From CGJ Orders dated 13 July 1944 (Bridgeford file):
William R. Bridgeford, 2nd Lt, 0545426
Ralph A. Hoffman, 2nd Lt, 0544920
William F. Sheets, 2nd Lt, 0544472
Louis Hanley, 2nd Lt, 0544478
Jack Kileen, 2nd Lt, 0545517
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Earnest Nelson Potts, was a member of the 351st Harbor Craft Company. He was born on 6 August 1912 in Bedford County and died on 7 June 1984 in Knoxville at Saint Mary’s Hospital. He attended Forrest Elementary and Forrest High School in Chapel Hill and later attended Vanderbilt University for two years in engineering. Earnest is listed as a sophomore from Chapel Hill, Tennessee, in Engineering, at Vanderbilt in 1933.This chapter was cut short due to The Depression and the subsequent shortage of funds. Barbara said his dad ran out of money to send Earnest. Earnest married Sarah Emma Morris on either 14 or 24 November 1938 in Shelbyville, Tennessee He worked for the Stewart Potts Ford dealership in Shelbyville, Tennessee as a parts manager and later worked for the Spires Motor Company in Knoxville before going into the military. He served from 27 November 1943 to 30 July 1946 and was honorably discharged from the Army, having served in Europe during WWII with the 351st Harbor Craft Company as a harbor craft operator (Serial #34920012) Earnest enlisted at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia and he had completed two years of college and worked as a salesman at the time in Knoxville. His marital status at the time said, “Separated-with dependents.” He was stationed at Camp Gordon Johnston. He went to England from Camp Kilmer in August 1944 on board the Queen Elizabeth, which had been converted to a Troop Carrier. While in England Earnest was stationed at Southampton, and at one point traveled to the airfield of the 100th Bomb Group (Bloody 100th) at Thorpe Abbotts, England to visit his brother Charles Wesley Potts, who was a Radio/Gunner aboard their B-17 “Baby Sweet.” Earnest traveled to Paris and Manila before being discharged on 20 June 1946; perhaps from Camp Patrick Henry where he was Supply Officer. Uncle Charley Potts said that the Army was in charge of the placement of large ships in the harbor and that Ernest piloted one of the harbor crafts, like a tugboat. He retired as a manager of the Office of Unemployment Security in Knoxville.
Earnest, center, with fellow soldiers.
Earnest and his brother Charles.
Sarah & Earnest Potts
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Hope Franklin Shown, age 90, passed away January 06, 2016. Hope was a WWII Veteran of the 351st Harbor Craft Division and served in both The European and Pacific theatres.
He was preceded in death by parents Haiz Franklin and Susan Vinsant Shown; son Benny Shown; brothers Curtis and wife Geneva Shown, George Shown, and Carlas Shown; sisters Gladys Shown, Eva Lee Human, Lillian Mynatt, Ruth Lindsey, and Alma Wright. He is survived by his wife Pauline Goodman Shown; sons Ricky and wife Joyce Shown, and Mark and wife LeaAnn Shown; daughters Shirley and husband Eddie Thompson, Deanna Shown, and Patricia Hope and husband Stanley Rinehart; 12 grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren and several great-great grandchildren; and a host of friends, relatives, and family.
