Wednesday, July 18, 2018



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American Victory over Japan 

     V-J Day
14 August 1945

Japan had been at war with China since 1937 and at war with the United States, British Commonwealth, and the Netherlands since December 1941. (Resistance groups in Japanese-occupied territories also fought against their occupiers, and Mexico sent a fighter squadron that was attached to the 58th Fighter Group, US Army Air Forces.)

The Second World War in the Pacific and Asia was particularly brutal, often take-no-prisoners affair on both sides. Combat intensity only increased in the final months of the war as Allied forces, primarily American, came closer and closer to the Japanese home islands.

On Peleliu (September 15–November 27, 1944) only 33 of approximately 6,000 Japanese on the island were taken alive; American casualties were nearly 10,000, over 1,600 of them killed in action. On Luzon in The Philippines (October 20, 1944—August 15, 1945) some 205,000 Japanese were killed; US fatalities were over 8,300; an estimated 100,000 civilians died in the battle for the city of Manila.

The Battle of Iwo Jima (February 19–March 26, 1945) cost 6,500 American dead and another 20,000 wounded. (Twenty-two Medals of Honor were awarded to Marines, four to Navy corpsmen and one to a Navy officer for actions on Iwo Jima, one-third of all Medals of Honor awarded to the Marine Corps during WWII.) Between 95,000 and 100,000 Japanese died; only 300 were taken prisoner.

Then came Okinawa (March–June 1945). Some 107,000 Japanese and Okinawans, military and civilian, died in the struggle; women threw their babies off cliffs into the sea and then jumped themselves because they had been led to believe, falsely, that the Americans would torture them. The US Army suffered approximately 50,000 killed and wounded. The Marine Corps accounted for about 17,000 more. In the waters offshore, nearly 10,000 Navy personnel were killed or wounded, most of them victims of a new Japanese tactic—kamikazes, suicide pilots following orders to dive their bomb-laden planes into US and British ships.

These intense, costly struggles led an American journalist to predict an invasion of the Japanese home islands would cost 1,000,000 Allied casualties. American military planners anticipated about one-third that amount, still a very high cost. All Allied service personnel and the people back home feared how bloody the campaign would be. Combat veterans from the war in Europe awaited orders to transfer to the Pacific.

The invasion became unnecessary after American B-29s dropped an atom bomb on Hiroshima on August 6 and another on Nagasaki on August 9, largely obliterating those cities. The same day the bomb fell on Nagasaki the Soviet Union declared war on Japan, keeping with its promise to enter the Asian war three months after the defeat of Germany. Faced with these deadly new weapons and insurmountable odds, Japan’s emperor, Hirohito, announced on August 14 that he would accept the Allies’ demand for unconditional surrender.

V-J Day celebrations, August 15, 1945


Rumors of Japan’s surrender had been circulating among the Home Front in the Allied nations, and some premature spontaneous celebrations had taken place over the previous days. On August 14, crowds anxiously awaited some official word that the latest rumor of Japanese surrender was true. In New York City the scrolling news feed on the outside of the Times Tower announced at 7:03 p.m., OFFICIAL – TRUMAN ANNOUNCES JAPANESE SURRENDER, setting off a roar from a crowd estimated at two million.

In the nation’s capital, crowds danced on the lawn of the White House and chanted, “We want Harry.” Finally, President Harry S Truman stepped out and proclaimed, “This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would.” In Leyte Gulf, off the Philippines, and at naval bases across the Pacific pyrotechnic flares were fired in celebration. In Toronto’s Chinatown, as in Chinatowns in the US and elsewhere, joyous celebrations broke out amid the smoke from fireworks.

In Great Britain, Prime Minister Clement Atlee broadcast news of the surrender at midnight, saying, “The last of our enemies is laid low.” He expressed gratitude to Britain’s Commonwealth allies, as well as those from all countries occupied by Japan who had fought against the imperial aggressor, and to the USSR. The prime minister reserved special thanks for the United States, “without whose prodigious efforts the war in the East would still have many years to run.”

