Joseph Brady Wadsworth

Joseph Brady Wadsworth, born 02 May 1922, Interlachen, Putnam CO, FL, died 29 Dec 2002, Memorial Health Systems, Lufkin, Beaumont CO, TX, married 25 Dec 1943, Palatka, Putman CO, FL, Daisy Ruth Buckles, dau of John Oliver Buckles and Daisy Ann Davis, born 11 Jun 1924, St Johns Park, Flagler CO, FL, died 30 Jan 2010, Lufkin, Beaumont CO, TX. Both are buried at Garden of Memories Memorial Park, Lufkin, Beaumont CO, TX,

The family moved from Interlachen to Hawthorne in 1924. He started first grade in Bunnell but the family soon moved to Flagler Beach where he completed the first and second grades. He then enrolled in the Bunnell school and attended it through the eight grade.

He enrolled in the Montverde School for his ninth grade year but was dissatisfied and left that school to return to Hawthorne for a few months. He then came back to Bunnell High School where he continued his schooling through the first half of his senior years. He was president of the senior class when he left school and enlisted in the USMC.

While at Bunnell High School, Brady was a member of the FFA for five years and made the first team on the football squad for four years.

Brady enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 09 Jan 1942. He attended Booth Camp at Parris Island, SC. Assigned to E-2-1, 1st Marine Division, 4th Squad as a Browning Automatic Rife (BAR) man. He embarked on the GEORGE F. ELLIOTT in San Francisco on 22 Jun 1942 for Wellington, New Zealand arriving there on 11 Jun 1942.

He landed on Guadalcanal in the 2nd Wave on 07 Aug 1942. He dug his fox hole and helped erect barbed wire on beach at Hell Point, Tenaru River.

When the Japs made their all-out effort to cross the Tenaru sandbar and penetrate our lines on 21 Aug 1942, he fired at them with his automatic rifle, killing several, until his gun jammed. Then he picked up a Springfield 1903 rifle and fired it until several Japanese got within bayonet range. Wadsworth parried and jabbed for some moments, but was overwhelmed, struck by a bullet which knocked him down and left for dead.

When the US troops later regained the position, Brady, who was wounded in three places, refused to be evacuated until the more seriously wounded had been cared for.

He left island that night by a Higgins boat which took him to a destroyer bound to a New Hebrides French Hospital. He later took a hospital ship to New Zealand.

After a short recovery in New Zealand, he took a troop ship to San Diego on 14 Oct 1942. He was discharged at Jacksonville Naval Station on 18 Feb 1943, only eleven months and nine days after he had raised his hand and swore to defend this county with his life in need be.

Brady was awarded the Purple Heart for the wounds he received on Guadalcanal. His heroics were chronicled in “Guadalcanal Diary,” “Guadalcanal: Starvation Island,” and “Green Hell.”

Upon his return home, Brady joined Flagler American Legion Post 115 and in Sep 1943 was in Omaha, NE as a delegate from the Fourth District of the Florida American Legion to Legion’s national convention being held there.

Brady ran for Flagler County Superintendent of Public Instruction and won the 02 May 1944 primary with 386 votes to Zachary Dean Holland's 253. He resigned this position on 21 Feb 1946, effective 28 Feb 1946.

In January 1945, he was among those 26 Flagler CO veterans who formed the first VFW post in the county. He served as a trustee for the new post.

On 01 Feb 1958, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He had attended the university part-time as he was employed with the Rayonier Company and stationed at Lake City.

Grady worked in many different capacities for ITT Rayonier in Florida and Georgia from 1952 to 1969, eventually achieving the position of Georgia Operations Superintendent.

He began working at Southland Paper Mills in Lufkin in 1969 where he served as Vice President of Forest Resources from 1972-1977. In 1977, he began working for the St Regis Corporation in Lufkin and served as Regional Manager of the Texas Region until his retirement in 1985.

Grady served as legislative committee chairman for the Georgia Chapter of the Society of American Foresters, president of the Texas Forestry Association in 1976 and was a trustee for the Texas Forestry Museum. He also served on the Texas Forest Service Advisory Committee, participated in the establishment of the Texas Forestry Museum and was one of the founders and first presidents of the Texas Reforestation Foundation.

In addition to being a member of the American Legion, he was a member of the Society of American Foresters, the American Pulpwood Association Executive Committee, the Forest Farmers Board of Directors, the Texas A&M 2000 Committee, the Marine Corps League, the 1st Marine Division Association, and the Texas Reforestation Foundation Board of Directors. He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Guadalcanal Campaign Veterans.

Among his many awards were the Gulf States Section Distinguished Service to Forestry Awards, the Texas Forestry Association Communicator of the Year Award and his selection as a Fellow in the Society of American Foresters. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Lufkin, where he previously serves as Finance Chairman and as Chairman of the Administrative Board.

