Editor, The Times:
Since Memorial Day is Monday, I thought I would share this article that first appeared in The Blackshear Times in July, 1948.
It is about my grandfather.
The text of the article is:
“Mrs. Eloise Ammons Bennett has received word from the U.S. Army grave registration service that the remains of her husband Sgt. George W. Bennett, Jr., are being returned to this country for reburial.
Sgt. Bennett was killed in action against the enemy on April 3, 1945, at Nantenbach, Germany. His remains arrived in this country on July 2.
Sgt. Bennett was born in Pierce County and before enlisting in the Army was an employee of the Service Co. of Waycross.
He was born on October 10, 1919 and enlisted in the Army on Sept. 9, 1942; received training at Camp Stewart, Ga., and was a member of Co. A of the 19th Bn. and the 14th Armored Division.
The account of his death as recorded in the history of the 14th Armored Division is as follows:
Between Saskengack and Nantenbach, the enemy had been hard pressed by U. S. infantry supported by tanks and half tracks.
The enemy had dug in on a hill near Nantenbach and were using mortar fire, also rolling grenades down the slope against our infantry which had dug in, and shelling with heavy machine gun fire.
The men of Company A of the 19th Bn had relieved another battalion and had gone into the line of fire riding tanks. The fire became so heavy they had to leave the tanks and dig in. Sgt. Bennett and Pvt. Henry Brcher (sic) were killed while going to the aid of T-Sgt. Herbert J. Lesse who at that time was engaged in hand to hand combat with the enemy.
Before being returned to the US., Sgt. Bennett was buried in the American military cemetery at Bensheim, Germany.
Upon arrival here, Sgt. Bennett’s remains will remain at the Darling Funeral Home. Services will be held at the Ben James church and interment will be in the church cemetery with Rev. Huey Dixon of Waycross officiating.
Military honors will be furnished by Company G of the 121st Infantry, Georgia National Guard. Members of Pierce county American Legion post 181 will be pallbearers
Survivors, in addition to his wife, are two sons, Robert and Carl Bennett; his father, George W. Bennett, Sr.; three brothers, Archie and Ernest Bennett of Blackshear and Melvin Bennett of Waycross; three sisters, Mrs. Dave Hyman of Waycross, Mrs. Vernon C. Westberry of Patterson and Miss Maudie Mae Bennett of Blackshear.”
Please take time to honor the memory of all of those brave Americans who have given their lives so that we might be free.
Lynda Bennett
Blackshear
