Served as President of the East Point Historical Society in East Point, Ga. as well as other positions on the Board of Directors.
Retired owner/operator of East Point Laundry & Cleaners.
Treasurer of East Point Christian Church for many years.
"Owen F. Bell first entered service in the National Guard at Atlanta, GA. on Feb. 24, 1941. He had had one year of college, was single, and his occupational code shows him as qualified in "clerks, general office" work. He gained the rank of Sgt. in 'Field Artillery' with the National Guard...He enlisted in the regular US Army on Oct. 8, 1942 at Camp Forrest, TN. At this time, he was shown as 'married'. At Camp Stewart, GA. he was assigned to the 455th AAA Bn. Medical Detachment. While still there in 1942, he was assigned to Battery 'A'.
After training at Stewart and Ft. Benning, GA., the 455th AAA was sent to England in Sept. 1943 and spent 10 months guarding air bases. Battery 'A' was at Snetterton Heath, Norfolk. Owen Bell was promoted to First Sgt. at some point during this span. In July 1944, the unit went to Normandy as part of the buildup for 'Operation Cobra'. They were then attached to Third Army (Gen. Patton) and XX Corps (Gen. Walker). They moved through France, Germany and Austria. During the march through Germany in April of 1945, First Sgt. Owen F. Bell received the Bronze Star. On the morning of April 15, he and Lt. Jim Paden were ambushed by 4 German soldiers who stopped the Bell's jeep with a grenade blast. The Germans asked for food and water (there was none), then tried to drive off in the jeep. But, Owen Bell had shifted the low transfer case into neutral, and the Germans couldn't get the jeep to move. So, they started off across country with their two American prisoners. Two American vehicles surprised them, and the Germans tried to run off. Lt. Paden used 1st Sgt. Bell's carbine to fire after the Germans, killing one and wounding two and capturing the fourth. So, 1st Sgt. Owen Bell had been a POW for about 30 minutes.
--This incident from a lenghty account written by the late Lt. James Paden, 455th AAA BN., Battery 'A', Executive Officer.--
Retired owner/operator of East Point Laundry & Cleaners.
Treasurer of East Point Christian Church for many years.
"Owen F. Bell first entered service in the National Guard at Atlanta, GA. on Feb. 24, 1941. He had had one year of college, was single, and his occupational code shows him as qualified in "clerks, general office" work. He gained the rank of Sgt. in 'Field Artillery' with the National Guard...He enlisted in the regular US Army on Oct. 8, 1942 at Camp Forrest, TN. At this time, he was shown as 'married'. At Camp Stewart, GA. he was assigned to the 455th AAA Bn. Medical Detachment. While still there in 1942, he was assigned to Battery 'A'.
After training at Stewart and Ft. Benning, GA., the 455th AAA was sent to England in Sept. 1943 and spent 10 months guarding air bases. Battery 'A' was at Snetterton Heath, Norfolk. Owen Bell was promoted to First Sgt. at some point during this span. In July 1944, the unit went to Normandy as part of the buildup for 'Operation Cobra'. They were then attached to Third Army (Gen. Patton) and XX Corps (Gen. Walker). They moved through France, Germany and Austria. During the march through Germany in April of 1945, First Sgt. Owen F. Bell received the Bronze Star. On the morning of April 15, he and Lt. Jim Paden were ambushed by 4 German soldiers who stopped the Bell's jeep with a grenade blast. The Germans asked for food and water (there was none), then tried to drive off in the jeep. But, Owen Bell had shifted the low transfer case into neutral, and the Germans couldn't get the jeep to move. So, they started off across country with their two American prisoners. Two American vehicles surprised them, and the Germans tried to run off. Lt. Paden used 1st Sgt. Bell's carbine to fire after the Germans, killing one and wounding two and capturing the fourth. So, 1st Sgt. Owen Bell had been a POW for about 30 minutes.
--This incident from a lenghty account written by the late Lt. James Paden, 455th AAA BN., Battery 'A', Executive Officer.--
Served as President of the East Point Historical Society in East Point, Ga. as well as other positions on the Board of Directors.
