WWI, WWII and Korean War Memorial, Greenville
The memorial to World War One, World War Two and Korean War dead is a large slab of granite roughly three feet wide and eight feet long with beveled edges lying flat on the ground. An incised American Flag is the only decoration aside from the list of names.
Originally, the names of African American men were segregated by the word COLORED. In the 1960’s this word was chiseled out.
Images:
Names of men who died in WWI |
Names of men who died in WWII |
Names of men who died in Korean War
IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF / PITT COUNTY / WHO DIED IN SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY / WORLD WAR I /
[Left Column] BARBER, CHARLES M. / BRYANY, MACK BRUTON / BUCK CHARLIE / CANNON, JACK / COBB, EARL / COX, JOHN THOMAS / DOZIER, ROBERT / EDWARDS, JAMES / EDWARDS, ZENO /
[Center Column] EVANS, HUBERT / GAY, ROBERT / HORTON, CHARLIE / JAMES, EARL / LOWE, JASPER / MCLAWHORN, BANCROFT / PATRICK, MOSES / PRICE, MILAND / SMITH, JASPER C. /
[Right Column] SMITH, LONNIE L. / SMITH, LUTHER / SATTERFIELD, IRA / TUCKER, CHARLES M. / TUGWELL, FLOYD / VENTERS, LESLIE / WORTHINGTON, HOWARD / BROWN, WILEY J. / MOORE, WM. TAMBERLANE
WORLD WAR II /
[Left Column] ABEYOUNIS, MORRIS LEE / ANDREWS, HUBERT / ANDREWS, WILLIAM K. / BALDREE, JOHN R. / BALDREE, ROLLINS / BASNIGHT, JUNIOR / BATES, JACK / BOWERS, EDWARD / BRIGHT, JACK / BROWN, LARRY JR. / BUCK, NORMAN / BURNETT, HEMBY / CANNON, BRUCE / CANNON, LEON M. / CHERRY, L.W. JR. / CLARK, PRESTON / COREY, WILLIAM A. / COWARD, GRAHAM / COX, LOUIS / COX, ROY T. / CRAWFORD, DEWEY S. / DAIL, EUGENE / DAIL, ROY / DIAL, WILLIAM / GALLOWAY, O.J. JR. / GARDNER, LOYD / GARRIS, CLAUDE D. / GAY, JESSIE / GRAY, DALLAS /
[Center Column] GOWER, WALDO / GRAY, JESSIE B. HADDOCK, CALVIN C. / HADDOCK, JESSIE L. / HARDEE, ALTON / HARRELL, JESSIE P. / HATCH, EDWARD / HENDERSON, KENNETH L. / HINES, LUKE C. / HOBGOOD, EMERSON / HOBGOOD, RICHARD / HODGES, NORMAN / HODGES, RAYMOND / HOOKS, CHARLIE / JAMES, STYRON P. / JAMES, THOMAS C. / JOHNSTON, JOHN C. / JONES, GROVER / JONES, LINWOOD F. / JOYNER, THOMAS E. / LITTLE, NATHAN / LOVELACE, DONALD / MCGLOHON, HERBERT H. / MCGOWANS, JESSIE / MATHEWS, WALTER L. / MAYO, CHARLES / MAYO, RUEBIN / MEEKS, THOMAS J. / MOORE, MERVIN / MORGAN, GRAY CHARLES /
[Right Column] MOYE, JAMES RAY / NELSON, NORMAN / PADGETT, JOHN ALTON / PARKER, PAUL / PHILLIPS, HENRY MACK / ROEBUCK, GEORGE B. / ROGERS, HILLIARD C. / ROBERS, JAMES H. / ROLLINS, JESSIE LYLE / ROSS, WILLIAM E. / ROUSE, HERMAN JR. / SERMONS, CALVIN W. / SKINNER, LOUIS / SPILLMAN, B.W. / SUMMERELL, ELLIS / TAYLOR, LOYD / TUCKER, WAYLAND / TYSON, JOHN A. JR. / VINCENT, WILLIAM E. / WATSON, EPHRAM / WEST, H.B. / WHITEHURST, LENON L. / WHITEHURST, WILLIAM L. / WHITFIELD, HORACE / WILEY, ALLEN / WOOLFOLK, JAMES / ALFORD, BILLY / SMITH, ELMER L. / DAVENPORT, DALTON / TETTERTON, THOMAS W.
WORLD WAR II [Deleted word: COLORED] / [Left Column] FOREMAN, IRA L. / GAY, JONUS /
[Center Column] JOYNER, BARNABUS / ROBESON, WILLIAM /
[Right Column] TEEL, WILLIAM / DAVIS, JOSEPH P.
KOREAN / [Left Column] BROWN, GILBERT / COLE, JAMES CARROLL / DICKERSON, DALLAS /
[Center Column] FICKLEN, WARREN / HATHAWAY, GORDEN E. / SELLERS, THOMAS E. /
[Right Column] WHITEHURST, WILLIAM H. / LEE, WARD JASPER / HARRIS, JASPER LEE
KOREAN [Deleted word: COLORED] / BANKS, TRAVIS L. VINES, CECIL
Greenville City Recreation and Parks
May 30, 1955
35.615330 , -77.371940
View in Geobrowse
Taylor, Alvin. “Marker Dedicated To Pitt War Dead,” Daily Reflector (Greenville, NC), May 30, 1955, 1
“Pitt County Courthouse, Greenville, North Carolina,” in Durwood Barbour Collection of North Carolina Postcards (PO77), North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (accessed August 11, 2016) Link
“Recreation And Park Facilities,” Greenville North Carolina, (accessed September 2, 2016) Link
Yes
Granite
Pitt County American Legion Post #19, Veterans of Foreign War and Pitt County Commissioners
The unveiling was sponsored by the local American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and their auxiliaries with American Legion post commander, Sam Whitehurst, presiding over the services and June H. Rose making the dedicatory address. “I dedicate it to the names of those who offered their lives that justice, freedom and democracy might survive to be the victorious ideals of the people of the world,” Rose said as the stone was unveiled. The invocation was provided by Dr. M. Glenn Haney, pastor of the Eight Street Christian Church and the high school glee club provided songs. Pitt County Gold Star Mothers were the day’s special guest. As the ceremony began the American Flag was at half-staff and raised to full mast at the conclusion.
It was common practice after World War One to list African American veterans separately on memorials. In some cases they were left off entirely. It is very unusual for this to have been done with a memorial placed after the Korean War. No other examples have been found in North Carolina.
The memorial is located on the Town Commons at 105 E. 1st Street in Greenville, NC, as part of and next to the Veterans Memorial complex. Other memorials at this location include a Fallen Soldier memorial, the Old Brickell Cannon, Vietnam and Iraqi Freedom memorial, and a Millennial Sundial.
The Town Common features 21 acres of open green space located adjacent to the Uptown Greenville District. The Town Common is connected to the South Greenville Greenway by paved walk-ways, the Town Creek Bridge, a 1500-foot river walk and WWI Memorial Bridge along the Tar River.
The memorial was originally placed on the Pitt County Courthouse grounds directly in front of the Confederate Memorial facing the intersection of Third and Evans Streets. It is visible in this historic postcard. The Vietnam and Iraqi Freedom War memorial was originally located to the left side (when facing) of the Confederate Memorial. Both memorials were most likely moved in 1989 when the Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the Town Commons.
Annual Memorial Day, July 4th and Veterans Day activities take place on the Town Commons.
Know anything else about this monument that isn't mentioned here? If you have additional information on
this or any other monument in our collection fill out the form at the Contact Us link in the footer. Thank you.
