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  • Cadets in the Tarboro High School Junior ROTC raised the American flag at a Tuesday morning ceremony on the Town Common in Tarboro honoring the memory of Staff Sgt. George Sisler Webb.

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September 5, 2012

‘He was a real hero in World War II’

Tailgunner honored at 112th flag raising

Staff Writer MIRANDA BAINES

TARBORO — World War II was the deadliest military conflict in human history, claiming the lives of 405,399  United States servicemen — including 8,910 from North Carolina and approximately 60 from Edgecombe County.

Staff Sgt. George Sisler Webb was one of the survivors.

“He was a real hero in World War II,” said Norfleet Sugg, at Tuesday morning’s flag-raising ceremony — the 112th — on the Town Common in honor of Webb. The Pinetops native enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces at the age of 17.

“The average life span of a bomber crew in World War II was three weeks,” said Sugg. “His [Webb’s] plane was shot down two times and once, they came in with no landing gear. He and a co-pilot were listed as MIA for two weeks and had to rely on the underground to get them back to base in Belgium. That was on Feb. 14, 1945.”

After being MIA, Webb was back on the plane the next day, Sugg noted. He said Webb told him he spent most of his time, “sitting on what looked like a bicycle seat, with his knees under his chin, shooting out the rear of the plane.”

Webb was a tailgunner on B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators. He trained in Las Vegas before heading overseas to serve in England, France and Belgium. He served active duty from October 1941 until August 1945, during which time he flew 27 missions.

“He came out still a young man, but old in spirit,” said Webb’s daughter, Georgia Webb.

After his time of service, Webb returned to Edgecombe County, where he worked at Long Manufacturing Co. for several decades. He married Easter Benson Webb and the couple had two daughters.

Georgia and Webb’s other daughter, Jenny Nicholson Bottoms, placed the wreath honoring their father’s memory at the end of Tuesday’s ceremony. They said their father never spoke of his time in the service because it was too difficult for him.

Georgia said the war left her father with post-traumatic stress disorder, which affected his nerves and gave him nightmares. She said she thinks Tuesday’s flag-raising ceremony gave Edgecombe County residents “a little more appreciation of what the guys did in World War II.”

“This was a war with a cause that made a difference,” said Bottoms.

The Edgecombe County Veterans’ Museum was open after the flag-raising ceremony to give people a chance to see the display showcasing Webb’s service medals and other memorabilia. Among Webb’s medals are the American Defense Service Medal, the American Theater Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the European Air Medal.

The veteran finally received his high-school diploma on June 11, 2004, from the State Board of Education as he had enlisted in the service just before his graduation from South Edgecombe High School. Webb died in 2005 at the age of 82.

The next flag-raising ceremony on the Town Common, set for Nov. 5, will honor Thomas Bradley. The flag-raising ceremonies are sponsored by the Golden K Club of Tarboro.

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Nathan Sherrod (left) and his twin brother Melvin, of Tarboro, enjoy a carnival ride Saturday afternoon at the Happening on the Common. Abrams Rentals provided the rides.

  • HAPPENING ON THE COMMON

    Tarboro’s Town Common was clearly the center of activity in town Saturday,  with cars lining the streets surrounding the common, music that could be heard from blocks away, and a sea of people navigating their way through the vendors’ tables under a canopy of trees. The occasion was the 43rd Annual Happening on the Common.

    May 20, 2013 4 Photos

  • Entertainment variety highlights Saturdays Happening
  • PINETOPS 300
Local News
CRIME.jpg

  • Two suspects arrested on 36 charges; third issued citation

    After executing a search warrant Thursday on a residence at 500 W. Johnston St. in Tarboro, police officers arrested two suspects for possessing a small amount of marijuana and issued a third suspect a citation for possessing a glass pipe to smoke the drugs.
    After the marijuana was found, officers notified two of the three suspects that they also had additional warrants on them from the department's "Spring Fling" drug campaign where they had sold marijuana to undercover officers.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • Introductory Latin class beginning Tuesday
Sports
DoeRunner.jpg

Tony Everett, of Wake Forest, backs his Chevrolet truck named DoeRunner up as he prepares to pull in the four wheel drive event Friday night.

  • Pinetops 300

    PINETOPS – With the threat of rain during the weekend, it put a little damper on the Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull attendance. Friday night there was a large crowd in attendance, but not the amount it has been the last several years. There was 500 less people in attendance Friday then there was a year ago, but it didn't stop the pullers from slinging mud everywhere. The fans in one section even had a chance to see what it looked like when a belt breaks on a fine tuned machine. During the Mini Modified run, Thomas Coleman, of Stoneville, had a belt break on his KB 526 Pure Hell ride and the belt slung into the crowd. No one was injured.

    May 20, 2013 2 Photos

  • Vikings, Cougars compete in 2-A state meet
Opinion
  • My 13 years have been lucky

    It was 13 years Sunday that a drought was broken in Big Spring, Texas, After that, we ate Mexican for dinner with a gathering of family and friends.
    The next day, a Saturday, Stephanie and I joined one another in marriage under a beautiful little gazebo by Comanche Trail Lake, fed by the historic spring from which the community draws its name.

    May 20, 2013

Lifestyles
  • 5246-WED-Corbett.jpg Corbett/Chasse Wedding

    Brittney Joyce Corbett and Kenneth Robert Chasse, Jr. were united in marriage on April 6th, 2013, at 5:30pm at the Imperial Centre in Rocky Mount. The Rev. Carrol Bradbury officiated the ceremony.
    The Rehearsal Dinner was hosted by Shirley and Donald Foreman, Grandparents of the Groom and also Elisha and Kenneth Chasse, Parents of the Groom, at Pizza Inn in Rocky Mount.
    The Bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Durwood Corbett of Macclesfield, NC. The Groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Robert Leonel Chasse, Sr. of Pinetops, NC.

    May 13, 2013 1 Photo

Obituaries Archives
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Events
  • Edgecombe Events May 22

    Edgecombe Events should be submitted by noon the day before publication. Items eligible include notices of local meetings and activities of non-profit organizations, clubs, schools and civic groups in the community. Information should be brief and typewritten, neatly printed or via e-mail. Questions? 823-3106 or e-mail: events@dailysoutherner.com. Leave  a daytime contact phone number.

    May 22, 2013

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Tarboro's 2012 Christmas Parade


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