Nelson Daughtry Proudly Served During Korean War

By Donna Cope

In the space of a few months in 1951, Nelson Daughtry went from tree-trimmer to U.S. Army soldier.

During a year that seemed a kinder, gentler time, Harry S. Truman was president, the first NBA All-Star Game was played and the “Dennis the Menace” comic strip was hitting papers across the country. But 7,200 miles away, fierce fighting erupted throughout the Korea Peninsula. Daughtry was called to serve in the Korean War, as were 1.5 million young Americans.

Daughtry was 20 years old. He grew up in Shellhorn northwest of Troy. At the time, the tiny community consisted of a general store, a cotton gin and a grist mill.He began working at Alabama Power in December 1948, after graduating from Troy High School. Life seemed to be lining up just right: The day after Christmas 1949, he married his high school sweetheart, Nell, during his first week of company vacation. Nelson was 19 and Nell was 16.

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