.
Information provided by Jackie Croker, Henly Phillips, Helen Barnes Nixon, and Ruth Barnes.
Clyde is buried in Rico Cemetery. Information on his tombstone reads:
Born Oct 19, 1913
Died Feb. 28 1945
Private, 164 Infantry
Americal Infantry Division
Clyde was killed in action in the Philippines, probably on the island of Leyte or Samar. This was remembered by a couple of people and verified from on-line information concerning his unit. It is not known when Clyde joined the army or for how long he was a member of the 164th Inf. Reg. The following online information details the history of the Americal Inf. Div. at the time of Clyde’s death:
- First saw action on Guadalcanal on 13 October 1942 alongside the 1st Marine Division as the first United States Army unit to conduct an offensive operation against the enemy in either the Pacific or European Theater of Operations.
- During the period 25 December 1943 to 12 January 1944 the Americal Division landed on Bougainville, relieving the 3rd Marine Division.
- On 8 January 1945, the Division began movement to Leyte and Samar, to take part in cleaning out remaining Japanese forces on those islands, and to invade Biri, Capul, Ticao, and Burias. Relieved, 13 March 1945, on Leyte, the Division landed on Cebu, 26 March.
Clyde was married to Louise Barnes. It is not known when they married, but a picture of Rico women homemakers from about 1936 includes Louise, so it can be assumed they were married by that time.
The Bearden family lived in the Goodes area between Rico Rd., Old Rico Rd., and Old Phillips Rd. Dailey and Lizzie Bearden are buried in New Hope Cemetery.
Jackie Croker remembered Clyde as having red hair and that his mother operated a small store in the general area of the intersection of Old Rico Rd. and Hopkins Rd. This area coincides with where the Beardens lived. Jackie said she was always referred to as “Widow Bearden” and this would seem accurate as her husband, Dailey, died in 1937.
Winston Shell
James Winston Shell was not a resident of Chattahoochee Hills, but he had strong ties to our city. Winston was born and raised in Palmetto, but he and his family were members of New Hope Methodist Church. A history of New Hope Church on the Chattahoochee Hills Civic Associations web site states, “…in 1948 new pulpit furniture was dedicated to the memory of Clyde Bearden and Winston Shell, members who lost their lives in World War II.”
Winston was born on Dec. 11, 1921, the son of Homer R. and Francis Gertrude (Price) Shell and as stated previously, they lived in Palmetto. According to his brother, Billy Shell, when Winston joined the Army his mother had to sign for him. This would tend to indicate that he enlisted sometime in 1938. Billy also recounted that Winston joined to be a mechanic. At the time of his death he was serving as a tail gunner on a B-24 “Liberator” with the 819th Bomber Squadron, 30th Bomber Group, Heavy.
An on-line history of the 30th Bomber Group states:
As remembered by Billy Shell, Winston was killed in Feb. 1944 when his bomber crashed on take-off from Tarawa. As stated above, the 30th Bomber Group was then using Tarawa as a staging point for attacks with their B-24’s. Also as remembered by Billy, Winston was buried on Tarawa. I couldn’t find any information on military cemeteries on Tarawa but online searching resulted in some more information:
James W. Shell
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # 14047616
819th Bomber Squadron, 30th Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: Georgia
Died: 21-Jan-44
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
At the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (the “Punchbowl”) in Honolulu, Hawaii, there is a monument known as the Honolulu Memorial. Part of this Memorial is the Tablets of the Missing for those missing in action or buried at sea. Listed here is the name James W. Shell. Winston’s B-24 crashed into the Pacific and was evidently unrecoverable. In addition to the listing on the Honolulu Memorial, Winston’s parents placed a memorial marker in Holly Hills Cemetery in Fairburn, where they are also buried.
An interesting bit of information found online about the B-24 states, “…its high fuselage-mounted ‘Davis wing’ also meant it was dangerous to ditch or belly land, since the fuselage tended to break apart.” One of the characteristics that made the B-24 such an effective bomber also made it an extremely dangerous machine for its aircrew.
James Winston Shell was not a resident of Chattahoochee Hills, but he had strong ties to our city. Winston was born and raised in Palmetto, but he and his family were members of New Hope Methodist Church. A history of New Hope Church on the Chattahoochee Hills Civic Associations web site states, “…in 1948 new pulpit furniture was dedicated to the memory of Clyde Bearden and Winston Shell, members who lost their lives in World War II.”
Winston was born on Dec. 11, 1921, the son of Homer R. and Francis Gertrude (Price) Shell and as stated previously, they lived in Palmetto. According to his brother, Billy Shell, when Winston joined the Army his mother had to sign for him. This would tend to indicate that he enlisted sometime in 1938. Billy also recounted that Winston joined to be a mechanic. At the time of his death he was serving as a tail gunner on a B-24 “Liberator” with the 819th Bomber Squadron, 30th Bomber Group, Heavy.