Daisy Ruth was a graduate of Bunnell High School and attended the School of Nursing at the St Vincent Hospital in Jacksonville where she received her nurse's training. Issue;

1. Sylvia Delores Wadsworth, born 28 May 1945, Flagler Hospital, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL, married 11 Jun 1972, Naval Air Station, Glynco, Glynn CO, GA, Robert Austin Marshall, son of Harold Walter Marshall and Elizabeth Jane Porter, born 09 Dec 1939, Des Moines, Polk CO, IA.

Sylvia was an elementary school librarian in Lufkin. He retired as a Master Sergeant from the USMC, attended Stephen Austin University in Nachodachas, TX, worked as a police dispatcher in Lufkin, TX and was a systems analyst for Louisiana-Pacific in Conroe, TX. Issue;

(1) Robert Austin Marshall, Jr, born 01 Aug 1975, Yokuoka, Japan

(2) Ruth Elizabeth Marshall, born 12 Feb 1980, Yuma, Yuma CO, AZ

2. Candace Jo Wadsworth, born 10 Oct 1946, Flagler Hospital, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL, married 02 Oct 1971, Folkston, Charlton CO, GA, Rivers Buford Faison, Jr, son of Rivers Buford Faison and Mary Ester Strickland, born 17 Sep 1948, DeFuniak Springs, Walton CO, FL, died 09 Jan 2001, Lufkin, Angelina CO, TX (Div).

Candace was a school teacher in Lufkin. He was employed by St Regis. Issue;

(1) Stacy Jo Faison, born 07 Jun 1972, Lufkin, Angelina CO, TX

(2) Alison Jane Faison, born 28 Jun 1973, Lufkin, Angelina CO, TX

3. John Brady Wadsworth, born 30 Dec 1951, Gainesville, Alachua CO, FL, married 23 Jan 1972, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL, Elayne Beth Tucker, dau of Leslie Martin Tucker and Doris Carolyn Sizemore, born 13 Apr 1953, Halifax Hospital, Daytona Beach, Volusia CO, FL, died 31 May 2014, Waynesville, NC..

He was a 1969 graduate of Wayne High School in Jesup, GA and Daytona Beach Junior College and in 1972 was employed at Wadsworth Lumber Company in Bunnell. He later was assistant plant controller with St Regis Corp in Houston. She was a 1971 graduate of Bunnell High School and attended Southern College. Issue;

(1) John Brady Wadsworth, Jr, born 23 Mar 1973, Ft Sill, Cherokee CO, OK, married 07 Jun 2003, St Jose Catholic Church, Jacksonville, Duval CO, FL, Danielle Danese Williams, dau of Daniel Roy Williams

(2) Carlton Heath Wadsworth, born 19 Mar 1975, Landstuhl, Germany, married 08 Feb 2002, Las Vegas, Clark CO, NV, Jennifer Lauren Amaral, born 12 Dec 1977, Columbus, Franklin CO, OH

(3) Joy Denise Wadsworth, born 03 Dec 1978, Lufkin, Angelina CO, TX, married 04 Aug 2001, Waynesville, Haywood CO, NC, Eric Jon Sollie, born 30 Sep 1978. Eric served in the US Army and was deployed to Iraq in May 2003.

4. Cynthia Dillon Wadsworth, born 18 Jan 1959, Jesup, Wayne CO, GA, married 04 Nov 1979, Lufkin, Angelina CO, TX, Charles William Wells II, son of Charles William Wells and Johnnie May Richardson Brown, born 16 Jun 1956, Houston, Harris CO, TX.

She worked as a telephone operator and receptionist for a computer company in CA. He was an aviation ordinance man with the US Navy. Issue;

(1) Marcus Dillon Wells, born 07 Oct 1980, El Centro, Imperial CO, CA

(2) Justin Tyler Wells, born 05 Jun 1984

 

SOURCES:

California Birth Index, 1905-1995; Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997; Florida Marriage Collection, 1927-2001; Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005; North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004; Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2002; Social Security Death Index; U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006;

First Marine Division, pg 22, Turner Publication Company, Paducah, KY, 1977; Guadalcanal Diary, pg 150, Richard Tregaskis, Random House, NY, 1943; Guadalcanal, Starvation Island, Chapter 6, pg 170, Eric Hammel, Crown Publishers, Inc., NY, 1987; Green Hell, The Battle for Guadalcanal, William J Owens, Hellgate Press, Central Point, OR, 1999;

The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Daytona Beach, FL 01 Jan 2003; The Flagler Tribune, Bunnell, FL, 24 Jun 1943, 06 Jan 1944, 13 Jan 1945, 31 May 1945, 17 Oct 1946, 16 Apr 1953, 13 Feb 1958, 14 Oct 1971.

Please send questions, corrections or additions to Sisco Deen, P.O. Box 637, Flagler Beach, FL 32136 or email him at Sisco_Deen@hotmail.com