| Sources |
- [S74] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume IV, 1987-1999, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 7 Nov 1988.
Mable Wilson Flynn obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 2 Jun 2004.
World War II veteran tells his story
By: GREG WILKERSON, Staff Writer June 02, 2004
Grady Wilson, 81, of Sevierville, spent time in the Pacific during World War II as a medic, where he saw many American soldiers die.
Wilson will be among those honoring all the soldiers who died while at war during a Memorial Day ceremony on the Sevier County Courthouse steps today at 11 a.m. He said if it hadn't been for the prayers of his friends and his mother back home in Sevier County, he and his brother, Herman, would not have returned from World War II.
Though he saw a lot of death while in the Pacific, Wilson said he didn't know many people personally who were killed in combat.
"The only one in my company who got killed was Oscar French, who got killed in Ie Shima," Wilson said.
Wilson's company was dug in behind some large artillery on that island late at night under orders not to fire their weapons no matter what. They were told to let the artillery handle any overnight fighting. In an attempt to take out the artillery, a group of Japanese soldiers snuck around behind and came through where Wilson and his company were waiting in fox holes. The soldiers passed right by all of them. Wilson stayed quiet and let them pass. French fired his weapon at the Japanese soldiers and was killed by a grenade.
Ie Shima was Wilson's fourth campaign in World War II. He started in Guam, then went to Leyete and Kerama Retto. After Ie Shima, his company went to Okinawa, where they were stationed when America dropped the second atomic bomb and the war ended.
There were some close calls. On Leyete, they were ordered to leave the main battle and attack the Japanese from the other side of the island, which they did. They were able to secure a church and a school before the Japanese pilots began their attack. Wilson said they were under heavy fire and waiting for the American P-38s, and when they finally arrived, the soldiers erupted in cheers.
On another occasion, he was relaxing on his ship when Japanese pilots came in for an attack. He said he had to go under the deck so the Navy sailors could man the weapons to shoot down the Japanese pilots, one of which crashed into an American destroyer in the ocean nearby. The injured soldiers were brought over to Wilson's ship, where they were treated by the medics, and some of them died during the night.
Wilson didn't have any medical training before joining the Army on Dec. 5, 1942. He and his brother Herman joined the same day. Once, during his training, he was given an opportunity to visit his brother at a different base, but after that, they didn't see each other again until after the war ended.
Herman Wilson fought in Europe and suffered an injury to his eardrum. He died six years ago, at age 78.
Grady Wilson said he always wanted to go back to Hawaii, where he was stationed before leaving for Guam, but never had the opportunity. He also said he wished he could have gone back to Phoenix, Ariz., but that never happened either.
"I'd like to have went back to all those islands I was on," he said.
Today he's content to stay in Sevier County, raising money for disabled veterans in the county, though there isn't as much response to his efforts as he would like. At a recent fund-raiser outside Wal-Mart, only one out of every 90 people made a donation.
"If it wasn't for the World War II veterans, they wouldn't be living in a free country," he said. "I just get so disgusted."
Wilson will be back at Wal-Mart to raise funds on Friday and Saturday, and he said he hopes if people hear his story that they will be more generous and willing to help disabled veterans here at home.
gregw@themountainpress.com.
- [S75] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume II, 1955-1973, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 21 Mar 1971.
Fred Herbert Trotter obituary
- [S112] Census, 1940.
Name:
Grady Wilson
Event Type:
Census
Event Date:
1940
Event Place:
Pigeon Forge, Civil District 13, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Gender:
Male
Age:
17
Marital Status:
Single
Race (Original):
White
Race:
White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original):
Son
Relationship to Head of Household:
Son
Birthplace:
Tennessee
Birth Year (Estimated):
1923
Last Place of Residence:
Same House
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Lee S Wilson Head M 45 Tennessee
Minnie Wilson Wife F 39 Tennessee
Herman Wilson Son M 19 Tennessee
Grady Wilson Son M 17 Tennessee
Mable Wilson Daughter F 12 Tennessee
Grace Wilson Daughter F 10 Tennessee
Fred Wilson Son M 7 Tennessee
Raymond Wilson Son M 5 Tennessee
Herbert Wilson Son M 3 Tennessee
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