Eugene Lewallen

Eugene Debbs Lewallen (April 9, 1921 – July 23, 1945) was a soldier from Glenmary who died in a stateside car accident during World War II.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born April 9, 1921, Eugene D. Lewallen was the son of Archie Leroy Lewallen (1893-1982) and Mary Irene Robbins (1898-1983). His siblings included Hillard Jennings Butler (1919-1998), Calvin Cooledge Lewallen (1922-2004), Archie Leroy Lewallen Jr. (1928-1928), Irene June Lewallen (1928-1929), Betty Lois Glander (1932-1985), Mildred Faye Sexton (1936-2016) and Maxine Marie Moore (1920-1993). Two of his brothers also fought in World War II, including Hillard Butler and Coolidge Lewallen.

The Lewallen family is one of Glenmary’s first families. Eugene’s father was a veteran of World War I and his great-grandfather, Campbell County Lewallen, was a veteran of the Civil War. His second-great-grandfather, John Lewallen, was the first sheriff of Scott County.

His mother was part of the equally deep-rooted Robbins family of Robbins. His mother was the niece of Scott County Judge Melton James “Mitt” Robbins.

World War II

PFC Lewallen enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 505th Parachute Infantry. He trained at Fort Benning, Ga., and fought in the European theater of World War II, and was wounded in Italy in September 1943 before later being wounded in France in June 1944.

On July 23, 1945, PFC Lewallen died at Chamberlain Memorial Hospital in Rockwood, Tenn. after being involved in a car accident. He was buried at Archie Lewallen Cemetery in the Coal Hill community.

He received the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. He is listed on the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville, but is not listed on either of the veterans memorials in Scott County.