Caughey Branham Culpepper Jr.

Male, #20565, (30 Mar 1920 - 30 Jul 1944)

Parent*Caughey Branham Culpepper (9 Nov 1897 - 12 Jul 1973)
Parent*Sarah Vesta Willingham (5 Jun 1895 - 3 Apr 1966)
Caughey Branham Culpepper Jr.|b. 30 Mar 1920\nd. 30 Jul 1944|p20565.htm|Caughey Branham Culpepper|b. 9 Nov 1897\nd. 12 Jul 1973|p34338.htm|Sarah Vesta Willingham|b. 5 Jun 1895\nd. 3 Apr 1966|p34339.htm|Rev. George B. Culpepper|b. 29 Mar 1866\nd. 12 Oct 1948|p33303.htm|Lillian M. Shepard|b. 13 Sep 1871\nd. 18 Nov 1939|p33306.htm|||||||

Birth*30 Mar 1920 Caughey was born at Fort Valley, Houston Co., Georgia, on 30 Mar 1920.1,2 
 He was the son of Caughey Branham Culpepper and Sarah Vesta Willingham. 
1930 Census1 Apr 1930 Caughey was listed as a son in Caughey Branham Culpepper's household on the 1930 Census at Atlanta, Fulton Co., Georgia.3 
World War II*between 1942 and 1944 He served as an officer in World War II between 1942 and 1944
(Caughey B. Culpepper, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, 0-029804, United States Marine Corps. Entered the Service from Georgia, died July 30, 1944 and was awarded a Purple Heart.).4,2 
Death*30 Jul 1944 He died at Pacific on 30 Jul 1944.5,4,2 
Burial*14 Feb 1947 His body was interred on 14 Feb 1947 at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Honolulu Co., Hawaii. Plot C Row 1 Grave 213.4,2 
Biography* Rev. George Bright Culpepper wrote on p. 16 of "ONE FAMILY - CULPEPPER" a 25 page type manuscript completed 8 Oct 1942: They [C. B. Culpepper, Sr. and Vesta Willingham] have only one child, a splendid son, now over 22 years old, C. B. Culpepper Jr., born March 30/20. He is attending Law School at Emory University, Atlanta. He had joined the Marines and will enter that branch of the service as soon as he gets his diploma.... My oldest grandson, Caughey Branham Culpepper, graduated from Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, North Carolina....
      The following excerpt is from p. 228 of the History of Peach County: Caughey [Branham Culpepper,] Jr., was a graduate of Emory Law School. A Marine lieutenant, he lost his life in a Pacific Island battle during World War II.
      From George Bryant Culpepper, April 2001:
      "My cousin Caughey B. Culpepper, Jr. might have been the marine referred to by Admiral Nimitz. He was killed by friendly fire in the South Pacific and was later reinterred in the cemetery in Hawaii....
      "Caughey Jr. was a brilliant young man. He graduated from Emory Law School in '42 or '43 and reported for duty with the Marines. He didn't live long. As I recall, he was mistakenly shot at night by another marine. He was my great uncle Caughey's only child."
      The following letter was found by George Brown Culpepper in May 2001, and was contributed by his son George Bryant Culpepper:
.
      UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
.
3rd Joint Assault Signal Co.
Hq. Bn. 3rd Marine Division
10 October 1944
.
My dear Mr. and Mrs. Culpepper,
.
As Lieutenant Culpepper's company commander, and for his many
friends both officers and enlisted men in Third JAS Co., I want to extend heartfelt sympathies. His loss has been keenly felt in the company, for he was one of the best-liked, most respected officers in my command. His fine character, loyalty, untiring enthusiasm and devotion to duty made him an inspiration to us.
.
Lieutenant Culpepper landed in Guam with the assault waves July
21st. Largely through his efforts air liaison communications in the regiment to which he was attached functioned smoothly during the early phase of the attack. He was active every minute, doing even more than his team's share of the job assigned to them. On the night he was killed his air liaison team was with the group furnishing perimeter defense for the battalion in the vicinity of Mt. Irachleo (sp?).
.
It was a dark night and raining; and infiltration of attack
by the Japs was imminent. Jap snipers were active, and the Marines
occasionally returned the fire. At about 11:30 p.m. 30 July, Lieutenant Culpepper was hit by a rifle bullet, which entered his abdomen. He immediately went into shock, lost consciousness, and although every possible effort to save his life was made by the doctor and corpsmen, died a few minutes later without any suffering. He was buried with full military honors in grave number 3, row 13, Army, Navy and Marine Corps Cemetery No. 1, on Guam.
.
John H. Ellis,
Commanding.
 

Charts Descendants of Dr. James Marion Culpepper Taylor Co., GA
Last Edited 5 Feb 2005

Citations

  1. George Bright Culpepper, One Family - Culpepper, James Marion Culpepper family, 25 page, typed manuscript, unpub., 8 Oct 1942.
    p 16.
  2. National Cemetery Administration, compiler, US Veterans Cemeteries, 1800-2006, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2006.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8750
    Caughey B. Culpepper Jr., 30 Mar 1920 - 30 Jul 1944, Served as Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps, Interred 14 Feb 1947 in National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Section C, Site 1213.
  3. 1930 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 125, page 17B, 926 Waverly Way, NE, Atlanta, Fulton Co., GA
    Home=$8000, Radio=N, Farm=N (Caughey Branham Culpepper, ID: 34338)
    Caughey B. Culpepper, Head, M, 32, M, md @ 21, GA/GA/GA, Stenographer for RR
    Vesta W. Culpepper, Wife, F, 34, M, md @ 23, GA/GA/GA, Stenographer for dental clinic
    Caughey B. Culpepper, Jr., Son, M, 10, S, GA/GA/GA.
  4. , American Battle Monuments Online Database, American Battle Monuments Commission, 2005.
    http://www.abmc.gov/
  5. History of Peach County Georgia.
    p 228 'in a Pacific Island battle during World War II.'