First Talbot County, Georgia Soldier Killed in Korea

Roy Knox Culpepper, according to his tombstone, was born 2 April 1934. Army records, describing his service during the Korean War, suggest he was born in 1932. I think Roy might have fudged his age to get in.

I wish he hadn't.

According to a news item in the 13 September 1951 Butler Herald (Georgia) -

After basic training at Ft. Jackson, S. C., he went to Camp Hood, Texas. He was with Co. A Sixth Medium Tank Battalion. Pvt. Culpepper left San Francisco July 18, 1950 for overseas duty.

He lived barely two months more.

Butler Herald (Georgia)
12 October 1950 [via Georgia Historic Newspapers]

First Talbot Soldier Reported Killed in Korea

Talbotton, Ga., Oct. 8 – Seventeen year old Roy Knox Culpepper is the first Talbot county soldier to be killed in the Korean War.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Culpepper were notified of his death by the Department of Defense Sunday.

The classmates of the young soldier are planning a memorial service. He would have been a senior this year but instead of returning to school he entered the army six months ago.

It was almost a year before his remains arrived home for burial in the Culpepper Family Cemetery. His parents, Clifford (1892-1974) and Lucille (1894-1979), would eventually be laid to rest nearby.

Comments

Anonymous said…

Roy Knox lived next to my grandparents E. H. Alford in the 1940 Muscogee census. Mr. Knox was five years younger than my mother. They lived on Elgin Drive in that census. I recall hearing stories about this from her. The Culpepper's moved back to Talbot County after the 1940 census.

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