Paris Goes To War

War came Paris, Texas on December 7, 1941. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declarations of war of the Axis countries of Japan, Germany and Italy against The United States brought World War II literally to the doorsteps of Paris.

The U.S. response to war hit Paris like a tidal wave and the results were everlasting.

This small East Texas town responded as hundreds of small towns across America did. Its sons, daughters and citizens joined the war effort.

But Paris began to develop its own uniqueness with the opening of Camp Maxey just a few miles north of the city limits in 1942. Two major divisions, the 102d Infantry Division and the 99th Infantry Division, trained there. It is estimated that over 200,000 troops and civilians trained and worked at Camp Maxey during its short 4 years of existance.

Camp Maxey was also selected as a site, as were many other training camp sites in Texas, to house German prisoners-of-war. More than 6,000 Germans were hosted there until well after the last shots of anger were fired in Europe in 1945.

Paris, as was the whole country, was like a stirred pot. The young men and women who came to Camp Maxey to train spent their leaves in town. Many of them met, courted, and married local men and women. Likewise, Paris sons and daughters who left were meeting their future spouses. The long historic ties that had held Paris together as a tight community were stretched around the world.

To and from Paris the letters streamed in and out from friends and families: from the battle fronts, from far-away hometowns, from Washington D.C., to Europe, to The Pacific and literally all points of the globe.

Sad news of soldiers being killed, exciting news of the birth of a new baby, common news about town gossip all swirlled around this small town of Paris. Paris was making its contribution to march the country toward victory.

In 1941 Paris Goes To War.


How To Add A Story & Pictures To Paris Goes To War

If you have stories, pictures or items of interest to contribute to these web pages, please email them to steelyfamilias@yahoo.com. You can send written articles in doc or pdf formats and pictures are preferred in jpg format. Contributions will be posted according the their relevance to Paris, Lamar County, Camp Maxey and World War II. All contributions may be used on these blog web pages as well as any future publications that may appear on the subject.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

In Memory of Quincy Alan Hazelwood, 36th Infantry Division

QUINCY ALAN HAZLEWOOD 90, of Paris, died at 10:15 PM, Saturday, January 26, 2008 at Paris Regional Medical Center. A funeral service has been set for 2:00 PM, Tuesday, January 29, 2008 in the chapel of Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Van Lazaroff officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 PM prior to the service on Tuesday. Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Hazlewood was born April 14, 1917 in Fort Towson, Oklahoma to Columbus Clayton and Lela Abigail Merriott Hazlewood. He graduated from Paris High School and Paris Junior College. Mr. Hazlewood married Zoe Huddle on November 30, 1940 in Durant, Oklahoma. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and it’s Couples Sunday School Class.

Mr. Hazlewood served in the US Army for 20 years retiring as a Captain. He served during World War II in the Army, 36th Infantry Division, Battery A, 132nd Field Artillery.
Mr. Hazlewood was a lifetime member of the Military Order of Purple Heart, Chapter 612; Disabled American Veterans; National Association of Uniformed Services; Veterans of Foreign Wars; American Legion; Sons of Confederate Veterans; and the 36th Division US Army Association.

After his retirement from the military, Mr. Hazlewood was a postal worker and worked for several years for Mr. Cotton McDowell and Biard Oil Company enjoying the many friends he came in contact with at the Phillips gas station on Lamar Avenue.

Mr. Hazlewood is survived by his wife, Zoe Huddle Hazlewood of Paris; two sons, John Quincy Hazlewood of Paris and William Roy Hazlewood and wife, Patti of Dallas; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister.

Pallbearers will be William Roy Hazlewood, Clay Hazlewood, Brian Alan Hazlewood, J.C. Howell, Burt Cain, Bob Groves, and Jerome Chapman.
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