In Australia, on the other side of the International Date Line, it was mid-morning of August 15 when Prime Minister Ben Chifley announced over the radio that Japan had surrendered. Australians danced in the streets; traffic came to a halt; piles of shredded paper tossed from windows were so deep in places that they looked like snow. A narrator of a newsreel shot during the revelries summed up the crowded streets with a joke: “As one sardine said to the other, ‘How would you like to be people?'” The spontaneous celebrations of the 15th gave way on the 16th to formal events that had been planned in advance and were only awaited the hoped-for word: Peace. Among the Chinese immigrants and their descendants in Australia, the day was called VC Day (Victory in China).

Australian soldiers helped them parade a ceremonial dragon through the streets.
On New Zealand, sirens sounded immediately when the glorious news was announced around 11 a.m. Soon, bands played and people danced in the streets although it was a wet and windy day, but public regulations kept the spontaneous outpourings to a manageable level. Over 11, 600 New Zealanders had given their lives fighting in the war. Given the island nation’s small population, this represented the highest per capita casualties in the British Commonwealth.

In China, where the war had been going on the longest, celebrations were often more subdued. One Chinese who had been a schoolchild on August 15 recalled that students were called out of their classrooms for an emergency assembly on the playground by the flagpole. Their principal raised China’s “White Sun and Blue Sky” flag and sang the national anthem. The students were informed Japan had surrendered and China was now one of the “Four Great Powers” of the world.

In Korea, the Korean National Anthem was played and sung in the streets, and reportedly Japanese “Rising Sun” flags were repainted to resemble the Taegeukgi, the Korean flag. In many communities the Bonganjeon, the shine containing the Japanese emperor’s picture, was destroyed. Arrangements were made to free Korean independence activists from prison.

In the USSR, the war against Germany, “the Great Patriotic War,” had been the great moment of the war, and observations of the end of the war against Japan were minor compared to the celebrations the previous May.

Sunday, July 15, 2018


Image result for lewis b. chesty puller
Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller (18


98–1971)

Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, whose barrel chest and blunt manner inspired his nickname, was a thirty-seven-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps who rose to the rank of lieutenant general. The most-decorated Marine in history, he earned five Navy Crosses, the U.S. Navy's second-highest decoration, for fighting in Nicaragua, at Guadalcanal and in New Guinea during World War II (1939–1945), and at the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War (1950–1953). MORE...
Lewis Burwell Puller was born in West Point,Virginia, on June 26, 1898. A second cousin of General George S. Patton and the grandson of a Confederate veteran, Puller came from a military family and idolized the likes of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson and Robert E. Lee while growing up. He enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute in 1917 but left after a year with hopes of fighting in World War I (1914–1918). He was assigned, instead, to train recruits in South Carolina. In 1919, he graduated from Officer Training School as a second lieutenant but was immediately placed on the inactive list because of postwar troop reductions. Puller reenlisted as a corporal and was deployed to Haiti for five years to train the newly formed Gendarmerie d'Haiti, a constabulary force of Haitian enlisted personnel and Marine officers. He returned to the United States in 1924 and received his commission again as a second lieutenant.
After a two-year tour at Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Puller was assigned to Nicaragua, where he earned the first of his five Navy Crosses while fighting rebels led by Augusto Sandino. On his second tour in Nicaragua, Puller earned another Navy Cross for his gallantry in fighting local rebel forces during a daring ten-day march. He then traveled to China to take command of the famous "Horse Marines" guarding American settlements around Beijing, but was recalled to the United States to teach at the Marine Officers Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1936. In 1940, he returned to China as the executive officer of the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai.

