Veterans Day: World War I Era

This is Sgt. Loy T. Chander. Mr. Chandler was born on October 19, 1898.

During World War I he served as a guard for German prisoners close to the front line.

Following the war Mr. Chandler worked with Southern Railway for 42 years.

Mr. Chandler passed away on February 3, 1994.

He was a founding member for First Baptist Church, Lithia Springs.

You can find out more about the founding of the church in the articles found here.

If you would like to see more posts regarding the veterans at FBCLS follow the link
here for a complete listing.

Mr. Chandler's image is the earliest veteran image currently maintained by the FBCLS Historical Committee.

Veterans Day: Brian Hall

The image above was included in an article that appeared in the Douglas County Sentinel on Sunday, October 2, 2005 regarding FBCLS member Brian Hall. From the article:

Brian Hall, 30, was wounded September 30th by an IED blast to his Humvee. He received a head injury and shrapnel wounds to the face. He was medivaced to Landstuhl, Germany, and then sent to Water Reed in Washington, D.C.

Hall was a Combat Medic in the 108 Calvary, and served in the Army for four years. He is part of the Georgia Army National Guard 48th Brigade out of Ft. Stewart. Loved ones say he joined the military because he felt he should serve his country after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He also believed God had a purpose for him in Iraq as a medic, where he treated soldiers and civilians. He especially enjoyed helping the kids; often handing out candy and small toys along with his medical treatments.

Hall and his wife, Jessica, are members of Lithia Spring First Baptist Church. Jessica is a teacher at Turner Middle School, and they have an 8-month-old child.

You can click on the image of the article to see a larger version.

If you would like to see more posts regarding the veterans at FBCLS follow the link
here for a complete listing.

Veterans Day: Dotson Davis

The article pictured to the left appeared in the Douglas County Sentinel on July 17, 2005 to honor FBCLS member Dotson Davis. The article states:

Joseph Dotson Davis is not one to talk about his days in the army fighting in World War II; for 60 years his stories of the war were kept from everyone including his family. But after years of urgent requests Davis sat down last year to write his story. And, on Father’s Day, he was honored by receiving the medals he had earned in the war. “I remember not be scared entering the military March 2, 1943 at Fort McClellan, Alabama because it was something I had to do,” he said.


In 1944, Davis fought in the Battle of the Bulge when he, along with other allied soldiers were captured by the Germans.


“My fellow troops in the 28th Infantry Reconnaissance and I were in a Belguim hotel and could see the Germans coming to get us in a whole bunch of tanks, we tried to run but they captured or killed the 28 troops,” he said.

He was held prisoner in the M. Stammlager XIIA war camp for three and a half months and lost 40 pounds from malnutrition.

“I was a prisoner of war for three and a half months and only fed potato soup and slept in a warehouse-like building on straw covered floors with body lice all around us,” he said.

Then one day while Davis was in a box cart being transported by the Germans to another camp, the train came to an abrupt halt while in a mountain tunnel.

“I knew immedately we were being rescued. We were liberated by an American Tank Division, after the bombed the train track crippling the German transportation system,” he said.

After being rescued Davis was immediately sent to the hospital to recover from malnutrition and frost bite.

“I had frost bitten toes, blue under some nails and lost nails on my toes,” he said. Now my feet ache after I have walked a short distance or stand for a long period of time.”

Davis remained in the Army a few more months before being dishonorably discharged in 1946.

After returning home without any military medals, Davis made a decision to remain mum about his Army adventures after marrying his wife Ruth and raising his two daughters, Beverly Reagin of Villa Rica and Marilyn Freeman of Douglasville.

“I was not proud to talk about it, it was an awful time,” he said.

Even now, Davis doesn’t like to go into detail about fighting in the war.

“If people ask questions, I will tell them but I normally don’t talk about it,” he said.

But after years of silence, Davis decided to tell his story within the last year at the urging of his nephew, Robert Davis, of Melbourne, Florida.

“He asked me to tell him the details of the war for several years now, so I finally decided to do it,” he said.
In May, the Davis family took a trip to Washington D.C. to see the World War II memorial. While there, his daughter Beverly inquired about obtaining her father’s medals from the war.

And finally after 60 years, Davis received more than six medals from the U.S. Army including the U.S. Purple Heart and a Prisoner of War medal. Ron Young, a former POW captured by the Iraq soldiers, made a special visit to the Davis home to present the medals.

“My daughter Beverly asked him to come to our families’ Father’s Day cookout, and Ron surprised me with the plaque,” he said.

“I was surprised to see Ron, and I did not know I had so many medals and pins,” he said.

Young made himself at home at the Davis’ home that day enjoying hamburgers and hotdogs and taking pictures with the family.

