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Sgt. Bailey Keeton, Jr.,
Age 20 at the time he was declared missing in action, was a member of the United States Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was listed on December 2, 1950 as missing in action while fighting the enemy in North Korea. In a battle zone in North Korea known as the Chasin Reservoir. Sgt. Keeton’s Company was brutally attacked by an overwhelming number of Chinese forces. He was presumed dead and listed as killed in action on December 31, 1953. Sgt. Keeton’s remains were recovered in a joint recovery operation in 2004, and after 66 years, finally made it home to Oneida, Tn. His flight was scheduled to arrive at McGhee-Tyson Airport in Alcoa, Tn Thursday, June 23, 2016.
Sgt Keeton was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Born April 12; 1930, Sgt Keeton Was the son of Bailey Keeton, Sr., and Elsie (Simpson) Keeton. He is survived by four siblings; Violet Davis of Riverdale, Ga. Doris Jean Thompson of Monticello, Ga. Ronald “Ron” Keeton and fiance Barbara Fuller of Helenwood, Tn. and Arnold Keeton and wife Bonnie of Knox, Indiana. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives.
Friends visited the Keeton family on Saturday, June 25, 2016 from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral at 12:30 p.m. in the Chapel of West-Murley Funeral Home in Oneida, Tn with Brother Arnold Keeton officiating. Music was provided by The Shepard’s Way Quartet. Graveside services were held at the Hazel Valley Memorial Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. with full military honors provided by the U.S. Honor Guard from Ft. Campbell, Ky.
Submitted by; M.D. and B.C. Winfield Elementary School
PFC. Roy W. Matthews; KIA in Korea
Roy W. Matthews was born December 9, 1926 and was the son of W.T. Bill and Eula May (Craig) Matthews. He had five brothers, William C. who served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam, Allen, Jerry, Kenneth and Jack. Three sisters; Peggy, Doris and Marilyn.
PFC. Matthews served in WWII and was sent to Korea during the Korean War. He was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division.
PFC. Roy W. Matthews was shot and killed in battle on May 25, 1951 and his body was riever recovered. His name appears on a memorial for Korean War missing in Hawi’i. And, he has a memorial placque erected in the Kidd-Marcum Cemetery in Scott County, Tennessee.
PFC. Donald R. Carson, Korea; The Quiet Hero
Born on August 27, 1928, Donald R. Carson was born to Harry and Leora Carson. After living his childhood in Scott County he enlisted into the U.S. Army and was deployed to the Korean War. Although he has many awards he never bragged about what he got because he was quite a quiet hero.
PFC, Carson fought in the Korean Warfor 14 and a half months, he went to ETA Jima Specialist School and completed his field wireman couuse, earning the title of Private First Class. Donald did all this without complaining, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t have nightmares or hard times, because even the bravest have scars, no matter how hard they try to hide it. Although he was never one to talk, he told his family stories of the hard times he faced. Donald lost his best friend causing him to have survivors guilt, because of the way his friend passed. Nights would be so cold that the soldiers sleeping bags would freeze. There was a mountain that Donald’s unit was on that got blew up, but he survived with no wounds. Donald would tell his family that Korean men and children would walk up to him with bombs taped to their chests, but he went on. He lived his life serving with braveness, but he still had mental scars that would never go away.
He was honorably discharged and went back to Scott County and married Ruby M. Carson and started a family. He was paid $142.94 at separation. He was awarded medals for his bravery and got the Order of Bayonet for faithful and honorable service.
Donald R. Carson died on July 27, 2004. Although he was quiet he was a very brave and honorable man. He came home after the war and started his life again. He went through things that most men could never imagine, but the scars didn’t stop his life. Yes, he was quiet, but he was a hero.
Submitted by; Tessa Gibson, Winfield Elementary School