THE HUCKLEBERRY HISTORIAN
SEPTEMBER 1998
SAMPSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY is starting an associate membership for the internet readers for $5 you will get the full Issue of the Newsletter by E-mail. For more information E-mail Jerome D. Tew.
"The Huckleberry Historian", News and Announcements of the Sampson County Historical Society. Usually seven pages per issue. Published four times a year since 1979. Features local history, genealogy and folklore items by the members. Includes membership in the Society. $7.50 for regular members and $5 for email or associate members
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE SAMPSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Volume XX, Number 3 ...... 15 September 1998
President: Virginia L. Bizzell, P.O Box 194, Newton Grove, NC 28366 Phone 594-0577
First V.P.: Jerome D. Tew, 600 Gloucester Rd., Goldsboro, NC 27534 Phone 735-4848
e-mail: jdtew@esn.net
Second V.P.: Robeania Hobbs, 112 Harmony Church Rd. Clinton, NC 28328 Phone 564-4745
Secretary: Evelyn Taylor, Rt. 3, Box 75, Roseboro, NC 28382 ....Phone 531-3574
Treasurer: Leta Bass, 319 Underwood St., Clinton, NC 28328 ..... Phone 592-2693
Editor: Huckleberry Historian, Oscar Bizzell - same as for Virginia Bizzell above
Associate Editor: Micki Cottle, 99 Pike Dr., Clinton, NC 28328 .. Phone 592-6705
NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING ON SATURDAY,
10 October 1998, starting at 2:00 pm.
The next quarterly meeting of the Sampson County Historical Society will be held in the auditorium
of the Clinton City Hall, 309 Lisbon Street, starting at 2:00 pm. The program will be reports from
the sub-committees and a discussion of what has been accomplished by them. Also, we will
examine the various sub-committees established since our Society was formed in February 1979.
Some have worked and many have not. This discussion is to help the Society facilitate better
activities in the future.
GEDDIE HERRING, A MAN TO REMEMBER
by Oscar M. Bizzell
In January 1996, James Hunt, our North Carolina Governor, presented the Order of the Long Leaf
Pine to Geddie Herring of Roseboro. But Hunt was not the first dignitary to realize how much we
owe this gallant North Carolinian. President Harry Truman led the way in 1945 when he placed the
blue silk ribbon and white stars of the Medal of Honor around Geddie's neck.Geddie Herring died 31 January 1996, and it is fitting that we retell his story at this time. His
heroism at Iwo Jima is the stuff of legend and it was deeds like this that caused Admiral Chester
Nimitz to say of that fierce struggle, "Uncommon valor was a common virtue."Geddie, a 90-day wonder Navy Lieutenant, was in command of a landing craft that had been
converted to a gun boat when he and his crew of 54 sailed to the fabled sands of Iwo Jima on Feb.
17, 1945, two days before the invasion. World War II would be over in six months, but first this
little island of black sand that stopped tanks and produced sulfur fumes that made you feel sick had
to be taken. It will be easy, the brass said.But nobody counted on the 21,000 Japanese solders
who knew they would never leave the island alive or surrender the heavy guns they had hidden in
caves.Herring and the men with him began their barrage with 20 mm and 40 mm shells to soften the
beaches for the frogmen who were going in ahead of the Marines. Then the Japanese started firing
back."It all happened in 45 seconds," Herring said. "The first shell hit our forward gun and killed that
entire crew. The second shell took out the other forward gun and killed that crew. The third shell hit
the bridge. There were seven of us up there and everyone was killed but me."In 45 seconds, 40 men died or had been wounded. Herring's arm was shattered at the elbow and a
large piece of shrapnel was sticking from the wound. He was bleeding heavily. His leg was broken.
Every sailor topside was dead or wounded and the ship itself was in danger of sinking."There were 14 crew members below deck and somebody had to try to save them. The ship was
foundering and we were heading straight for the beach," Geddie said. "I looked out and there
wasn't a soul standing. The covers on the ammunition were burning and there were bodies
everywhere, with some on fire.(Story Continued in printed issue - available upon subscription request)
 |