| Sources |
- [S104] Cocke County, Tennessee, and its People, Cocke County Heritage Book Committee, (Walsworth Publishing, 1992), 192, 272.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 14 Mar 2014.
AMVETS do good deeds to restore medals to our military people
(c)2014 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL
The J. C. Pack family gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Keith (Patti) Ketterman because of a ceremony to honor Mr. Pack for his Korean War military service by presentation of medals. From left to right are daughter Patti (Pack) Ketterman; J. C. Pack and his wife, Peggy Pack; and their son, Tim Pack. The event took place Sunday, March 3, 2014.
Author: David Popiel
Winter is reluctant to release us from her icy grip evidenced by the snow closing schools Thursday morning and chilly wind most of the day for our hometown, yet there seems to be a warming trend after the full moon Sunday through the first day of spring this Thursday.
You saw our photos of the devastating fire at Boone Kelly's garage last Wednesday shortly after lunch. I just happened to be on my way to see him about some vehicle repairs and saw the smoke billowing up. At first I thought the brush and trees were on fire and then close to the garage saw Boone and Gregg outside frantically trying to deal with the explosive situation. They would have lost everything except the Cocke County Fire Department arrived and saved the Kelly home. It was heartening to see Gregg and his garage co-workers getting their pet dogs to safety as the home was threatened by the garage fire, exploding gasoline and welding gas tanks. After the fire was under control, I heard the firefighters say they had to leave for a just-called-in Swannsylvania home fire. If anything good can come out of a fire it is that no one was seriously hurt, the home was saved. Yet, now the family has no means to make a living and this struck me as being sad and I hope the Plain Talk and others can reach out and help the Kelly family. They provided an important repair service to many of us and, after all, they are our greater family and friends. I will keep you posted on what happens.
Last week we visited with Dan Freeman at Freeman's Furniture and Appliances to meet Jim, a loveable terrier/schnauzer mix breed. I already have the urge to go back for a revisit and do have a few more words to say about this rescued dog who likes his new role as store mascot. Of course, he takes a break or two and lets Dan or others know when he needs to go outside by standing next to a side door. Jim might even close a sale or two.
Jim spends all day at the store, and usually very close to Dan and goes home with him at night. Jim might even be in Dan's lap or his office chair and right on his heels when Dan walks out to greet a customer. Jim is right behind wagging his tail. Dan's daughter, Dawn, said, 'I think rescued animals know they have been given a second chance.' When Dan goes to lunch, Jim paces the store until he returns. Dogs are loyal animals. I saw that too when Boone Kelly was walking about the ruined shop and following him close by was one of the pets. They stay close by in good times and bad.
Proud of our veterans
You have witnessed over the past years that the local AMVETS Post 75 is taking an active interest in recognizing the many veterans who earned military medals in past wars but some how either never got them or these were lost or destroyed many years ago.
I was able to attend two ceremonies in February and March for men either from here or now living in Cocke County. Newport AMVETS have done this on other occasions and some years ago for a veteran who was able to get medals before he died only months after the honors ceremony. Veteran Willie Green has kept me informed on the ceremonies. This will also be a good time to let you know about my discussion with Three War Veteran Jim Carpenter, who is working to get recognition for the modern three war veterans since 1990. You will read about him soon.
The first person I want to talk about is a man most of you either know about, worked with, or heard about. He is a truly nice guy, unassuming, and has a wonderful family. I am talking about J. C. Pack, who lives off Denton Road with his wife, the former Peggy Green, of that community. I've known their children longer and better than I've known the parents. Patti Ketterman was former Baptist Hospital of Cocke County/Tennova administrator and is now with Covenant Health Care in Sevierville in a supervisory nurses position. Tim Pack is a local firefighter married to Jan Pack, who is a long-time employee of Jefferson Cocke County Utility District. Patti is married to Keith Ketterman, my friend, and former president of National Bank of Tennessee.
