KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — It’s been 80 years since a World War II sailor from Knoxville was killed when his ship was attacked. There was no funeral since his remains were lost at sea. Now, a member of his family is working to make sure he is remembered.
The East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville’s World’s Fair Park bears the names of more than 6,200 veterans from 35 East Tennessee counties who died in military service since the beginning of World War I. Each pylon contains roughly 220 names randomly listed from each county. The memorial was dedicated in 2008, but missing from pylon No. 14 for 16 years was the name of a World War II Sailor Herbert R. Colquitt.
Mike Colquitt and his wife, Jewel, told the story of how Herbert’s name was added. Jewel’s uncle Jimmy Monroe and Herbert Colquitt were childhood friends in Knoxville; both had joined the Navy. Herbert was a teenager…