George R Ratliff

George R Ratliff was born on 1926 in Gentry (Benton County, Arkansas).

The town of Gentry, intersected by State Highways 12 and 59, is situated along the western border of Benton County. The county itself is located in the extreme northwestern corner of Arkansas and is bounded on the north by Missouri and on the west by Oklahoma. Benton County was established as the state’s thirty-fourth county on September 30, 1836, the same day that Arkansas became a state. The county was renamed in honor of Missouri’s U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton who had led a strong campaign to secure statehood for Arkansas.

Today about 4.000 people live in Gentry. In the year that George R Ratliff was born there were about 750 people in Gentry.

The story of George R Ratliff:

George R Ratliff was born in 1926 in Gentry (Benton County, Arkansas). He was the son of George F Ratliff and Grace E. (Maxson) Ratliff. He had two sisters (Patricia and Dorris) and one brother (Jack).
In Gentry he went tot he Grammar School.
At a certain point the whole family moved to Wichita in Kansas. He started to work there as a farm hand. On August 1, 1944 he enlisted in the United States Army. He received his training at Camp Joseph T. Robinson at Little Rock (Arkansas). Late October or early November 1944 he was assigned tot he 35th Infantry Division (The Santa Fé Division). His unit became the 137th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion and L Company. He became Rifleman.
On the morning of May 11, 1944 George R Ratliff and his brothers in arms passed the Statue of Liberty on his way to Avonmouth, England. On July 4, 1944 his Regiment was transported to Plymouth and Falmouth. On July 6-7, 1944 they sailed to France. George R Ratliff landed on Omaha Beach a month after D-Day. From here his combat began on July 11, 1944.
George R Ratliff took part in the liberation of Saint-Lô, relieving the US-soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge. George R Ratliff moved further and on March 5, 1945 his Regiment recieved the order to twist north and take Ossenberg.
On March 8, 1945 his unit was pinned down and encountered heavy opposition from the Nazi’s. George R Ratliff voluntarily covered (together with Staff Sergeant Alwin Welch) the reorganisation of his squad from an exposed position. His gallant performance in this action enabled the squad to resume its advance. When Alwin and George moved to rejoin, both where killed by an enemy sniper. For this action he received the Silver Star.
George R Ratliff died at an age of 19. His body lies at US War Cemetry Margraten (the Netherlands).
To be precise: Block C; Row 16; Grave 23. He died too young, but gave his life four our freedom. We will never forget him fort his.