This Week in Citizen-Times History (November 16, 2000)
The November 16, 2000 edition of The Citizen-Times shared that Douglas W. Spears was honored for his service during World War II, being recommended for the Bronze Star medal in 1945, the third highest honor that can be earned by U.S. military personnel, with him receiving it on November 11, 2000.
Spears, a private at the time, served at Anzio, Italy, on March 24, 1944, where under fire, he made calculations to direct return fire on German batteries that had been battering his position, with a Nazi shell detonating outside of Spears’ fire direction center, piercing the structure, with Spears still calculating.
“I was young then. I was willing to do anything,” Spears said in an interview at the time. “But I was scared. If anybody in that kind of situation ever tells you they’re not scared, they aren’t telling you the truth. We were all scared. But I depended on the Lord.”
Spears’ decoration highlighted events at the Veteran’s Day Appreciation Ceremony on the public square, with the Scottsville Town Band performing a variety of military tunes, with a contingent of the Glasgow National Guardsmen firing a saluting salvo, with veterans and public officials speaking in appreciation of the sacrifices of military personnel throughout history.
After the war, Spears would become an educator at Allen County schools, and the principal at Scottsville High School.
It was also reported that rehearsals for the then-upcoming play “The Diviners” was underway, with rehearsal being done the previous Friday.
Sponsored by the Allen County-Scottsville Arts Council and directed by Horse Cave Theatre Director David Brock, the play was performed on Thursday, November 30, and Saturday, December 2, each at 7 p.m., with a Sunday, December 3 performance at 2 p.m. in the high school auditorium.
Pictured cast members include, from left to right, John S. Hall, Jenny Fitzpatrick, and Josh Wheat.
It was also reported that Cal Turner Sr., the founder of the Dollar General Corporation, had passed away, being 85 years old, as announced by the corporation.
Turner had started the company with his father, J.L. Turner, who started by helping his father buy and liquidate bankrupt general stores during the Great Depression.
Turner and his father opened J.L. Turner and Sons Wholesale in October of 1939, which would then go on to create the corporation and store chain of today.
The Citizen-Times, consolidated of The Citizen (1908) and Allen County Times (1890) on Oct. 10, 1918, has proudly served Scottsville and Allen County for 135 years.
