Charles Sharp
Charles Virgil Sharp (Sept. 23, 1924 – Jan. 30, 1944) was a soldier from Scott County killed in Italy during World War II.
See Also: Scott Countians killed in war
Biography
Born Sept. 23, 1924, Charles V. Sharp was the son of Archie McDonald Sharp (1905-1973) and Helen Lowe (1908-1994). His siblings included Herman Espie Sharp (1923-1944), Kenneth Denby Sharp (1927-1984) and Theda Vera Hawkins (1930-2015).
Charles’ mother was a second-great-granddaughter of Mikel Low, believed to be the first permanent settler of Scott County. His father was born in Oneida (he was the grandson of James Sharp, a Union veteran of the Civil War) but later moved to Smokey Junction to live with his grandmother. That’s where he met and married Helen, on July 14, 1922.
Charles was likely born in Scott County, but didn’t spend much time here. The family moved to Knox County, Ky. early in his life, where his father worked in a saw mill. By 1940 they lived in Campbell County. When Archie signed up for the draft, his residence was in Shea, the coal mining town near the Scott-Campbell county line just upriver from Smokey Junction. He registered in Jacksboro, Tenn. When Charles registered for the draft a few years later, he listed his residence as Clinchmore, another Campbell County mining community near the county line and just a short distance from Smokey Junction. He also registered in Jacksboro.
While Charles was born in Scott County, he wasn’t really from Scott County in the same sense as most of the rest of the soldiers listed on local war memorials. However, it’s complicated because his parents were originally from Scott County and they lived very close to the county line. After his death, he was listed on the Scott County Veterans Memorial in Huntsville, but not the VFW Post 5669 Memorial Wall in Oneida.
World War II
Pvt. Sharp enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 3rd Ranger Battalion. He was killed in action at Cisterna, Italy on Jan. 30, 1944.
Aftermath
Pvt. Sharp’s body was returned to Campbell County in August 1948, arriving in LaFollette. He was buried at Riverview Cemetery at Smokey Junction.
He received the Purple Heart. In addition to the Scott County Veterans Memorial, he is listed on the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville.