My Dad A Tribute To A Friend(As
written by Arline White Sudberry)1918-1986
"Neighbors" written by Dwight Williamson:
"Eamon White is one of those quiet people who goes through life rather
obscurely with most people never knowing the real story which is now
behind him. White has been a resident of Logan for 37 years and has lived
in the city for nearly 64 years. About the only time he has ever been away
from Logan was during the World War when he spent hearly five years in the
Army. He was involved in eight campaigns in Europe, including Algeria,
French Moroco, Tunesia, Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, Rheinland and
Ardennes. It was during one of those battle that he received the Bronze
Star. A newspaper clipping listed the following reasons for his medal
honors: 'Ability, valor, cool-headedness, initiative and a sense of duty
are some of the personality traits which brought honor and glory to Eamon
E. White when he was awarded the Bronze Star of the U. S. Army in the
European theater in a citation dated Feb. 17th. White was honored for
personally saving a valuable ammunition truck while his unit was under an
enemy counter-attack for a 48-hour period. The truck had been abandoned,
but White risked his life to retrieve the vehicle while under enemy fire.
'We had to call in some British spitfire planes to help us out,' White
recalled. 'Our planes were located too far away to get to us in time.'
White, who had to lie to get into the service, said the reason he joined
was simply because 'there was nothing else to do around here.' He said
there was no work, and he really never had much of a life. When he was
only four-years-old, his mother died. At age seven, his father left him a
brother and a sister for 17 years. He and his brother and sister made it
the best they could, but wound up separated for several years. His
brother, did not actually know Eamon until he was about 10-years-old. His
sister of Chapmansville, spent much of her childhood in Ohio. Eamon said
he had to fend for himself for most of his life, and wound up quitting the
sixth grade simply because he couldn't afford it. He said he lived with
Rose Browning in Logan during some of his childhood. Mrs. Browning was a
daughter of the legendary Devil Anse Hatfield. 'I was more like a helping
hand than anything else,' White said, recalling that Mrs. Browning hardly
ever spoke of her feuding father. So when he got old enough, he lied to
the Army when he said he had finished the seventh grade, a requirement for
enlistment during that time. After leaving the Army, Eamon spent
considerable time in a hospital suffering from battle fatigue. But he came
to Logan and about one year later, he married Mae and they have made their
home there ever since. The article went on to state that the Whites were
very happy. He continued to live in the same location until his death.
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Eamon's mother: Birdie Mabel Johnson | Arline's Ancestors | Eamon White, Jr. | Simpkins Family | Search Sites |