When World War II began, Puller was commanding the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment at New River (later renamed Camp Lejeune), North Carolina, and was sent with his unit to Guadalcanal in the summer of 1942. He won his third Navy Cross leading his battalion in defense of the island's Henderson Airfield against an overwhelming force of seasoned Japanese troops. Promoted to executive officer of the 7th Marine Regiment, Puller earned his fourth Navy Cross in January 1944 at Cape Gloucester in New Britain, when he braved enemy fire to inspire his men during a Japanese counterattack. He was then given command of the 1st Marine Regiment, which he led at the Battle of Peleliu in the Palau Islands in September and October 1944. He returned to the United States the following month to train recruits at Camp Lejeune, where he remained for the rest of the war. At the outbreak of the Korean War, Puller received command of his old unit, the 1st Marine Regiment, and led them during the landing at Inchon in September 1950. He then earned his fifth Navy Cross at the Chosin Reservoir later that year by "attacking in a different direction" against ten Chinese divisions. The action also earned him a promotion to brigadier general in 1951 and major general in 1953. In 1954, he assumed command of the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune but was forced to retire a year later because of ill health. He requested a return to service in 1966 to fight in Vietnam but was refused because of his age. His son, Lewis Burwell Puller Jr., also served as a Marine officer, losing both legs and parts of his hands in action in South Vietnam in 1968. His autobiography, Fortunate Son, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. The younger Puller killed himself two years later.
Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller died on October 11, 1971, at the age of seventy-three. He was buried in Saluda, in Middlesex County, where he spent his retirement. A Virginia Historical Highway Marker honoring him is located nearby on State Route 33, the "General Puller Highway."

Friday, July 13, 2018

Image result for marine corps hymn
History of the Marine Corps Hymn

The music to the hymn is believed to have originated in the comic opera GeneviĆ©ve de Brabant composed by the French composer Jacques Offenbach. ... The unknown author of the first verse of the hymn reversed this order to read “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.”

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Image result for island of peleliu

Image result for island of peleliu
The Island of P

u

eleli

We should not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. But having war-type nightmares every single night for 74 years, sometime I wonder if it would have been better without God’s help. Next was the following Japanese held island Okinawa with 100,000 defending it. 

On Sept. 15, 1944, U.S. Marines fighting in World War II landed on Peleliu, one of the Palau Islands of the western Pacific. Over the next several weeks, ferocious Japanese resistance inflicted heavy casualties on U.S. troops before the Americans were finally able to he invasion of the Philippines and the Japanese home islands.

Peleliu's network of rocky ca

secure the island. Thcontroversial attack on Peleliu resulted in a higher death toll than any other amphibious assault in U.S. military history, Allied commanders troops learned important lessons that would benefit them during t

ves, which the Japanese connected with tunnels, effectively acted as a fortress. The Japanese used Peleliu's unique terrain to their advantage, stationing troops in caves just above invading U.S. forces so as to inflict the maximum amount of damage on the troops below.

Peleliu–a volcanic island just six miles long and two miles wide–was held by a garrison of more than 10,000 Japanese troops. The island’s airfield would allow Japanese planes to threaten any Allied operation in the Philippines, and General Douglas MacArthur pushed for an amphibious attack in order to neutralize this threat. Admiral William Halsey reported that enemy resistance in the region was far less than expected; he recommended that the landings in the Palaus be canceled entirely and MacArthur’s invasion of Leyte Gulf (in the Philippines) be moved up to October. MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz followed Halsey’s advice about Leyte, but chose to go ahead with the attack on Peleliu.

On the morning of Sept. 15, the 1st Marine Division landed on the southwest corner of Peleliu. U.S. forces had refined their amphibious strategy over a year of hard fighting, and by this time had it down to a science: Massive naval bombardment of land-based targets preceded troop landings, which were supported by strafing and bombing runs by carrier-based aircraft. The troops arrived on shore in waves, gathering on an island’s beaches until they had sufficient numbers to push inland. These methods had worked in earlier landings and were expected to work again on Peleliu.

