Cecil Rav Henlev was born on February 22, 1918, eighteen years after the birth of his brother Clawson. Mrs. Henley had a difficult birth when Clawson was born and came close to dying. Because of this Charlie and Onie were afraid to have any more children. Unlike the first time, it was an easy birth. Dr. T. Q. Ray delivered the baby, and Onie named her new son after the doctor who brought him into the world.
Cecil went to school at the Red Oak School just as his older brother had done eighteen years before him. The school boasted three teachers at the time Cecil was attending school there. He was a feisty little fellow and was always getting in a scrap - some he won and some he lost. When he was in his seventies Cecil told some visiting relatives about his school days: When I was growing up, I'd rather fight than eat.
As a young adult, Cecil farmed with his father until he went to work in Montgomery for the Montgomery Advertiser for a few years. Afterwards he moved to Enterprise, Alabama, where he was in the insurance business. He later fell heir to his parent's homeplace and currently lives on the property near where the old house once stood
where he was born.
Cecil met his future wife, Leatrice Barron, through a preacher in-law.
This happened in a round-about way. When Clawson Henley was attending Auburn University, Cecil would go and visit his brother on occasion, sometimes staying as long as a week. On one of these trips, Cecil returned to Andalusia intending to catch a ride with a neighbor or friend to his home at Red Oak. It so happened that no one he knew was in town that day. As he kept looking around for a ride, he happened on Cliff Davis, a local preacher that had married his double-first cousin, Ollie Bradley, daughter of Charles Frank Bradley and Arra Loretta Henley. When Cecil explained that he was looking for a way home, Reverend Davis told him that he first had to go to the Benjamin Barron residence north of Andalusia out in the country. If he liked he could go with him, and he would take him home afterwards. This was agreeable with Cecil.
Arriving at the Barron residence, they found some of the family sitting on the front porch eating parched peanuts. Cliff and Cecil sat down on the steps and commenced eating peanuts with them when the front door opened. A good-looking young lady in a solid bright red dress came out. Cecil & Leatrice (Barron) Henley. Cecil later commented that she was the prettiest thing he ever saw, and that he knew right then and there he had to have a date with her. He was told that her mother and daddy were very close on her, and that she might not be allowed to go out with him. To get around this obstacle, Cecil was invited to a party that Miss Barron would be attending. After this they began dating and saw each other for several months. Leatrice Barron and Cecil Ray Henley were married on August 27, 1938. Leatrice was the daughter of Benjamin and Annie Lou (Davis) Barron. She was born October 15, 1922, at Troy, Alabama. Mrs. Barron, whose maiden name was Davis, was the sister of Reverend Cliff Davis.
Cecil and Leadice became the parents of five children: Annie Leonette, Cecil Ray, Jr., Linda Jo, Patricia Marie, and Charlie Michael. Charlie died two days after birth. When the second child was born, Cecil was overseas with the U. S. Navy during World War II. He did not see his son until he was two years old. Leatrice named him Cecil Ray, Jr. after his father.
Cecil was drafted for service in the U. S. Navy on April 14, 1944. He was sent to boot camp at Camp Perry, Virginia, and then was assigned to the USS Finnegan which was docked at More Island, California. His ship was a destroyer which had orders to sail for Australia where it joined a convoy headed for the South Pacific. Cecil was in the attack on Iwo Jima where more than 5,000 marines lost then lives to take eight square miles of volcanic rock in February and March 1945. Capture of the island cost the Japanese the base it was using for its fighter planes in then attacks against American ships.
Leaving Iwo Jima the USS Finnegan sailed for Okinawa and was in the attack on this Japanese held island. Okinawa was one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific during World War II. The battle saw the peak of the attacks on American ships by Japanese kamikaze pilots.
Cecil has vivid memories of these attacks on his convoy and still wonders how he managed to survive the battle. The conquest of the island was important to the war effort as it gave the United States new air bases close to Japan. Following Okinawa the navy was getting ready for the invasion of the mainland of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9. On August 10 Japan asked for the terms of surrender, and the invasion of Japan was averted.
In a few months Cecil returned to the United States on board the USS Finnegan and was discharged on January 6, 1946.
