This article appeared in the January 8, 1941 issue of the Marietta Journal
"Goodbye But Not Farewell to Arms" - Twenty-four Cobb County Draft Volunteers Have Send-off Supper and Special Program
Twenty-four Cobb county stalwarts are dining on Army grub today following their induction Wednesday at Fort McPherson. They are the first group to go from this County under Selective Service regulations and one of them is a volunteer.
Tuesday night the group was given a supper by the American Legion, and later listened to talks by Fred Morris and Mayor L. M. Blair. The Legion supper was given them at City Cafe at 7 o'clock following which the group adjourned to the YWCA for the program.
Lucius Atherton, adjutant of this Legion post arranged the fete for the boys. Mayor L. M. Blair, A. E. McKleskey, legion commander; Fred Morris, Lucius Atherton, Charles E. Wood, J. E. Lovell and legionnaires attended the after supper program.
Ben H. Hamby, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hamby, and one of the volunteers inducted Wednesday, was named to leaeed the group of 24 boys until they reached the induction station at Ft. McPherson. James Cornwell was named to assist Hamby.
They met Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the local board office, and moved on to the bus station, where they boarded a Southern Management company bus for transport to Atlanta, where they were to be met by trucks from the fort, and taken to camp.
Five of the youths are under legal draft age of 21 and had to obtain their parents' consent to go in with this group of volunteers. They are Ben H. Hamby, Wallace E. Chastain, Orville A. Ham, and J. W. Barmore, all of Marietta; and Wiliiam B. Heath, Route 2, Marietta.
Of the 40 white draftees called in for examinations during Christmas week, and thirteen more who volunteered during the immediately following period, only three men were barred because of physical disability. Of the 53 men, 40 were accepted as being physically fit for 1-A classification; one was temporarily deferred because of a broken arm; three were turned down; and nine were classified as 1-B (fit for limited military service if called). Of these nine, four were to be re-examined at a later date for possible classification as 1-A.
None of the twelve colored draftees examined were turned down. This group will be inducted at Fort Benning on January 20.
Volunteers who left Wednesday for their year of service in the Army, in addition to the five named above, are Rufus L. White, Marietta; James P. Cornwell, Austell, Route 1; David A. Bagley Jr., Austell; Jesse M. Wilson, Atlanta; Elbert F. Wilson, Smyrna; Luther E. Holcombe, Smyrna, Route 1; John M. Doss, Clarkdale; Leonard E. Stanley, Marietta; Lewis H. Watson, Kennesaw, Route 1; Earal C. Daniell, Austell, Route 1; Reuben C. Moore, Bolton; Waymen C. Bryant, Calhoun; Lamar H. Newsome, Marietta; Grady Clackum, Marietta; John Woodall, Marietta; Howard J. Chance, Marietta, Route 2; Hollis Lee Webster, Marietta, Route 2; Mike R. Rakestraw, Marietta, Route 3; and Charles H. Benton, Marietta.
