Bartlett Woods in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Bartlett Veterans Memorial

Photographed by Steve Masler, July 20, 2015

1. Bartlett Veterans Memorial Marker

Inscription. Lest we forget. Erected by citizens of Bartlett to those who served their country in time of need.

Erected by The City of Bartlett.

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in this topic list: Military. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list.

Location. 35° 11.996′ N, 89° 52.102′ W. Memorial is in Bartlett, Tennessee, in Shelby County. It is in Bartlett Woods. It is at the intersection of Bartlett Boulevard and Bartlett Road, on the right when traveling south on Bartlett Boulevard. Located in W.J.Freeman Park. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 2629 Bartlett Boulevard, Memphis TN 38134, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in West Tennessee

and in Greater Memphis.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in the Upper South,

in the Mississippi Delta,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Geographical Center of Shelby County (approx. ¼ mile away); Bartlett, Tennessee (approx. 0.3 miles away); Nicholas Gotten (approx. half a mile away); Gabriel Maston Bartlett (approx. 1.1 miles away); St. Ann Catholic Church (approx. 1.3 miles away); Nashoba (approx. 1.9 miles away); The Lynching of Wash Henley (approx. 2.1 miles away); The Lynching of Ell Persons (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bartlett.

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memorial. Left side of memorial

The President of the United States in the name of the Congress takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor posthumously to Sgt. Walter K. Singleton. Rank and organization; Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines 3D Division. Place and date: Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 24 March 1967,Entered Service at: Memphis, Tenn,Born 7 December 1944, Memphis, Tenn. Citation; For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Singleton's company was conducting combat operations when the lead platoon received intense small arms, automatic weapons, rocket, and mortar fire from a well entrenched enemy force. As the company fought its way forward, the extremely heavy enemy fire caused numerous friendly casualties. Sensing the need for early treatment of the wounded, Sgt. Singleton quickly moved from his relatively safe position in the rear of the foremost point of the advance and made numerous trips through the enemy killing zone to move all the injured men out of the danger area. Noting that a large part of the enemy fire was coming from a hedgerow, he seized a machinegun and assaulted the key enemy location, delivering devastating fire as he advanced. He forced his way through the hedgerow directly into the enemy strong point, although

Photographed by Steve Masler, July 20, 2015

2. Bartlett Veterans Memorial Marker

he was mortally wounded, his fearless attack killed 8 of the enemy and drove the remainder from the Hedgerow. Sgt. Singleton's bold actions completely disorganized the enemy defense and saved the lived of many of his comrades. His daring initiative selfless devotion to duty and indomitable fighting spirit reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps, and his performance upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. Presented by President Lyndon B. Johnson-April 6, 1970.

Right side of memorial
The President of the United States in the name of the Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to T/Sgt. Vernon McGarity. Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I.,393D Infantry, 99th Infantry Division. Place and Date: Near Krinkelt, Belgium, 16 December 1944. Entered service at Model,Tenn. Born 1 December 1921, Right, Tenn. G.O. No.: 6, 11 January 1946. Citation: He was painfully wounded in an artillery barrage that preceded the powerful counteroffensive launched by the Germans near Krinkelt,Belgium on the morning of 16 December 1944. He made his way to an aid station, received treatment, and then refused to be evacuated, choosing to return to his hard-pressed men instead. The fury of the enemy's great Western Front offensive swirled about the position held by T/Sgt. McGarity's small force, but so tenaciously did these

Photographed by Steve Masler, July 20, 2015

3. Bartlett Veterans Memorial Marker

men fight on orders to stand firm at all costs that they could not be dislodged despite murderous enemy fire and the breakdown of their communications. During the day, the heroic squad leader rescued 1 of his friends who had been wounded in a forward position, and throughout the night he exhorted his comrades to repulse the enemy's attempts at infiltration. When morning came and the Germans attacked with tanks and infantry, he braved heavy fire to run to an advantageous position where he immobilized the enemy's lead tank with a round from a rocket launcher. Fire from his squad above drove the attacking infantrymen back, and 3 supporting tanks withdrew. He rescued, under heavy fire, another wounded American, and then directed devastating fire on a light cannon which had brought up by the hostile troops to clear resistance from the area. When ammunition began to run low, T?Sgt. McGarity, remembering an old ammunition hole about 100 yards distant in the general direction of the enemy, braved a concentration of hostile fire to replenish his unit's supply. By circuitous route, the enemy managed to emplace a machinegun to the rear and flank of the squad's position, cutting off the only escape route. Unhesitatingly, the gallant soldier took it upon himself to destroy this menace single-handedly. He left cover, and while under steady fire from the enemy, killed or wounded all the hostile

Bartlett Veterans Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Steve Masler, July 20, 2015

4. Bartlett Veterans Memorial

gunners with deadly accurate rifle fire and prevented all attempts to reman the gun. Only when the squad's last round had been fired was the enemy able to advance and capture the intrepid leader and his men. The extraordinary bravery and extreme devotion to duty of T/Sgt. McGarity supported a remarkable delaying action which provided the time necessary for assembling reserves and forming a line against which the German striking power was shattered. Awarded by President Harry S. Truman- December 12, 1952.

Also see . . .
1. Walter K. Singleton's Find A Grave Listing. (Submitted on July 22, 2015, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)
2. Vernon McGarity, Dies at 91, War Hero; Fought in the Battle of the Bulge. (Submitted on July 22, 2015, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2015, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 765 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 21, 2015, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.