The Japanese still held out, and would only be dislodged after much bloodshed throughout October. More U.S. reinforcements arrived, and the ridge was finally neutralized on November 25. Characteristically, the Japanese defenders refused to surrender, and virtually all of them were killed.

The battle of Peleliu resulted in the highest casualty rate of any amphibious assault in American military history: Of the approximately 28,000 Marines and infantry troops involved, a full 40 percent of the Marines that fought for the island died or were wounded, for a total of some 9,800 men (1,800 killed in action and 8,000 wounded). The high cost of the battle was later attributed to several factors, including typical Allied overconfidence in the efficacy of the pre-landing naval bombardment, a poor understanding of Peleliu’s unique terrain, and overconfidence on the part of Marine commanders, who refused to admit their need for support earlier on at Bloody Nose Ridge.

On the other hand, the capture of Peleliu served as a means to MacArthur’s much-desired end: the recapture of the Philippines, and the drive towards Japan’s home islands. The lessons learned at Peleliu also gave U.S. commanders and forces insight into the new Japanese strategy of attrition, which they would use to their advantage in later struggles at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Thursday, July 5, 2018



This information can be found on page 94 in the book - The Heritage of Lawrence County, Tennessee. The below was written by Noah H. Belew

Image result for noah h. belew
THE BELEW/BELUE CLAN
   There he stood, age unknown. The date was 1735. The location was the Carolina Territory. From whence did this man come? That is not known. Many of us have theories. Some believe he emigrated from France. I also believe he came to America from France because he was considered a French Huguenot. At that time, if you had a different religion than Catholic, you were an outcast in France. Renny Bleue was his name.
   Renny found a wife and became parents of several children. The oldest was named Zachariah, who was born on April 21, 1758. Between the years of 1775 and 1783, Zachariah and his father Renny, fought in The America Revolutionary War aka America War of Independence. Renny must have had an education as he was promoted to Lieutenant. Zachariah's rank was Private. Someway and somehow, Zachariah's last name got changed from Belue to Belew. My theory is that it was changed by mistake since I believe Zack was unable to read or write.
   Rennie died in Union County, South Carolina of old age in 1797, however, his burial site has never been found. I looked in all the cemeteries in that area, and was unable to find it. Many times during those years, a field rock was left by the grave as a marker in place of a tombstone.
   Where am I going with this story? It's leading up to my life, beginning in 1926. After the war, the Carolina Territory had no money to offer soldiers as a bonus for their war effort, but they offered free land, which they had plenty. After Renny died, Zachariah packed up his family and headed to Lawrence County, Tennessee, to accept the bonus free land. It's difficult to imagine the hardship of traveling from South Carolina to Middle Tennessee, hundreds of miles through the uncharted trail by wagon, mules, horses, or walking and avoiding the American Indians.
   Zachariah Belew and his family arrived in the Leoma area, Lawrence County, in early 1800s. The free land was located east of Leoma. Farm life was about the only way of surviving in those days. A son, William, was born in 1816. Zachariah's name is listed on a DAR plaque on the outside wall of the Lawrence County, Tennessee Courthouse (near the flagpole) for his war effort. I, Noah H. Belew, was accepted as a member of SAR through Zachariah's name. Zachariah died on February 9, 1845. He is buried at the Second Creek Cemetery in Lawrence County, Tennessee.
   William Belew, born in Lawrence County on July 13, 1816, was the son of Zachariah. He lived and farmed his land east of Leoma. William got married and had a family. They named one of their sons, Jonathan. William died on September 8, 1884, and is buried in a cemetery east of Leoma.
   Jonathan Belew was born on June 14, 1841 in Lawrence County, Tennessee. He became a farmer on land east of Leoma. He and his wife had a son in 1867 named Robert H. Belew. This was my grandfather. Robert and his wife (my grandmother Matilda Cottrell Belew) lived and farmed on land east of Leoma. They had a family and one of their sons was named George Lonnie (Lon) Belew. This was my father.
   George Lonnie (Lon) Belew, born on June 22, 1892, married Rettie Mae Hickman Belew (my mother), born December 30, 1996. They had six children - four males and two females. I, Noah H. Belew, was born on August 11, 1926. Lon and his family lived on a rocky hilly farm in the village of Barnesville, Lawrence County. During the Great Depression it was touch and go in order to survive. This was before tractors. Farming was accomplished with a strong back, mules and hoes.   
   Rettie Mae Hickman Belew was born in Lawrence County, Tennessee. She was a mother and housewife, and did a lot of farm work, including milking the cows. She lived to be 90 and died from a stroke on Flag Day, June 14, 1987.
   Alonzo Junior Belew was the oldest son. He was born to Lon and Rettie on April 18, 1917. Alonzo left home for greener pasture around 1935. He found work in Detroit, Michigan, with an automobile manufacture. He joined the US Army when World War II started. Alonzo died and was buried in Benton, Kentucky on April 7, 1974.
   Loyd Virgil Belew, second son of Lon and Rettie was born on September 21, 1918. Loyd was a farmhand on his daddy's farm until 1938, when he joined the US Army. After the war, Loyd became a farmer and pursued other jobs until he died in Hohenwald, Tennessee, in December, 1995. He is buried in Napier, Tennessee.
   Freda Mae Belew was the first daughter of Lon and Rettie. She was born on May 7, 1921 and died on September 8, 1928. Her death was caused by an appendix that burst. Freda is buried at the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.
   Claude Monroe Belew, third son of Lon and Rettie, was born on February 20, 1923. He was a helper on the farm until he went to Michigan in 1940 to find better work. He joined the US Navy when World War II started. He retired from the Navy in 1962. Claude was successful as a self employee until he died on June 10, 2003. Claude is buried in the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.
   Opal Belew Scott, second and last daughter of Lon and Rettie was born on August 3, 1929 and died on June 11, 1991. She is buried in the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.
   Noah Harold Belew (that's me) is the fourth and last son of Lon and Rettie. He was born on August11, 1926 in Lawrence County. My working life: Served 20 years in the USMC and 20 years as a motion picture filmmaker. I am still living at age 80.
(Update: I will celebrate my 85th birthday on 11 August 2011)

