Claude James Pettiford. Army Serial number: 34502242
-Enlisted on December 23, 1942, in Fort Oglethorpe, GA
-Siblings: Clyde R. Pettiford (twin), Pauline Pettiford, Charles A. Pettiford
-Sister-in-law: Grace Pettiford
-Niece: Deloris M. Pettiford
-Divorced before enlisting in the war
Claude J. Pettiford was born on 5 February 1911 to Joseph Oscar Pettiford and Sarah Ellen Graves. He maried Mary E. Huffaker on March 7, 1933 and was father of Betty Jo and Jimmy Ray. He was Killed in Action in 1944 at Tarawa Island, Gilbert Islands, Kinbali.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel, December 19, 1944
Pvt. Claude J. Pettiford, son of Mrs. J.O. Pettiford, 120 Keller Street, was killed on Leyte, on Oct. 25, according to a War Department telegram. In service two years, he had been overseas since April. He never had a furlough in the two years he was in the Army. He trained at Fort Ord, Calif.
Besides his mother, he is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Pettiford, three children, Claude Richard, Betty Joe and Jimmy Ray; and two brothers, Clyde, his twin, and Charles, all of Knoxville.
- Rank: Private
- Date of birth: 5 February 1911
- Date of death: 19 December 1944
- County: Knox
- Hometown: Knoxville
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: Company B, 50th Engineers
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Battles: Leyte
- Awards: Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar VIII, Middle Panel
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