Ron told me that when he was a POW, the Iraqis only fed him burned rice, so when he came into the kitchen to eat I said, “You want some rice?” Ron laughed and said, “I am staying far away from the rice,” laughed Davis.

You can click on the newspaper articles to enlarge them....

If you would like to see more posts regarding the veterans at FBCLS follow the link
here for a complete listing.

Veterans Day: Man Receives Medals 56 Years Later

The Douglas County Sentinel article from July 4, 2001, that appears with this post (below) discusses FBCLS member Roy Webb. You can click on the article to get a closer view, however the text has been reproduced below:

Almost 55 years after he was discharged from the Army, a Douglas County resident has finally received the medals he received during and after WWII.

Thomas Roy Webb, 74, of Lithia Springs, served as a combat medic at the end of WW II and spent a year with the occupation forces in Japan. His military service includes four years in the Naval Air Reserve and three years in the Georgia Air National Guard.

A mix-up in his military records led the Army to believe Webb was not due any medals. According to Webb, recent efforts by Congressman Bob Barr, the American Legion, and the VFW led the government to finally get around to sending him the medals he justly deserved.

On Monday, a package arrived at Webb’s home containing the four medals. Included were the Army Good Conduct , Asiatic Pacific Campaign, Victory World War II, and Army of Occupation medals.

“I had a great surprise awaiting me when I went to my mailbox on July 2,” Webb said. “I had never received any of my service medals from WW II. I had given up hope of ever getting them.”

Webb, a graduate of Douglas County High School was drafted at the age of 18 on December 21, 1944. He was eventually assigned to the 98th Infantry Division, 323rd Engineering Brigade and on July 4, 1945 reached Hawaii.

Following the Japanese surrender, the division was sent to Japan where they landed, ready for combat, on September 27, 1945.

“It was rough. There was a typhoon in the bay,” Webb said. “We had live ammo. If they had started to shoot, we were prepared to meet it.

After spending a year as part of the occupational forces in Japan, Webb was transferred back to the United States and was discharged in October, 1946 as a Technician, Four Grade. He then had a 30-year career with International Harvester.

Webb and his wife Geraldine, live in Lithia Springs. He is a member of the First Baptist Church, Lithia Springs. They have three children, Diane, Randy, and Steven.

Webb said at first, he did not realize what was in the package he received in the mail. “When I opened the package, there were four boxes,” he said. “Then I took time to read what it said…Then I knew what I had—my service medals.”

“After carefully looking at them, I was shedding tears. This will be the best Fourth of July of my life.”

If you would like to see more posts regarding the veterans at FBCLS follow the link
here for a complete listing.

Wild Game Dinner: 2008

The Wild Game Dinner, an annual event for FBCLS was held September 18th with Truett Cathy as guest speaker.

Click on the slideshow to see the images seperately. You will be taken to another web page...then click on "view images" in blue.

Second Anniversary

A photocopy of the article detailed below is all that has been located, so far, regarding the second anniversary of the church. It is marked 1948 and it is not indicated if the article was published in the Sentinel or another local paper: The copy isn't in the best shape, but it says:

The Lithia Springs First Baptist Church will observe the second anniversary of its constitution on Sunday with an all-day service. Rev. J.A. Patterson, pastor, announced this week. Dr. L. Smith of the Park Avenue Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia will be the guest speaker for the afternoon service.

Constituted April 7, 1946 with 13 members the church has grown to a membership of 154. Meeting first in the Lithia Springs school the church now holds services in the basement of the proposed church plant. The basement unit was completed at a cost of $21,000.

The day's program will include the regular order of service in the morning with a basket lunch being served at the noon hour. The afternoon program will feature songs by the Park Avenue Quartet and the Grant Park Quartet, readings by Sara Maud Chandler and Joyce Patterson, and the address by Dr. Smith.

The church extends a cordial invitation to those in the community.

Stewardship Courses: 1953

This article appeared in the Austell Enterprise on October 22, 1953:

A Stewardship Study Course for the Lithia Springs Baptist is announced by the church Training Union.

All age groups are included. The adult book, "Found Faithful" will be taught by Rev. James T. Manley, of the First Baptist Church of Chattahoochee. The young peoples book, "Good Stewards," will be taught by Rev. Howard Gordon, pastor of Crestview Church, Marietta. Rev. Howard McDowell, associate pastor and music director of Fair Oaks Baptist will teach the Intermediates "Partners With God."

The Juniors will be taught by Mrs. James T. Manley. Their book is "Talking Penny." The Primaries will study "Bonny Baptist and the Sunbeams," this will be taught by Mrs. L.T. Chandler, member of the local church.

The nursery will be open each evening.