Submitted by: Noah H. Belew, 1396 Autumn Breeze Circle, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32563 

<><><><> 
FOR THE LAWRENCE COUNTY HERITAGE BOOK
The Belew/Belue Family

By Noah H. Belew
1396 Autumn Breeze Circle
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

My Grandfather and Great Grandfathers

Great Grandfather Renny Belue
Born in 1738 (place unknown)
Died in December 1797 in South Carolina
Soldier (Lt.) in the American Revolution War
Buried in S.C. - Cemetery unknown

Great Grandfather Zachariah Belew
Oldest son of Renny Belue
Name was changed for unknown reason
Solider in the Revolution War
His name is on a plaque on the wall of Lawrence County, Courthouse
Noah H. Belew was accepted as a member of SAR through Zachariah war record
Born in North Carolina on April 21, 1758
Died in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.

Great Grandfather William Belew
Born in Lawrence County, Tenn. on July 13, 1816
Died on September 8, 1884
Buried in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County.

Great Grandfather Jonathan Belew
Son of William
Born on June 14, 1841 in Lawrence County, Tenn.
Died on June 29, 1928
Buried in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.  

Grandfather Robert H. Belew
Born in 1867
Died in 1944
Son of Jonathan
Buried in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.

FATHER: George Lonnie (Lon) Belew
Son of Robert H. and Matilda 'Cottrell Belew
Born on June 22, 1892
Died on January 27, 1943
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

MOTHER: Rettie Mae Belew
Born on December 30, 1896
Died on June 14, 1987
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

DAUGHTER: Freda Mae Belew
Born on May 7, 1921
Died on September 8, 1928
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

DAUGHTER: Opal Belew Scott
Born on August 3, 1929
Died on June 11, 1991
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

SON: Noah Harold Belew
Born August 11, 1926
Still living

SON: Claude Monroe Belew
Born on February 20, 1923
Died on June 10, 2003
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

SON: Loyd Vergil Belew
Born on September 21, 1918
Died in December 1995
Buried at Napier Cemetery

SON: Alonzo Junior Belew
Born on April 18, 1917
Died on April, 7, 1974
Buried in a cemetery in Benton, Kentucky

Wednesday, July 4, 2018




This information can be found on page 94 in the book - The Heritage of Lawrence County, Tennessee.

Image result for noah h. belew
THE BELEW/BELUE CLAN
   There he stood, age unknown. The date was 1735. The location was the Carolina Territory. From whence did this man come? That is not known. Many of us have theories. Some believe he emigrated from France. I also believe he came to America from France because he was considered a French Huguenot. At that time, if you had a different religion than Catholic, you were an outcast in France. Renny Bleue was his name.
   Renny found a wife and became parents of several children. The oldest was named Zachariah, who was born on April 21, 1758. Between the years of 1775 and 1783, Zachariah and his father Renny, fought in The America Revolutionary War aka America War of Independence. Renny must have had an education as he was promoted to Lieutenant. Zachariah's rank was Private. Someway and somehow, Zachariah's last name got changed from Belue to Belew. My theory is that it was changed by mistake since I believe Zack was unable to read or write.
   Rennie died in Union County, South Carolina of old age in 1797, however, his burial site has never been found. I looked in all the cemeteries in that area, and was unable to find it. Many times during those years, a field rock was left by the grave as a marker in place of a tombstone.