An on-line history of the 30th Bomber Group states:
- Following the hard-fought victory in the Gilberts, American amphibious forces under a blanket air cover from bombers and fighters advanced into the Marshall Islands in January 1944. Staging through the recently captured Tarawa and Mankin Islands, bombers of the 30th Group attacked several atolls in the Marshalls, including Kwajalein.
As remembered by Billy Shell, Winston was killed in Feb. 1944 when his bomber crashed on take-off from Tarawa. As stated above, the 30th Bomber Group was then using Tarawa as a staging point for attacks with their B-24’s. Also as remembered by Billy, Winston was buried on Tarawa. I couldn’t find any information on military cemeteries on Tarawa but online searching resulted in some more information:
James W. Shell
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # 14047616
819th Bomber Squadron, 30th Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: Georgia
Died: 21-Jan-44
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
At the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (the “Punchbowl”) in Honolulu, Hawaii, there is a monument known as the Honolulu Memorial. Part of this Memorial is the Tablets of the Missing for those missing in action or buried at sea. Listed here is the name James W. Shell. Winston’s B-24 crashed into the Pacific and was evidently unrecoverable. In addition to the listing on the Honolulu Memorial, Winston’s parents placed a memorial marker in Holly Hills Cemetery in Fairburn, where they are also buried.
An interesting bit of information found online about the B-24 states, “…its high fuselage-mounted ‘Davis wing’ also meant it was dangerous to ditch or belly land, since the fuselage tended to break apart.” One of the characteristics that made the B-24 such an effective bomber also made it an extremely dangerous machine for its aircrew.
Richard Long
Richard was the son of Clyde and Marian Long and the brother of Bill Long who married Lucy Smith. Lucy was raised in the Rico Community and still lives here. This information provided by Lucy Long.
Richard served in the Army Air Corps and was a bomber tail-gunner. He died when his plane was shot down over Germany.
His parents, Clyde and Marian, moved to the area (Rivertown Rd., about 3/4 mile from Campbellton-Redwine) shortly after WW2. Marian was an active member of the Rico Civic Club.
Through online searches I was recently able to find more information. The National Archives record of WWII dead lists Richard as: Long, Clyde R., 14141986, SSgt., and shows cause of death as FOD (Finding of Death, that is, missing and presumed dead). He is listed as being from Fulton County, Ga.
Additionally, The 447th Bomb Group Association Roll of Honor lists Richard (Long, Clyde R.) as a tail gunner lost on Feb. 25, 1944. The 447th flew the B17 bomber.
After finding this additional information, I spoke with Pat Long, Bill Long’s son. He said that Richard had been killed instantly in his tail gunner position, and the plane was severely damaged. All the other crew members were able to parachute away from the plane and were captured. They spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner-of-war camp.
After the war, Pat said the pilot of the plane wrote the Long family telling what had happened. That’s why the National Archives listed Richard’s death as FOD. He went down with the plane and his body was not recovered. As the other crewmembers were in a POW camp, they were unable to verify Richard’s death.
Richard was the son of Clyde and Marian Long and the brother of Bill Long who married Lucy Smith. Lucy was raised in the Rico Community and still lives here. This information provided by Lucy Long.
Richard served in the Army Air Corps and was a bomber tail-gunner. He died when his plane was shot down over Germany.
His parents, Clyde and Marian, moved to the area (Rivertown Rd., about 3/4 mile from Campbellton-Redwine) shortly after WW2. Marian was an active member of the Rico Civic Club.
Through online searches I was recently able to find more information. The National Archives record of WWII dead lists Richard as: Long, Clyde R., 14141986, SSgt., and shows cause of death as FOD (Finding of Death, that is, missing and presumed dead). He is listed as being from Fulton County, Ga.
Additionally, The 447th Bomb Group Association Roll of Honor lists Richard (Long, Clyde R.) as a tail gunner lost on Feb. 25, 1944. The 447th flew the B17 bomber.
After finding this additional information, I spoke with Pat Long, Bill Long’s son. He said that Richard had been killed instantly in his tail gunner position, and the plane was severely damaged. All the other crew members were able to parachute away from the plane and were captured. They spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner-of-war camp.
After the war, Pat said the pilot of the plane wrote the Long family telling what had happened. That’s why the National Archives listed Richard’s death as FOD. He went down with the plane and his body was not recovered. As the other crewmembers were in a POW camp, they were unable to verify Richard’s death.
James Thomas Cotton, Jr.
Jim Cotton was the son of James and Albia Cotton, brother of Gene Cotton, Barbara Cotton Redic, Beverly Cotton Tyler, and Sarah Cotton Gray. This information was provided by Gene Cotton.
Jim Cotton, twenty years old, was a sailor (radio operator) in the Merchant Marine. His ship was torpedoed and sunk off New Smyrna Beach, Florida early in 1942 by a German submarine. He was scheduled to be discharged from the Merchant Marine had his ship completed its voyage.
