Grayson County TXGenWeb

George Woodrow Blanton

Denison Herald
September 5, 1943

Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Blanton, 513 West Hull, have one son in Africa and another at the air base at Independence, Kan. Sgt George Woodrow Blanton, 31, is with the military police overseas. He has been in service two and a half years and received training at Camp Bowie, Camp Blanding, Fla., and Camp Edwards, Mass. Before enlisting, he was a truck driver here. He attended Denison High School and Paris Junior College.
Pvt. Ben F. Blanton, 20, (right -photo) is an instrument flying instructor at Independence. He has been in service 120 months and was at Perrin Field before going to Independence. Prior to his enlistment, he was employed by the Katy Railroad. He is a graduate of Denison High School.
Two sisters, Mrs. C. Wells, Jr., and Miss Louise Blanton, live in Denison. Both men were members of the Assembly of God Church.

The Denison Press
Friday, July 7, 1944
pg.5

OUR BOYS WITH THE COLORS
With the 5th Army, Italy, Sergeant George W. Blanton, son of Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Blanton of Denison, Texas has been awarded the Bronze Star by his commanding general, Major General Fred L. Walker.
Awarded for meritorious service in direct support of combat operations on the 5th Army front in Italy, the decoration came to Sergeant Blanton for his work as a member of a 36th "Texas" Division Military Police unit.
One of the first of his platoon to reach the beaches during the 5th Army's invasion of Italy below Salerno, the Denison sergeant participated in the bitter fighting there for mastery of the first American stronghold of the European continent. At the height of battle he made 3 attempts to establish traffic control posts at strategic road junctions near the beach.
Since the Salerno action, Sergeant Blanton has seen combat service in every scrap engaging the 36th Division.
The citation for his Bronze Medal states in part:
"As section leader, Sergeant Blanton has performed his duties in a superior manner and has eagerly assumed additional responsibilities whenever necessary. From October 13 to December 9, 1943, Sergeant Blanton was the chief of the police section, the the absence of the officer regularly assigned, and through his leadership and ability the police section fulfilled its mission of operating the division prisoner of war enclosure, prisoner of war and straggler collecting points, and control movements of civilians in a highly efficient manner."
Entering the service January 28, 1941, Sergeant Blanton served a year with an infantry regiment of the 36th before assuming his present duties.

Denison Herald ca 1950

The best way to control crime is to get at it before it happens - by attacking the causes.
Woody Blanton, ex-peace officer, war veteran and candidate for Grayson County Sheriff voiced this opinion from his observation, experience and training in both military and civilian service. "Give youth of a community a wholesome environment, help them develop a healthy attitude, do something before they become involved in crime. That is the way to keep crime from happening, " he says.
When Blanton's outfit, the 141st Infantry, 36th Division, hit Red Beach at Salerno, Italy, in 1943, the enemy called out, "Come on wild boys from Texas." But Blanton is no wild man, cowboy type. He features neither a broad-brimmed Stetson nor high-heeled boots. This 37-year-old native of Grayson County wears a business suit and a panama hat. If he limps a little, it is due to an old wound in his left leg near the hip, a souvenir he brought from Southern France.

PROMOTED

Blanton went into the fight on the Riviera a sergeant and when he came out of a hospital two months later, he was a first lieutenant. This came after he had helped General Walker chase Desert Fox Rommel across Africa and after the long and bitter campaign in Italy. "The German intelligence had us spotted before our assault boat hit Red
Beach in the early morning, " said Blanton. "The hidden enemy shouted through loud speakers, "Wild boys from Texas, come in and get it, " and we did. But it took time, and and during part of that time the Navy was standing by off shore to take care of us if we could not make it."

FIRST LANDING
This was the first land of American troops in Europe in World War II. Blanton recalls the campaign as fighting, pushing, chasing the Germans right through Rome without stopping except to receive thanks from the welcoming Italians. (He got back later for a little sightseeing).
After his promotion, Blanton was attached for a time to Headquarters Co., working with the Military Police Battalion. He values highly his experience in handling men in this job. I was also during this part of his service that he went through several schools of interrogation, training he found invaluable later in his work as deputy sheriff.
While serving with the French Fifth Combat Command, Blanton won the Croix de Guerre, though he mentions the honor reluctantly and then in an off-hand manner.

WORKED AT MILL
Before joining up in 1941, Blanton had been an employee at a Sherman mill and had sold coffee. When victory came in 1945 and he was separated from military service, he determined to follow the special training and experience he had had in the Army, in the field of criminal investigation and peace officer work.
For a time he was special investigating officer for the Missouri Kansas and Texas Railway. In February, 1946, he was appointed Grayson County deputy sheriff, serving under two administrations and during the last two years of his tenure as chief deputy. Since January of last year he has been in sales work.

BORN IN WHITEWRIGHT
George Woodrow Blanton was born in Whitewright, a son of Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Blanton, who later moved to Denison. After his graduation from Denison High School in 1932, he studied two years at Paris Junior College before he got his first job at a Sherman mill.
He is a church member, is a active in veterans organizations, Boy Scouting, but his chief interest is, as it has been for several years, in criminal investigation and safety work. He has earned certificates at officers' schools conducted by the Texas A and M College and the State Department of Public Safety.
"I'm no witch burner, " says Blanton. "But I believe in common sense law enforcement, coordinated through united effort of all officers and carefully kept and studied records.