   Where am I going with this story? It's leading up to my life, beginning in 1926. After the war, the Carolina Territory had no money to offer soldiers as a bonus for their war effort, but they offered free land, which they had plenty. After Renny died, Zachariah packed up his family and headed to Lawrence County, Tennessee, to accept the bonus free land. It's difficult to imagine the hardship of traveling from South Carolina to Middle Tennessee, hundreds of miles through the uncharted trail by wagon, mules, horses, or walking and avoiding the American Indians.
   Zachariah Belew and his family arrived in the Leoma area, Lawrence County, in early 1800s. The free land was located east of Leoma. Farm life was about the only way of surviving in those days. A son, William, was born in 1816. Zachariah's name is listed on a DAR plaque on the outside wall of the Lawrence County, Tennessee Courthouse (near the flagpole) for his war effort. I, Noah H. Belew, was accepted as a member of SAR through Zachariah's name. Zachariah died on February 9, 1845. He is buried at the Second Creek Cemetery in Lawrence County, Tennessee.
   William Belew, born in Lawrence County on July 13, 1816, was the son of Zachariah. He lived and farmed his land east of Leoma. William got married and had a family. They named one of their sons, Jonathan. William died on September 8, 1884, and is buried in a cemetery east of Leoma.
   Jonathan Belew was born on June 14, 1841 in Lawrence County, Tennessee. He became a farmer on land east of Leoma. He and his wife had a son in 1867 named Robert H. Belew. This was my grandfather. Robert and his wife (my grandmother Matilda Cottrell Belew) lived and farmed on land east of Leoma. They had a family and one of their sons was named George Lonnie (Lon) Belew. This was my father.
   George Lonnie (Lon) Belew, born on June 22, 1892, married Rettie Mae Hickman Belew (my mother), born December 30, 1996. They had six children - four males and two females. I, Noah H. Belew, was born on August 11, 1926. Lon and his family lived on a rocky hilly farm in the village of Barnesville, Lawrence County. During the Great Depression it was touch and go in order to survive. This was before tractors. Farming was accomplished with a strong back, mules and hoes.   
   Rettie Mae Hickman Belew was born in Lawrence County, Tennessee. She was a mother and housewife, and did a lot of farm work, including milking the cows. She lived to be 90 and died from a stroke on Flag Day, June 14, 1987.
   Alonzo Junior Belew was the oldest son. He was born to Lon and Rettie on April 18, 1917. Alonzo left home for greener pasture around 1935. He found work in Detroit, Michigan, with an automobile manufacture. He joined the US Army when World War II started. Alonzo died and was buried in Benton, Kentucky on April 7, 1974.
   Loyd Virgil Belew, second son of Lon and Rettie was born on September 21, 1918. Loyd was a farmhand on his daddy's farm until 1938, when he joined the US Army. After the war, Loyd became a farmer and pursued other jobs until he died in Hohenwald, Tennessee, in December, 1995. He is buried in Napier, Tennessee.
   Freda Mae Belew was the first daughter of Lon and Rettie. She was born on May 7, 1921 and died on September 8, 1928. Her death was caused by an appendix that burst. Freda is buried at the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.
   Claude Monroe Belew, third son of Lon and Rettie, was born on February 20, 1923. He was a helper on the farm until he went to Michigan in 1940 to find better work. He joined the US Navy when World War II started. He retired from the Navy in 1962. Claude was successful as a self employee until he died on June 10, 2003. Claude is buried in the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.
   Opal Belew Scott, second and last daughter of Lon and Rettie was born on August 3, 1929 and died on June 11, 1991. She is buried in the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.
   Noah Harold Belew (that's me) is the fourth and last son of Lon and Rettie. He was born on August11, 1926 in Lawrence County. My working life: Served 20 years in the USMC and 20 years as a motion picture filmmaker. I am still living at age 80.
(Update: I will celebrate my 85th birthday on 11 August 2011)

