Hurstle Goad

Hurstle Lee Goad (Feb. 24, 1912 – Nov. 16, 1944) was a soldier from Robbins killed in France during World War II.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born Feb. 24, 1912, Hurstle L. Goad was the son of Berry “Lee” Goad (1884-1968) and Amanda Lawson (1887-1931). He had five siblings, most of which died in childhood: An infant born and died in 1907, Artie Mencie Epperson (1908-1994), Ezra Goad (1914-1914), Visie Biggs (1923-1949) and Edith Goad (1926-1932).

With the exception of the infant and Ezra, all of Hurstle’s siblings and his parents are buried at Black Creek Crossroads Cemetery. The infant and Ezra are buried at Phillips Cemetery on Bull Creek. This would indicate that the family likely lived in that area until after Hurstle was born. His mother, Amanda, was from Bull Creek, where the Lawson family has deep roots. Her great-grandfather was David Lawson, a Revolutionary War veteran who moved to present-day Scott County after the war along with two of his brothers, Randolph Lawson and John Lawson. Hurstle Goad’s third-great-grandfather was Abraham Goad, a Revolutionary War veteran who settled on New River and was Randolph Lawson’s neighbor. Hurstle’s grandfather, Aaron Goad Jr., moved to Robbins and settled there.

He was a third cousin of Sam Jones Goad, of Glenmary, who was also killed in France in 1944.

Hurstle married Allean Tabor (1921-1987) on Dec. 20, 1939. She lived on Black Creek near Robbins. They had one child: Willard Benton Goad (1940-2008). Prior to the war, he worked for Archie Ellis at Armathawaite in eastern Fentress County.

World War II

Pvt. Goad enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 28, 1944 at Camp Shelby, Miss., and was assigned to the 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division. He died on Nov. 16, 1944. There are indications that he was killed in action in France. Unfortunately, no further information is available.

The 314th Infantry was part of Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army, and was the first to cross the Seine River during the liberation of France. Prior to that, the 314th had played an integral role during D-Day and the Normandy campaign. After entering France, the 314th encountered stiff resistance from well-entrenched Nazi troops. Losses were significant — including Pvt. Goad.

Aftermath

Pvt. Goad’s body was returned to Scott County in August 1949 and he was buried at Black Creek Crossroads Cemetery with the rest of his family.

He is listed on the VFW Post 5669 Memorial Wall in Oneida, the Scott County Veterans Memorial in Huntsville, and the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville.

Allean (or Alene) Goad moved to Cincinnati shortly after the war, and spent the remainder of her life there. She never remarried. She had a second son, Allen Goad (1955-2015). Pvt. Hurstle Goad is often recorded as his father; obviously that cannot be true.