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INSIDE: Childre Nissan * CVS * Ingles • Lowes * Tractor Supply Company • Window World
Support the Dogs in region title game. Put up our poster on page 6B.
The Best Little Paper in Georgia
the Monroe County
www.mymcr.net • VOL. 43 NO. 45 • USPS 997-840
4 sections, 28 pages • Forsyth, GA • Wednesday, November 5, 2014 • $1
Inside
Middle
school wins
area title
See page 1B
J
J
Mugs of
the Week
See page 6C
Deaths
Glen Clark
Cunningham Sr.
Grace Bradshaw
Parker
See Page 6A
WELCOME
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Christie & Kevin Johnston
Scott Tankard
David Bunt
F C Stillwell
Carolyn Story
Yosef Properties, LLC
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Charles “Floot” Johnson, 85, of Forsyth served his country in three wars. (Photo/Will Davis)
He gave a Hoot
Forsyth’s Hoot Gibson lent self to nation for three wars
BY WILL DAVIS
publisher@mymcr.net
It was 1945 and 16-year-old
Charles "Hoot" Gibson went
to the Army recruiting office
in La Follette, Tenn. - located
in the post office - and told
the sergeant he wanted to
join.
"You're not old enough," said
the man.
"But I'm 17," Gibson lied.
"No you're not," he replied.
Undaunted, Gibson left the
recruiting office and went
behind the town's pool hall
and bought a pint of whiskey
for $2. He took it to the
recruiting sergeant, who sud
denly had a change of heart.
"I believe you are getting
older!" smiled the recruiting
officer, adding that he was
only allowing Gibson to join
because he wouldn't get fur
ther than Knoxville. But in
reality, that day Hoot Gibson
began an Army career that
would take him to three war
zones over the next 20 years
before he settled down in
Monroe County, Ga. As the
county prepares to mark
Veterans Day next Tuesday,
the Reporter sat down with
the 85-year-old Gibson at his
Juliette Road home to find
out what it was like serving
in three wars.
Joining the Army was an
easy decision for Gibson. His
father had been a coal miner
see HOOT page 7A
King honored for WW2 service
BY DIANE GLIDEWELL
news@mymcr.net
Forsyth is now home of a
Congressional Gold Medal
recipient. Reason King,
U.S. Marine Corps veteran
of World War II, was
awarded the medal at
Greater Friendship
Baptist Church on Dames
Ferry Road on Saturday,
Oct. 11, and Monroe
County Commissioners
proclaimed the date
"Reason King Day" in
Monroe County to "cele
brate the legacy of service
to our Country."
The Congressional Gold
Medal is the highest civil
ian honor bestowed by
Congress for distinguished
achievement; the first
recipient was George
Washington. Legislation
was enacted to award the
medal to the U.S. Marines
who trained at Camp
Montford Point, N.C. from
1942-49 on Nov. 23, 2011.
A gold medal specially
designed to represent the
Montford Point Marines is
at the Smithsonian, and
bronze replicas are made
for the Marines or repre
sentative family members
who request them. Many
Montford Point Marines
were presented medals at
a ceremony in
Washington, D.C. on Dec.
27, 2012.
see KING page 5A
Reason King, in red circle in USMC
uniform, celebrates with sailors
when it was announced the Japan
ese had surrendered in September
1945. King sent this photo from a
Honolulu newspaper home to his wife, Lillie Mae, in a letter.
At right, King wears his Congressional Gold Medal
Armed
lady shuts
down a
city block
Something
told Lee
Roberts of
Forsyth to
check his
guns on
Monday at his
Johnston
Street home.
That's when
he noticed his
.38 caliber
handgun
missing. He
called his wife
and son - nei
ther of them
had it.
That left
only his 32-
year-old
daughter-in-
law, Jennifer
Roberts, who had been living with them. Lee
Roberts said she suffers from bipolar depres-
Forsyth police chief Keith
Corley holds a shotgun as
police had an upset woman
surrounded Monday.
(Photo/Richard Dumas)
See GUN page 5A
MP playing
for first region
title since ’97
this Friday
Display poster page 6B
BY RICHARD DUMAS
forsyth@mymcr. net
The Mary Persons Bulldogs will get anoth
er chance at earning their first region title in
nearly two decades on Friday.
MP, which is 8-1 overall and an undefeated
5-0 in region play, will host West Laurens at
Dan Pitts Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Friday
with the winner capturing the Region 2-
AAAA championship. The Bulldogs narrowly
missed out on the title a year ago, losing 10-
0 at home to Veterans when a victory would
have ended MP's title drought. MP head
coach Brian Nelson said his players are
"excited to play another football game at
See TITLE page 5A
West Laurens at MP
Friday, Nov. 7 *7:30 p.m.
Dan Pitts Stadium, Forsyth,
Tickets: $7
Last met:
Nov. 8, 2013: MP 34, West Laurens 31
Prediction: MP 31, West Laurens 17