(Thomasson Traces, Narrative of the Thomasson Family 1677-1995) Volume II By Curtis H. Thomasson and Marjorie B. Malloy)
Cecil went to school at the Red Oak School just as his older brother had done eighteen years before him. The school boasted three teachers at the time Cecil was attending school there. He was a feisty little fellow and was always getting in a scrap - some he won and some he lost. When he was in his seventies Cecil told some visiting relatives about his school days: When I was growing up, I'd rather fight than eat.
As a young adult, Cecil farmed with his father until he went to work in Montgomery for the Montgomery Advertiser for a few years. Afterwards he moved to Enterprise, Alabama, where he was in the insurance business. He later fell heir to his parent's homeplace and currently lives on the property near where the old house once stood
where he was born.
Cecil met his future wife, Leatrice Barron, through a preacher in-law.
This happened in a round-about way. When Clawson Henley was attending Auburn University, Cecil would go and visit his brother on occasion, sometimes staying as long as a week. On one of these trips, Cecil returned to Andalusia intending to catch a ride with a neighbor or friend to his home at Red Oak. It so happened that no one he knew was in town that day. As he kept looking around for a ride, he happened on Cliff Davis, a local preacher that had married his double-first cousin, Ollie Bradley, daughter of Charles Frank Bradley and Arra Loretta Henley. When Cecil explained that he was looking for a way home, Reverend Davis told him that he first had to go to the Benjamin Barron residence north of Andalusia out in the country. If he liked he could go with him, and he would take him home afterwards. This was agreeable with Cecil.
Arriving at the Barron residence, they found some of the family sitting on the front porch eating parched peanuts. Cliff and Cecil sat down on the steps and commenced eating peanuts with them when the front door opened. A good-looking young lady in a solid bright red dress came out. Cecil & Leatrice (Barron) Henley. Cecil later commented that she was the prettiest thing he ever saw, and that he knew right then and there he had to have a date with her. He was told that her mother and daddy were very close on her, and that she might not be allowed to go out with him. To get around this obstacle, Cecil was invited to a party that Miss Barron would be attending. After this they began dating and saw each other for several months. Leatrice Barron and Cecil Ray Henley were married on August 27, 1938. Leatrice was the daughter of Benjamin and Annie Lou (Davis) Barron. She was born October 15, 1922, at Troy, Alabama. Mrs. Barron, whose maiden name was Davis, was the sister of Reverend Cliff Davis.
Cecil and Leadice became the parents of five children: Annie Leonette, Cecil Ray, Jr., Linda Jo, Patricia Marie, and Charlie Michael. Charlie died two days after birth. When the second child was born, Cecil was overseas with the U. S. Navy during World War II. He did not see his son until he was two years old. Leatrice named him Cecil Ray, Jr. after his father.
Cecil was drafted for service in the U. S. Navy on April 14, 1944. He was sent to boot camp at Camp Perry, Virginia, and then was assigned to the USS Finnegan which was docked at More Island, California. His ship was a destroyer which had orders to sail for Australia where it joined a convoy headed for the South Pacific. Cecil was in the attack on Iwo Jima where more than 5,000 marines lost then lives to take eight square miles of volcanic rock in February and March 1945. Capture of the island cost the Japanese the base it was using for its fighter planes in then attacks against American ships.
Leaving Iwo Jima the USS Finnegan sailed for Okinawa and was in the attack on this Japanese held island. Okinawa was one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific during World War II. The battle saw the peak of the attacks on American ships by Japanese kamikaze pilots.
Cecil has vivid memories of these attacks on his convoy and still wonders how he managed to survive the battle. The conquest of the island was important to the war effort as it gave the United States new air bases close to Japan. Following Okinawa the navy was getting ready for the invasion of the mainland of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9. On August 10 Japan asked for the terms of surrender, and the invasion of Japan was averted.
In a few months Cecil returned to the United States on board the USS Finnegan and was discharged on January 6, 1946.