Mr. Pack was born June 20, 1926 and you would never think he is 87 going on 88. He and Peggy had only been married about four months, they got married in November 1952, and he was drafted in March 1953. After being inducted at Knoxville into the Army, he was trained at Ft. Jackson and then Camp Stewart, Georgia, before being sent to El Paso, Texas. It was there he trained in heavy artillery at White Sands, New Mexico, made famous by supersonic aircraft and super fast vehicles. Once trained to shoot and hit moving targets towed by aircraft, he was sent to California. I thought it ironic then that the work he actually did was cook. When you review his Army separation documents you see his 'most significant duty assignment' as US Army Stockade 8044 the AU. J.C. served as a cook at what was called 'The Big 8' military facility until February 1955 then he returned to California and was released honorably from Ft. Knox, Kentucky.
My Hartford Road trip
On a visit to the Packs' home off Hartford Road, I learned a lot more about the family that you might like to know. For a man pushing 90, he is in fairly good health. J.C said he did require a knee replacement in 2005 and has a mild heart flutter. His biggest problem has been his vision because of a detached retinae that required several surgeries and then doctors discovered he had glaucoma. He doesn't let these things slow him down, but I detected he missed being able to work hard in his large garden. His father, Noah C. Pack, is a half-brother to Charlie Pack, who was Clyde Pack's father. Noah married another resident of the Old Fifteenth, the former Kate Fish. They lived near and attended Christy Mission. Noah and Kate had six children, the oldest being the late Gladys Turner, married to Joe Frank; J.C. married to Peggy; the late Frank L. Pack, married to the former Claireen Woody; Everette Burdette, who is a Korean War veteran and married to the former Irene Strange; Jack Pack, who is fighting lung cancer, married to Arolla; Jewelene and Arnold Ball. There is a military tradition as Noah served in World War I.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 24 Mar 2014.
Parrottsville veteran seeking to recognize those in three wars
(C)2014 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL
Jim Carpenter lives in a modest cabin he built on his Parrottsville property. He is dedicating the remainder of
his life to making sure veterans of three wars are honored. He is a veteran of World War II, Korean War, and
Vietnam.
Author: David Popiel
The fourth weekend in March has eased us into slightly warmer weather for our hometown that is stuck in the spring month for another week yet at least yellow flowers are in bloom and many trees seem to think April is a coming in.
We have been talking with several veterans lately from World War through the Korean War and we will continue our talk with J. C. Pack, of the Denton community and then learn of veteran Jim Carpenter's project to honor Three War Veterans like himself. Another fellow you will be hearing about shortly is Newport artist David Freeman, who I visited shortly before spring started.
In search of a job
There wasn't a lot of opportunity for jobs in East Tenn., aside from farming, but J.C. did get one with Alcoa Aluminum but it was nasty and dangerous. "Mom had died and there was no money in circulation." He then went to New Jersey to work on the large Ralph Starke farm. "I picked apples. I did everything." But by 1949 he was in Newport and got a job at Clyde Pack's sawmill. I failed to mention that the honey bee man Fred Pack's father was a brother to Clyde. After this J.C. and brother Frank, their first cousin Joye Ball went to Enka to get jobs. J.C. clearer remembers starting July 5, 1950, when the huge fibers plant was expanding rapidly in the post war era. He was a "spinner" in the rayon department and later a control room operator in the nylon plant. He recalled co-workers Leonard Pack, the recently deceased Frank Pack of Del Rio, W.C. Vinson, Olin Hall and Dwayne Shults. "We were making 93 cents an hour and when I retired was making over $11 per hour." The Korean War was on the horizon and J.C met Peggy Greene, the daughter of Horace and Lola Greene, who lived next to the Pigeon River at Denton. After they were married and he was out of the Army he acquired land that was originally the George Waters farm where they now live. Peggy's brother Bud Greene lives just across the Hartford Road from them. The brick home they have lived in since 1965 and in excellent upkeep was built then by Jack and Juddy Cody.
