Scott County the Beginning
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Scott County the Beginning
Submitted by David Jeffers, Scott County Historical Society, President
Fireman 1st Class, US Navy
Luther Williams
Luther Williams, also known as Lou was born in Elgin, Tennessee on August 23, 1926 and was the son of Charlie and Juanita (McCartt) Williams. He had five sisters and four brothers, living on a farm with nine siblings wasn’t the dream of young boys in the early 1900’s. Lou’s dream was to serve his country, this was the reason that he claimed to be older than his real age. At the actual age of sixteen he joined the United States Navy. He served on the USS Lexington during WWII for three years (1943-1946), as a Fireman 1st Class and was a plank member.
The USS Lexington was an Essex-Class Carrier that saw extensive action in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. On June 16, 1942 the USS Cabot’s name was changed to the USS Lexington to honor the carrier of the same name which was lost a month earlier in the battle of the Coral Sea. The USS Lexington earned the name “The Blue Ghost’’ because with the blue paint scheme the Japanese had thought they had sunk her four times and each time she returned to battle. She was engaged in battles at Mili Atoll, New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon, Marianna Islands, the South China Sea and supported the invasion of lwo Jima. As of 1992 the USS Lexington has been operated as a museum on the bay of Corpus Christi, Texas.
After returning from battle, Lou married and lived in Seattle, Washington for many years working as a painter. While living in Washington he had three sons, four daughters and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After retirement he returned to his birthplace of Scott County, Tennessee. Lou enjoyed visiting the USS Lexington Museum in Corpus Christi as often as possible and loved to talk of his experience from the Navy.
After a long, good life of dedication to his family and country, Lou’s health deteriorated, he had macular-degeneration that slowly took most of his eyesight. He also had COPD, which took his life on July 11, 2013 at the age of 86. Lou is buried in his hometown at the McCartt Cemetery in Robbins, Tennessee. After his death, his uniform and the majority of his war collectibles were donated to a museum in honor of Lou’s wishes.
PFC. Oliver Evans; KIA, Friendly fire
Oliver Evans was born April 23, 1912 and was married to Dorothy Jean (Smith). He drafted in the US Army on September 11, 1943 and was originally a member of the 254th Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. After his arrival in England February 22, 1944 was transferred to Company M 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division at some point before the invasion of Normandy, where they received their training. It arrived at Omaha Beach, Normandy June 11, 1944, five days after the initial D-Day landing of June 6, 1944. They secured the Vire-Et-Taute Canal and crossed the Vire Riveron July 7, 1944. Beginning on July 25, 1944 the 30th Infantry Division was to spearhead the St. Lo breakthrough of Operation Cobra. During the operation on the 24th and 25th of July the 30th Division encountered a devastating friendly fire incident. In an effort to break out of the Normandy Hedgerows, the USAF was sent to carpet bomb a one mile by three mile corridor of the German forces opposite the American forces. However the USAAF planners, with a lack of understanding of their role in supporting the ground attack loaded the heavy bombers with 500-pound bombs, destroying roads and bridges and complicating movement through the corridor, instead of lighter 100-pound bombs intended as antipersonnel devices against German defenders. Air planners switched the approach of attack by 90 degrees without informing ground commanders, thus a landmark road to guide the bombers to the bombing zone was miscommunicated as the point to begin the bombing run. Start point confusion was further compounded by red smoke signals that suddenly blew in the wrong direction, and bombs began falling on the heads of the American soldiers. There were over 100 friendly fire casualties over the two days. PFC Oliver Evans was one of the 100 men killed in action. His body was brought back to Scott County after the war and burried in the Smith-Forbis Cemetery in Scott County, Tennessee.