(Thomasson Traces, Narrative of the Thomasson Family 1677-1995) Volume II By Curtis H. Thomasson and Marjorie B. Malloy)
Cecil Rav Henlev was born on February 22, 1918, eighteen years after the birth of his brother Clawson. Mrs. Henley had a difficult birth when Clawson was born and came close to dying. Because of this Charlie and Onie were afraid to have any more children. Unlike the first time, it was an easy birth. Dr. T. Q. Ray delivered the baby, and Onie named her new son after the doctor who brought him into the world.
Cecil went to school at the Red Oak School just as his older brother had done eighteen years before him. The school boasted three teachers at the time Cecil was attending school there. He was a feisty little fellow and was always getting in a scrap - some he won and some he lost. When he was in his seventies Cecil told some visiting relatives about his school days: When I was growing up, I'd rather fight than eat.
As a young adult, Cecil farmed with his father until he went to work in Montgomery for the Montgomery Advertiser for a few years. Afterwards he moved to Enterprise, Alabama, where he was in the insurance business. He later fell heir to his parent's homeplace and currently lives on the property near where the old house once stood
where he was born.
Cecil met his future wife, Leatrice Barron, through a preacher in-law.
This happened in a round-about way. When Clawson Henley was attending Auburn University, Cecil would go and visit his brother on occasion, sometimes staying as long as a week. On one of these trips, Cecil returned to Andalusia intending to catch a ride with a neighbor or friend to his home at Red Oak. It so happened that no one he knew was in town that day. As he kept looking around for a ride, he happened on Cliff Davis, a local preacher that had married his double-first cousin, Ollie Bradley, daughter of Charles Frank Bradley and Arra Loretta Henley. When Cecil explained that he was looking for a way home, Reverend Davis told him that he first had to go to the Benjamin Barron residence north of Andalusia out in the country. If he liked he could go with him, and he would take him home afterwards. This was agreeable with Cecil.
Arriving at the Barron residence, they found some of the family sitting on the front porch eating parched peanuts. Cliff and Cecil sat down on the steps and commenced eating peanuts with them when the front door opened. A good-looking young lady in a solid bright red dress came out. Cecil & Leatrice (Barron) Henley. Cecil later commented that she was the prettiest thing he ever saw, and that he knew right then and there he had to have a date with her. He was told that her mother and daddy were very close on her, and that she might not be allowed to go out with him. To get around this obstacle, Cecil was invited to a party that Miss Barron would be attending. After this they began dating and saw each other for several months. Leatrice Barron and Cecil Ray Henley were married on August 27, 1938. Leatrice was the daughter of Benjamin and Annie Lou (Davis) Barron. She was born October 15, 1922, at Troy, Alabama. Mrs. Barron, whose maiden name was Davis, was the sister of Reverend Cliff Davis.
Cecil and Leadice became the parents of five children: Annie Leonette, Cecil Ray, Jr., Linda Jo, Patricia Marie, and Charlie Michael. Charlie died two days after birth. When the second child was born, Cecil was overseas with the U. S. Navy during World War II. He did not see his son until he was two years old. Leatrice named him Cecil Ray, Jr. after his father.
Cecil was drafted for service in the U. S. Navy on April 14, 1944. He was sent to boot camp at Camp Perry, Virginia, and then was assigned to the USS Finnegan which was docked at More Island, California. His ship was a destroyer which had orders to sail for Australia where it joined a convoy headed for the South Pacific. Cecil was in the attack on Iwo Jima where more than 5,000 marines lost then lives to take eight square miles of volcanic rock in February and March 1945. Capture of the island cost the Japanese the base it was using for its fighter planes in then attacks against American ships.
Leaving Iwo Jima the USS Finnegan sailed for Okinawa and was in the attack on this Japanese held island. Okinawa was one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific during World War II. The battle saw the peak of the attacks on American ships by Japanese kamikaze pilots.
Cecil has vivid memories of these attacks on his convoy and still wonders how he managed to survive the battle. The conquest of the island was important to the war effort as it gave the United States new air bases close to Japan. Following Okinawa the navy was getting ready for the invasion of the mainland of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9. On August 10 Japan asked for the terms of surrender, and the invasion of Japan was averted.
In a few months Cecil returned to the United States on board the USS Finnegan and was discharged on January 6, 1946.
