PALM CITY — Retired attorney, Pauley Kellum was a Marine First Sergeant during World War II. He spent 15 months in the hospital after being severely wounded during the liberation of Guam and was then discharged with little ceremony.

“I took the GI Bill college aid and became a lawyer,” the 89-year-old Palm City resident said. “I thought that was it.”

This year, the war has loomed large in Kellum’s life.

After 64 years, the Marine Corps awarded him the Bronze Star and Purple Heart he earned on Guam, and on Friday, he and his wife, Julia Ann, will be among the honored guests for the dedication of the new venues opening at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Kellum’s medals were hung up in the system because of lapses in his discharge process and Navy red tape. He learned he was supposed to have the medals several years ago, but when he submitted his discharge papers they did not note the combat awards. The Navy, which administers Marine Corps matters refused to issue them, citing regulations.

“The veterans office in Tallahassee took over and after several years, I have this letter and the medals,” Kellum said.

As a youngster in Charleston, W.Va., Kellum and his friends dreamed of joining the French Foreign Legion. When he was old enough to enlist in 1940, he couldn’t find a Legion recruiter, so the joined the Marine Corps.

Then the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and Kellum was on his way to the Pacific.

Kellum fought with the Third Marine Division on Bougainville and several other South Pacific islands before going on to retake Guam from the Japanese. During the fighting, he was shot in the left arm.

“It wasn’t much so I kept on,” Kellum said.

A second shot did more damage to the same arm, disabling him and sending him to a hospital ship offshore. He still does not have full use of his left hand and arm.

After 15 months, he was discharged, but clerks preparing the forms only noted he had been a first sergeant and said nothing about service in the South Pacific, wounds or anything else. Kellum didn’t notice, got out and married. He went to law school and joined a firm doing international law work.

The Kellums came to Florida about 30 years ago, settling first in Broward County before moving to Martin County.

He says he has contributed to other projects such as National World War II Memorial in Washington and the famed Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.

“I think we were invited to the dedication because I made a contribution to them when they needed the money,” Kellum said.

“I am feeling pretty good about all this,” Kellum said. “A lot of people like Tom Hanks, the actor, and Tom Brokaw, the television journalist and author who named us the ‘Greatest Generation,’ have spent a lot of money and effort on this project. I think it is an effort to educate young Americans that America didn’t just drop out of the sky as it is, that it took the sacrifices and efforts of a lot of people to make it what it is.”
Joe Crankshaw, TCPalm.com

Tags: guam, marines, navy, pearl harbor, purple heart, veteran, world war II

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