Retired owner/operator of East Point Laundry & Cleaners.
Treasurer of East Point Christian Church for many years.
"Owen F. Bell first entered service in the National Guard at Atlanta, GA. on Feb. 24, 1941. He had had one year of college, was single, and his occupational code shows him as qualified in "clerks, general office" work. He gained the rank of Sgt. in 'Field Artillery' with the National Guard...He enlisted in the regular US Army on Oct. 8, 1942 at Camp Forrest, TN. At this time, he was shown as 'married'. At Camp Stewart, GA. he was assigned to the 455th AAA Bn. Medical Detachment. While still there in 1942, he was assigned to Battery 'A'.
After training at Stewart and Ft. Benning, GA., the 455th AAA was sent to England in Sept. 1943 and spent 10 months guarding air bases. Battery 'A' was at Snetterton Heath, Norfolk. Owen Bell was promoted to First Sgt. at some point during this span. In July 1944, the unit went to Normandy as part of the buildup for 'Operation Cobra'. They were then attached to Third Army (Gen. Patton) and XX Corps (Gen. Walker). They moved through France, Germany and Austria. During the march through Germany in April of 1945, First Sgt. Owen F. Bell received the Bronze Star. On the morning of April 15, he and Lt. Jim Paden were ambushed by 4 German soldiers who stopped the Bell's jeep with a grenade blast. The Germans asked for food and water (there was none), then tried to drive off in the jeep. But, Owen Bell had shifted the low transfer case into neutral, and the Germans couldn't get the jeep to move. So, they started off across country with their two American prisoners. Two American vehicles surprised them, and the Germans tried to run off. Lt. Paden used 1st Sgt. Bell's carbine to fire after the Germans, killing one and wounding two and capturing the fourth. So, 1st Sgt. Owen Bell had been a POW for about 30 minutes.
--This incident from a lenghty account written by the late Lt. James Paden, 455th AAA BN., Battery 'A', Executive Officer.--
Retired owner/operator of East Point Laundry & Cleaners.
Treasurer of East Point Christian Church for many years.
"Owen F. Bell first entered service in the National Guard at Atlanta, GA. on Feb. 24, 1941. He had had one year of college, was single, and his occupational code shows him as qualified in "clerks, general office" work. He gained the rank of Sgt. in 'Field Artillery' with the National Guard...He enlisted in the regular US Army on Oct. 8, 1942 at Camp Forrest, TN. At this time, he was shown as 'married'. At Camp Stewart, GA. he was assigned to the 455th AAA Bn. Medical Detachment. While still there in 1942, he was assigned to Battery 'A'.
After training at Stewart and Ft. Benning, GA., the 455th AAA was sent to England in Sept. 1943 and spent 10 months guarding air bases. Battery 'A' was at Snetterton Heath, Norfolk. Owen Bell was promoted to First Sgt. at some point during this span. In July 1944, the unit went to Normandy as part of the buildup for 'Operation Cobra'. They were then attached to Third Army (Gen. Patton) and XX Corps (Gen. Walker). They moved through France, Germany and Austria. During the march through Germany in April of 1945, First Sgt. Owen F. Bell received the Bronze Star. On the morning of April 15, he and Lt. Jim Paden were ambushed by 4 German soldiers who stopped the Bell's jeep with a grenade blast. The Germans asked for food and water (there was none), then tried to drive off in the jeep. But, Owen Bell had shifted the low transfer case into neutral, and the Germans couldn't get the jeep to move. So, they started off across country with their two American prisoners. Two American vehicles surprised them, and the Germans tried to run off. Lt. Paden used 1st Sgt. Bell's carbine to fire after the Germans, killing one and wounding two and capturing the fourth. So, 1st Sgt. Owen Bell had been a POW for about 30 minutes.
--This incident from a lenghty account written by the late Lt. James Paden, 455th AAA BN., Battery 'A', Executive Officer.--
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