Fayette County High School has lost nine men in international conflicts during time of war. The Fayette County Hall of Fame and the Fayette Black & Gold Committee respectfully honor the sacrifices these men made to protect the liberties that we enjoy. They are true heroes.

World War II, or the Second World War, was a global military conflict, the amalgamation of what had initially been two separate conflicts. The first began in Asia in 1937 as the Second Sino-Japanese War; the other began in Europe in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland. This global conflict split the majority of the world’s nations into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis Powers. Spanning much of the globe, World War II resulted in the death of over 60 million people, making it the deadliest conflict in human history.

• PFC Emerson Calloway, United States Marine Corps, South Pacific on September 16, 1944

• SSG Louie Kelley, United States Army, France on April 15, 1945

• PVT Norman Putnam, United States Army, Italy on July 27, 1944

The Korean War was an escalation of a civil war between two rival Korean regimes, each of which was supported by external powers, with each trying to topple the other through political and guerilla tactics. After failing to strengthen their cause in the free elections held in South Korea during May 1950[ and the refusal of South Korea to hold new elections per North Korean demands, the communist North Korean Army moved south on June 25, 1950 to attempt to reunite the Korean peninsula, which had been formally divided since 1948. The conflict was then expanded by the United States and the Soviet Union’s involvement as part of the larger Cold War. The main hostilities were during the period from June 25, 1950 until the armistice (ceasefire agreement) was signed on July 27, 1953.

• PFC Jerry Dettermering, United States Army, South Korea on January 5, 1952

The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as the American War, occurred from 1965 to April 30, 1975. The term Vietnam Conflict is often used to refer to events which took place between 1959 and April 30, 1975. The war was fought between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the United States-supported Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). It concluded with the defeat of the United States and South Vietnam, resulting in the unification of Vietnam under the communist government of the North.

• SP5 Joe Hyatt, United States Army, Pleiku SVN on November 13, 1967

• SMS Gary Pate, United States Air Force , MIA–Laos on May 22, 1968, Declared KIA on Janaury 9, 1975

• SP5 Raymond Simpson, United States Army, Bien Hoa SVN on November 4, 1968

• PFC Darriel Thompson, United States Army, Near Saigon River SVN/Unknown

• PFC Jimmy Williams, United States Marine Corps, Quang Tri on SVN/Unknown

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