Remembering a Kentucky family’s sacrifice on anniversary of Pearl Harbor
A piece of Kentucky history regarding Pearl Harbor:
Gunner’s mate William Byron Whitt was on the USS Arizona Dec. 7, 1941. Pfc., USMCR Forest Gray Whitt was killed in the battle of Iwo Jima. My dad, Chalmer Ray Whitt was released early from the Navy because of the deaths of his brothers.
The story passed down to me was that my papa, Bal Whitt, chose not to bring Forest back to be buried in the family cemetery. He said that since he did not get to bring back William, that he would have Forest buried where he died. He also had said that he would always wonder if it was really his son who would be in the family cemetery.
What a sacrifice that my grandparents made for our country.
Barbara Owsley
Richmond
This story was originally published December 2, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Remembering a Kentucky family’s sacrifice on anniversary of Pearl Harbor."