Jesse Boyce Holleman (February 26, 1924 – November 21, 2003) was an American war veteran, attorney, politician, attorney, actor, and master story teller.
Boyce Holleman was born in Fruitland Park, MS, to a family that made their living in timber and construction. As a Naval Aviator in World War II, he was shot down while making a bomb run during the invasion of Saipan and spent 14 months recovering from severe injuries. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Gordon McHenry Japan 1946McHenry’s in War Jobs Article
Among those Stone County natives part of “The Greatest Generation” is Gordon S. McHenry. Better known for his medical practice for many many years, SGT McHenry was part a member of the Military Police in the Occupation Forces in Japan in 1946.
Floyd and Hazel McHenry had six children. All were involved in WWII in some way. In the article included in this post, Gordon is the “high school student at the Junior college (Perk)”. Floyd died in 1941 and did not see the involvement of his children in the war effort.
Visit the Bank of Wiggins to see The Old Firehouse Museum’s first traveling exhibit, Stone County’s Heroes. The exhibit includes a wall of photos of some 350 men and women from our area who served in the military in WWII. It is incomplete. We are still looking for photos of others who served.
Please take time to visit the exhibit… it is quite moving and inspiring. During WW II, brothers were sent overseas to fight. Some families had 3 or 4 brothers in the service. The Brooks family had 7 brothers in the war. What sacrifices the mothers and fathers made by giving up their sons and daughters to fight for the freedom of all.
If you have photos of Stone County heroes from any branch of service and from any time period, please email those to oldfirehousewiggins@gmail.com.
Did you know our own Dr. Needham Jones belonged to the famous Tuskegee Airmen? While a student at Alcorn A&M College, Jones was called up in the draft just six weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He was allowed to complete the spring semester as a member of the reserves and reported to the Air Corps at Camp Shelby, Mississippi on September 7, 1942. After eight days of testing, he was sent with the 30 highest scoring to Maxwell Air Force Base in Tuskegee, Alabama, and became a member of the 99th Pursuit Squadron. At discharge he had the rank of Corporal.
Dr. Jones spent many years in education in Stone County serving as Principal at Locker High School and then as Assistant Principal at Stone High. Through Dr. Jones efforts, many young people stayed in school to complete their high school education.
Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS), on March 1, 2013, hosted a ceremony officially recognizing Tuskegee Airman and current Hattiesburg resident, Corporal Needham Jones, Sr., at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.
The Old Firehouse Museum 