Major General Andrew Pickens

Major General Andrew Pickens. , This statue of Major General Pickens is built in memory of Ellison Smyth McKissick, Jr., 1925-1998, Korean War veteran and former chief executive officer of Alice Manufacturing Company, Inc. Ellison Smyth McKissick, Jr., enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on August 28th, 1956 and served in Korea. He was promoted to Sergeant on June 1st, 1952 and was subsequently wounded during combat at Koreang-Po-Ri, Korea on November 18th, 1952. After a year of recuperation from his wounds, Sergeant McKissick was given an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps on August 27th, 1953. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Star, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Purple Heart. After his discharge, he returned to Alice Manufacturing Company, Inc. and became its president in 1955. , Alice Manufacturing, Inc., honors Sergeant Ellison Smyth McKissick, Jr., his fellow Marines, Korean War veterans, and the thousands of Pickens County veterans who worked in our textile industry before and after answering their call to military duty, and, likewise, to producing uniforms, blankets, parachutes and other military gear that helped our soldiers, airmen and marines win our nations wars. Textiles have been the true lifeblood of Pickens County for the past 100 years, providing livelihood for both the cotton farmer and the workers. The textile industry during our nations wars, saw many of its able bodied young men and women serve, while at home continuing to sustain the war effort through industrial might unsurpassed by our enemies. Throughout the years from the cotton farmer to the textile mill village family, textile workers have been a tremendous sustaining force in war and peace.