Submitted by: Noah H. Belew, 1396 Autumn Breeze Circle, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32563 

<><><><> 
FOR THE LAWRENCE COUNTY HERITAGE BOOK
The Belew/Belue Family

By Noah H. Belew
1396 Autumn Breeze Circle
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

My Grandfather and Great Grandfathers

Great Grandfather Renny Belue
Born in 1738 (place unknown)
Died in December 1797 in South Carolina
Soldier (Lt.) in the American Revolution War
Buried in S.C. - Cemetery unknown

Great Grandfather Zachariah Belew
Oldest son of Renny Belue
Name was changed for unknown reason
Solider in the Revolution War
His name is on a plaque on the wall of Lawrence County, Courthouse
Noah H. Belew was accepted as a member of SAR through Zachariah war record
Born in North Carolina on April 21, 1758
Died in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.

Great Grandfather William Belew
Born in Lawrence County, Tenn. on July 13, 1816
Died on September 8, 1884
Buried in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County.

Great Grandfather Jonathan Belew
Son of William
Born on June 14, 1841 in Lawrence County, Tenn.
Died on June 29, 1928
Buried in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.  

Grandfather Robert H. Belew
Born in 1867
Died in 1944
Son of Jonathan
Buried in a cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.

FATHER: George Lonnie (Lon) Belew
Son of Robert H. and Matilda 'Cottrell Belew
Born on June 22, 1892
Died on January 27, 1943
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

MOTHER: Rettie Mae Belew
Born on December 30, 1896
Died on June 14, 1987
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

DAUGHTER: Freda Mae Belew
Born on May 7, 1921
Died on September 8, 1928
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

DAUGHTER: Opal Belew Scott
Born on August 3, 1929
Died on June 11, 1991
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

SON: Noah Harold Belew
Born August 11, 1926
Still living

SON: Claude Monroe Belew
Born on February 20, 1923
Died on June 10, 2003
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery

SON: Loyd Vergil Belew
Born on September 21, 1918
Died in December 1995
Buried at Napier Cemetery

SON: Alonzo Junior Belew
Born on April 18, 1917
Died on April, 7, 1974
Buried in a cemetery in Benton, Kentucky