Theron Terry

Theron C. Terry (Feb. 29, 1920 – April 23, 1943) was a soldier from Oneida killed in World War II.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born Feb. 29, 1920, Theron C. Terry was the son of Mitchell Terry (1887-1960) and Nannie Belle Hall (1898-1972).

His siblings included Virgil C. Walls (1914-1985), Mitchell “Jake” Terry Jr. (1922-1981), Cloreda Owens (1924-1988), Mary Helen Sexton (1928-1998), Ottis Lee Terry (1930-2021), James Nathanil Terry (1935-2019) and Wanda Elva “Pat” Cotton (1941-1997).

The family lived in the Pentecost area just east of Oneida.

Theron’s second-great-grandfather was Josiah Terry (1782-1868), the first settler of Oneida. He was a distant (third) cousin to Audney Terry, who was also killed during World War II.

He was not married.

World War II

Cpl. Terry enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1940 and was assigned to the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. He spent seven months overseas before he was killed on April 23, 1943 in North Africa.

Aftermath

Cpl. Terry’s body was returned to Scott County on June 18, 1948. A funeral service was conducted at Pentecost Baptist Church by Rev. L.M. Jeffers and Rev. Albert Chitwood. He was buried in the family cemetery on Terry Road, located on the ridge above the former Hartco flooring plant, near the area known as Socktown.

He received the Purple Heart. 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.