Overcoming health threat
While J.C. worked at Enka, Peggy took a job down the road at the small Denton knitting mill. Later she worked at Broadway Grill, a small restaurant attached to the building housing Miller's Used Furniture. This was across the street from Brock's Market in Eastport. Soon she got hired at Electro Voice in Newport and worked there for more than 33 years. I have briefly mentioned their children. Patti being the oldest and born after the Korean War. Three years later Tim came along. Both are industrious people like their parents. Patti went on to get university training to be a nurse, then a hospital administrator. Tim has been with the City of Newport fire department and is a battalion captain. They have all profited by a close and good life with only one real traumatic period that J. C. detailed for me. This was about 1988 when Peggy was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Fortunately it was not malignant and Patti helped locate a highly skilled surgeon in Memphis to remove the tumor on her brain stem. She made a complete recovery.
J.C. told me much more about his Korean War training and experiences. He fully hoped to be an artillery gunner as he was trained for this at White Sands, New Mexico. He was the "trigger man" on a 90 mm cannon that fired exploding shells at airborne targets. His team was so good it was designated as a west coast defender and sent to the San Fernando Valley coastal area. At the time there was fear of an attack either by the communist Koreans or the Soviet Union during the intense Cold War period. But as chance would have it, J.C. was shipped to a small town near Tokyo, Japan. It so happened that one of the soldiers who cooked at the Stockade had to leave and J.C. filled in. He showed skill at the grill and apparently this was more important at the moment than another gunner in Korea. At first I didn't understand what he was talking about referring to the "Stockade" and comment was made during the medals presentation that J.C. was not a prisoner. Yes, it was a prison for soldiers and he cooked for them and the Army personnel. He did so well he was shortly promoted to corporeal, a quick and unusual advancement for non-combat duty. I asked if he ever came across any Cocke Countians and he did not. But in California he got honked at and saw the car had a Tennessee tag. This is when the tags were shaped like the state; his car carried a Tenn. tag, too but he never got to find out where the folks lived.
Aside from plant work, J.C. spent many years raising about half acre of tobacco each season, and I am sure Tim looked forward to this chore. Also, J.C. liked to grow corn and a huge garden selling produce, particularly corn, to Danny Ray Carver for the applehouse customers. This is when the wholesale price of corn was about one dollar per dozen ears. They have been long-time church members first at Webb Baptist where Frank Bell was pastor, and later Denton Baptist where Stephen Swann is pastor. I asked J.C. his secret to long life and good health and he said, "Trying to be a good Christian. I was saved in 1961."They have always enjoyed good neighbors such as Doris Gates and the late Jack and Roscoe Lindsey and many others along Hartford Road. The Packs will be celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary this year, and J. C. looks forward to a few more sunrises.
A veteran's veteran
A letter in the mail sometime in early January caught my attention as it mentioned a World War II veteran and his "bucket list" project of creating a veterans association for the men and women who served in the three conflicts, Gulf War, Iraq War through Afghanistan War. So I went to Good Hope Road past the Carpenter farmland and Secluded Bend to find Mallard Way where James E. Carpenter lives. So far as I know he is not kin to the late Ed Carpenter, who lived not a mile away. James is a Michigan native and even as a youth was a big fellow. By the time he was 14 he was over six feet tall but 120 pounds. He weighs considerably more now but is still active and has several hobbies such as genealogy. He comes from a family of 12 of Leslie Carpenter married to the former Lena Drake. James' research has turned up 63,000 members of the Carpenter family dating to 1653. By chance I met another Carpenter recently who is from the frozen north. Tom Carpenter and his family moved here years ago and live off English Mountain Road. Perhaps he and James are related?
- [S112] Census, 1930.
Name: J C Pack
Event: Census
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: District 08, Cocke, Tennessee
Gender: Male
Age: 4
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Birthplace: Tennessee
Estimated Birth Year: 1926
Immigration Year:
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Enumeration District Number: 0017
Family Number: 193
Sheet Number and Letter: 10A
Line Number: 7
NARA Publication: T626, roll 2238
Film Number: 2341972
Digital Folder Number: 4548152
Image Number: 00386
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Noah C Pack M 35 Tennessee
Wife Katie Pack F 30 Tennessee
Daughter Gladys N Pack F 6 Tennessee
Son J C Pack M 4 Tennessee
Son Frank Pack M 1 Tennessee
Lodger John Fish M 60 North Carolina
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