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George H Balkcom 1915 - 2000

George H Balkcom of Columbus, Muscogee County, GA was born on December 29, 1915 in Georgetown, Quitman County. George was baptized in Georgetown. He was married to Tennie Marie (Hill) Balkcom on December 20, 1941 in Ringgold, Catoosa County, and died at age 84 years old on December 17, 2000 in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, TN. George Balkcom was buried on December 20, 2000 at Evergreen Cemetery 519 Greenland Dr, in Murfreesboro.

George H Balkcom

Columbus, Muscogee County, GA 31901

December 29, 1915

Georgetown, Quitman County, Georgia, 39854, United States

December 17, 2000

Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States

Male

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George H Balkcom George Balkcom (1915 - 2000)

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George H Balkcom's History: 1915 - 2000

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12/29

1915

Birthday

December 29, 1915

Birthdate

Georgetown, Quitman County, Georgia 39854, United States

Birthplace

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Early Life & Education

George graduated from Georgetown High School
Baptism

mm/dd/yyyy

Baptism date
Georgetown, Quitman County, Georgia 39854, United States
Place of worship
Religious Beliefs

George was raised in the Baptist faith and was baptized. After marriage, he joined the Methodist Church. He taught in Sunday School at Bloomfield Methodist Church in Macon, Georgia for several years.
Military Service

George was a WWII veteran. He served with distinction in the Medical Corps of the U. S. Army (European Theater) and earned the Combat Medical Badge for duty in an active war zone while attached to the US Army 66th Infantry Division. Activated in April 1943, the division trained at Camp Blanding, Florida, and was later transferred to Camp Robinson, Arkansas and then later to Camp Rucker, Alabama before being shipped overseas to England on 26 November 1944. Commanded by Maj. Gen. H. F. Kramer, the 66th Infantry Division’s main role in World War II was containing and eliminating the remaining pockets of German soldiers in Northern France following the Battle of the Bulge. Three regiments of the 66th Infantry Division arrived in Dorchester, England on 26 November 1944, and the rest of the Division joined them on 12 December 1944. They trained and prepared for deployment until 24 December 1944, then transferred to Southampton before crossing the English Channel to Cherbourg, France. Two transport vessels, SS Cheshire and the Belgian Leopoldville carried the 66th across the English Channel. However, only 5 miles from the port of Cherbourg, the Leopoldville was torpedoed by a German U-Boat and sunk, taking the lives of 14 officers and 748 enlisted soldiers. The U.S. Navy later announced the sinking of the Leopoldville to be the second-largest loss of life from the sinking of a troop transport ship in the entire European Theater. Primarily involved with destroying the German troops left behind in port cities in western France such as Lorient, St. Nazaire, Royan and La Rochelle following the retreat during the summer of 1944, the 66th Infantry Division relieved the 94th Infantry Division of control of the Brittany-Loire area on 29 December 1944 and collaborated with French forces as well. The 66th carried out its objective by harassing German installations, conducting limited objective attacks, and running reconnaissance missions to gather intelligence. The use of artillery shelling many German positions also played a major part in the advancement of the 66th through the region. Notably, a heavy German attack near La Croix was repulsed on 16 April 1945 and several strongly fortified enemy positions were taken from 19 to 29 April 1945 in a series of counterattacks. The remaining German soldiers surrendered to 66th Infantry Division officers and French officials in a small cafe near Cordemais on 8 May 1945.
Professional Career

George worked as a Truck & Tractor parts salesman for several International Truck and Farm-all tractor dealers in Tennessee and Georgia for his entire career after returning from military service in the U.S. Army during WWII, retiring in 1980.
12/17

2000

Death

December 17, 2000

Death date

Lung cancer

Cause of death

Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee United States
Death location

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12/20

2000

Gravesite & Burial

December 20, 2000

Funeral date
Evergreen Cemetery 519 Greenland Dr, in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee 37130, United States
Burial location
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