(Thomasson Traces, Narrative of the Thomasson Family 1677-1995) Volume II By Curtis H. Thomasson and Marjorie B. Malloy)
Cecil went to school at the Red Oak School just as his older brother had done eighteen years before him. The school boasted three teachers at the time Cecil was attending school there. He was a feisty little fellow and was always getting in a scrap - some he won and some he lost. When he was in his seventies Cecil told some visiting relatives about his school days: When I was growing up, I'd rather fight than eat.
As a young adult, Cecil farmed with his father until he went to work in Montgomery for the Montgomery Advertiser for a few years. Afterwards he moved to Enterprise, Alabama, where he was in the insurance business. He later fell heir to his parent's homeplace and currently lives on the property near where the old house once stood
where he was born.
Cecil met his future wife, Leatrice Barron, through a preacher in-law.
This happened in a round-about way. When Clawson Henley was attending Auburn University, Cecil would go and visit his brother on occasion, sometimes staying as long as a week. On one of these trips, Cecil returned to Andalusia intending to catch a ride with a neighbor or friend to his home at Red Oak. It so happened that no one he knew was in town that day. As he kept looking around for a ride, he happened on Cliff Davis, a local preacher that had married his double-first cousin, Ollie Bradley, daughter of Charles Frank Bradley and Arra Loretta Henley. When Cecil explained that he was looking for a way home, Reverend Davis told him that he first had to go to the Benjamin Barron residence north of Andalusia out in the country. If he liked he could go with him, and he would take him home afterwards. This was agreeable with Cecil.
Arriving at the Barron residence, they found some of the family sitting on the front porch eating parched peanuts. Cliff and Cecil sat down on the steps and commenced eating peanuts with them when the front door opened. A good-looking young lady in a solid bright red dress came out. Cecil & Leatrice (Barron) Henley. Cecil later commented that she was the prettiest thing he ever saw, and that he knew right then and there he had to have a date with her. He was told that her mother and daddy were very close on her, and that she might not be allowed to go out with him. To get around this obstacle, Cecil was invited to a party that Miss Barron would be attending. After this they began dating and saw each other for several months. Leatrice Barron and Cecil Ray Henley were married on August 27, 1938. Leatrice was the daughter of Benjamin and Annie Lou (Davis) Barron. She was born October 15, 1922, at Troy, Alabama. Mrs. Barron, whose maiden name was Davis, was the sister of Reverend Cliff Davis.
Cecil and Leadice became the parents of five children: Annie Leonette, Cecil Ray, Jr., Linda Jo, Patricia Marie, and Charlie Michael. Charlie died two days after birth. When the second child was born, Cecil was overseas with the U. S. Navy during World War II. He did not see his son until he was two years old. Leatrice named him Cecil Ray, Jr. after his father.
Cecil was drafted for service in the U. S. Navy on April 14, 1944. He was sent to boot camp at Camp Perry, Virginia, and then was assigned to the USS Finnegan which was docked at More Island, California. His ship was a destroyer which had orders to sail for Australia where it joined a convoy headed for the South Pacific. Cecil was in the attack on Iwo Jima where more than 5,000 marines lost then lives to take eight square miles of volcanic rock in February and March 1945. Capture of the island cost the Japanese the base it was using for its fighter planes in then attacks against American ships.
Leaving Iwo Jima the USS Finnegan sailed for Okinawa and was in the attack on this Japanese held island. Okinawa was one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific during World War II. The battle saw the peak of the attacks on American ships by Japanese kamikaze pilots.
Cecil has vivid memories of these attacks on his convoy and still wonders how he managed to survive the battle. The conquest of the island was important to the war effort as it gave the United States new air bases close to Japan. Following Okinawa the navy was getting ready for the invasion of the mainland of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9. On August 10 Japan asked for the terms of surrender, and the invasion of Japan was averted.
In a few months Cecil returned to the United States on board the USS Finnegan and was discharged on January 6, 1946.
(Thomasson Traces, Narrative of the Thomasson Family 1677-1995) Volume II By Curtis H. Thomasson and Marjorie B. Malloy)
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