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Joe Gholston, 1943 Joe C. Gholston Baton Rouge 1998 Nat. Convention

Last Name: `
GHOLSTON
First Name Middle Initial:
JOE C
Nick Name:
Street:  PO BOX 9 City & State: FITZPATRICK, AL E-Mail: 
Zip: 36029 Phone:  (334) 738-3061 Spouse: HELEN
Conflict: WW II Service Branch: Army Air Corp Unit: 8 AF 351 BG 634 BS
Theater: ETO Where Captured: ROUEN, FRANCE Date Captured: 06/14/44
Camps Held In: STALAG IV AND I How Long Interned: 348 days
liberated / repatriated: liberated Date Liberated: 05/28/45 Age at Capture: 23
Medals Received: PURPLE HEART MEDAL, AIR MEDAL, ETO OPERATION W/2 BRONZE STARS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL
Military Job: SGT. Company: U. S. POSTAL SERVICES
Occupation after War:  POSTMASTER



Military Bio:

Joe C. Gholston of Fitzpatrick, Alabama was a crewmember on a B-17 when he was shot down over France on June 16th, 1944. At the age of 23 he was Sgt. with the 351st BG Army Air Corps. After being shot down he was captured and taken to Brussels, Belgium and was kept locked up in solitary confinement for 30 days.

  From there he was taken to Frankfurt, Germany for another 30 days of solitary confinement and was then taken by boxcar to Poland to be held in Camp Stalag IV. In January 1945 Joe was taken by boxcar for 9 days in standing room only to Camp Stalag I. On May 28th, 1945 he was liberated by the Russians and was flown out on B-17’s to Camp Lucky Strike in LeHarve, France.
  After the war Mr. Gholston went on to be become a Postmaster and spent most of his career with the United States Postal Service and his wife Helen. During his years in the service Mr. Gholston also received many medals for his bravery including the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the ETO of Operations with the Bronze Star, and many more.



My Message to Future Generations:

His message to the future generation is Be stern with your fellowman so they do not forget the price of freedom. Joe Gholston passed on shortly after the above photo was taken at the Oct. 1998 Baton Rouge convention (Feb. 1999). He will remain in our thoughts forever with this tribute to his sprit.

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