His parents were in the process of buying a farm on Garrett’s Fy. Rd. in the Rico Community at the time of Jim’s death. They completed the purchase and moved there in 1945. James died in 1965, and Albia continued to live there until 1978. Gene Cotton remains an active member of Rico United Methodist Church.
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Barbara Redic, Jim’s sister. The information she provided allowed me to retrieve more data from the Internet.
Jim served aboard the SS W. D. Anderson, a tanker in the United States merchant fleet. The ship, unarmed and unescorted, was in route from Corpus Christi to Philadelphia carrying a load of crude oil. At 01.30 hours on the morning of 23 Feb. 1942 she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-504 twelve miles northeast of Jupiter lighthouse.
Of the thirty-six officers and men aboard the M. D. Anderson, only one survived, Frank Leonard Terry. He was picked from the water by a fishing boat and taken to Stuart, Fl. This location, between Vero Beach and West Palm Beach, is significantly south of New Smyrna Beach.
Jim Cotton was awarded the Merchant Seaman’s Mariners Medal with Combat Bar and Star. He was listed by the Merchant Marine as being born in 1922 with residence in Atlanta, Ga.
Jim Cotton was the son of James and Albia Cotton, brother of Gene Cotton, Barbara Cotton Redic, Beverly Cotton Tyler, and Sarah Cotton Gray. This information was provided by Gene Cotton.
Jim Cotton, twenty years old, was a sailor (radio operator) in the Merchant Marine. His ship was torpedoed and sunk off New Smyrna Beach, Florida early in 1942 by a German submarine. He was scheduled to be discharged from the Merchant Marine had his ship completed its voyage.
His parents were in the process of buying a farm on Garrett’s Fy. Rd. in the Rico Community at the time of Jim’s death. They completed the purchase and moved there in 1945. James died in 1965, and Albia continued to live there until 1978. Gene Cotton remains an active member of Rico United Methodist Church.
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Barbara Redic, Jim’s sister. The information she provided allowed me to retrieve more data from the Internet.
Jim served aboard the SS W. D. Anderson, a tanker in the United States merchant fleet. The ship, unarmed and unescorted, was in route from Corpus Christi to Philadelphia carrying a load of crude oil. At 01.30 hours on the morning of 23 Feb. 1942 she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-504 twelve miles northeast of Jupiter lighthouse.
Of the thirty-six officers and men aboard the M. D. Anderson, only one survived, Frank Leonard Terry. He was picked from the water by a fishing boat and taken to Stuart, Fl. This location, between Vero Beach and West Palm Beach, is significantly south of New Smyrna Beach.
Jim Cotton was awarded the Merchant Seaman’s Mariners Medal with Combat Bar and Star. He was listed by the Merchant Marine as being born in 1922 with residence in Atlanta, Ga.
Postscript,
J. Kenyon Langley, April 2022
This article was originally written in May 2010, for publication in the Memorial Day issue of the monthly newsletter for the City of Chattahoochee Hills produced by the City’s Civic Association. In June 2012, I wrote an addendum documenting the story of Winston Shell whom I unfortunately missed when researching the original article. This addendum was also published in the newsletter.
This edit of the article is intended to combine both articles and format the information in a fashion which would facilitate its future publication in pieces each Memorial Day in the current City Newsletter on a continuing yearly basis. This article is far too long to expect publication in its entirety given the current format and purpose of the City’s newsletter. I intend to submit the article to the Chatt Hills History website (chatthillshistory.com) where hopefully it will remain available for any and all to read.
I also was able to find some new information through lucky internet searches and from talking with people I neglected to interview originally. The sad fact is that this article could probably not be written today. I imagine that eighty percent of the material presented here has passed along with those who recounted it. In the absence of diminishing memories of people who knew the men listed here, maybe this article will preserve the memory of their ultimate sacrifice, in the words of Lincoln at Gettysburg, those who “…gave the last full measure of devotion…”
Semper Fi
J. Kenyon Langley, April 2022
This article was originally written in May 2010, for publication in the Memorial Day issue of the monthly newsletter for the City of Chattahoochee Hills produced by the City’s Civic Association. In June 2012, I wrote an addendum documenting the story of Winston Shell whom I unfortunately missed when researching the original article. This addendum was also published in the newsletter.
This edit of the article is intended to combine both articles and format the information in a fashion which would facilitate its future publication in pieces each Memorial Day in the current City Newsletter on a continuing yearly basis. This article is far too long to expect publication in its entirety given the current format and purpose of the City’s newsletter. I intend to submit the article to the Chatt Hills History website (chatthillshistory.com) where hopefully it will remain available for any and all to read.
I also was able to find some new information through lucky internet searches and from talking with people I neglected to interview originally. The sad fact is that this article could probably not be written today. I imagine that eighty percent of the material presented here has passed along with those who recounted it. In the absence of diminishing memories of people who knew the men listed here, maybe this article will preserve the memory of their ultimate sacrifice, in the words of Lincoln at Gettysburg, those who “…gave the last full measure of devotion…”
Semper Fi