Home sought for vet gravestone found in trash

Home sought for vet gravestone found in trash
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Nov 19, 2007 7:22:33 EST

CARROLLTON, Ga. — A veterans group is trying to find the final resting place of a World War II soldier whose grave marker was found in a Dumpster.

H.A. Whitman, a member of the Carrollton chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, says he and other veterans have checked county cemetery records and called the Department of Veterans Affairs, but the group hasn’t turned up any answers to where the body of James Shackleford is buried.

The paint-splattered grave marker shows Shackleford lived from 1919 to 1979 and served as a private in the Army. It was turned over to the Carroll County Sheriff’s department who asked area veterans to track down where the marker belongs.


Article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_dumpstergrave_071119/

and then keep the old one. Maybe this happened, and after awhile, the family tossed the free one?

and I could not find a record for him. Only 2 in the database with a birthyear of 1919 and dates of death aren't even close. So, perhaps he was not eligible for SS or noone ever notified SS of his death. I'll try some things after I get home tonight.

And welcome to DU! :hi:

Army Serial Number: 34060391
Name: SHACKELFORD, James
Residence state: Georgia
Residence County: Carroll
Place of Enlistment: Mountain Home AAF Idaho
Date of Enlistment: October 4, 1945
Grade: PVT
Branch: Corps of Engineers
Enlistment for Hawaiian Department
Year of Birth: 1919
Race and Citizenship: Negro, Citizen
Marital Status: Married

The year of birth match, as does the County in Georgia from the article. However, the spelling of the last name does NOT match the spelling in the article, i.e., Shackleford. So, not sure if this is our man or not.

Someone above posted that his birth year was 1920, not sure where that came from? So, this is what I find with a birth year of 1920 in the military records:

Army Serial Number: 34445353
Name: SHACKELFORD, James R
Residence state: Georgia
Residence County: Worth
Place of Enlistment: FT MCPHERSON ATLANTA GEORGIA
Date of Enlistment: October 2, 1942
Grade: PVT
Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA

Year of Birth: 1920
Race and Citizenship: White, Citizen
Marital Status: Single, without dependents



Here is the closest SSN info I found, but the last name is not spelled as in the article:

JAMES SHACKELFORD
BIRTH: 17 FEB 1920
DEATH: APR 1979
LAST RESIDENCE: 25401 (MARTINSBURG, BERKELYE WV)
LAST BENEFIT: 25401 (MARTINSBURG, BERKELYE WV)
SSN: 232-26-4982



JAMES SHACKELFORD
BIRTH: 22 AUG 1920
DEATH: APR 1979
LAST RESIDENCE: Not specified
LAST BENEFIT: Not specified
SSN: 253-44-8881
SSN issued in Georgia


I don't think I have any other sources that could help.

and see if anything else pops up. I'm checking the VA burial records right now.

birth year on the SS site. It's too coincidental to have the exact day and month of the birthday and the month and year of death match.

I think this is him, listed above:

JAMES SHACKELFORD
BIRTH: 22 AUG 1920
DEATH: APR 1979
LAST RESIDENCE: Not specified
LAST BENEFIT: Not specified
SSN: 253-44-8881
SSN issued in Georgia


Army Serial Number: 34060391
Name: SHACKELFORD, James
Residence state: Georgia
Residence County: Carroll
Place of Enlistment: Mountain Home AAF Idaho
Date of Enlistment: October 4, 1945
Grade: PVT
Branch: Corps of Engineers
Enlistment for Hawaiian Department
Year of Birth: 1919
Race and Citizenship: Negro, Citizen
Marital Status: Married

The SS site does not indicate the information was "verified". Also, the last residence and location of benefit are "not specified". Maybe with the SSN, the sheriff's department could phone social security and ask if they have any next of kin, or if they paid out a survivors death benefit. I also believe that "Army Serial Number: 34060391", is him as well. Corp of Engineers, could have been Army Corp of Engineers in the old days. So, it shows he was well established in that area. He didn't stray far. Someone around there must know this guy. I wonder if anyone searched the newspapers from 1979 for the obituaries? or if they checked for a death certificate from the state. I'm still looking through burial records and if I find anymore I'll post it.

I already sent an email to the news director of the Army Times, pointing out the name was spelled incorrectly in the article. I also asked if they could forward the information to the source, but since you've provided it, I'll go ahead and send them what I have. If I hear from either of them, I'll post their responses.

The website of the last source I was checking crashed, so when it comes back online, I'll have to start from scratch..........I'm looking for VA burial information. I find it hard to believe if the stone mentioned his military service, that the VA doesn't know where he was buried.

Thank you too!

http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmtype.asp

If they received a marker from the VA, then they have to know where he was buried. However, I can't find him in the VA database. The VA website says:




I've checked all the online sources I can find for obituaries with no luck. He's not listed on the VA cemetary locator. So, it's going to have to be elevated to either the state (death certificate) or now that they have his service number, maybe that may help. I'm quitting for the night.

They are passing all the information I supplied them with to their investigation dept. I may contact them down the road again and see if my suggestions bore any fruit.