Charles Glenn Mealer was killed-in-action in World War II

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, March 25, 2025

When Charles Glenn Mealer of the Cartecay community in eastern Gilmer County was inducted into the U.S. Army on Oct. 10, 1944, he had no way of knowing he had only a few short months to live. In fact, just five weeks after embarking to the European Theater of World War II, he would be killed while crossing the Rhine River in Germany on March 25, 1945 — 80 years ago today.

It had been an abrupt tour of duty, according to a boyhood friend of one of Mealer’s brothers.

“Me and his younger brother, Clarence, was big buddies,” said Vic Davis of Ellijay. “I remember when Glenn got drafted, they took him right out of school as I recall, and it wasn’t too awful long till he was killed.”

As a rifleman with Company C of the 60th Armored Infantry Battalion in the 9th Armored Division, Mealer, age 18, fought in the Battle of the Rhine and was killed during the crossing of the river, according to historical records.

Area historical researcher Amber Brooke Davis, a Dalton native and 1996 graduate of Murray County High School, said although Mealer is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium, he has a cenotaph grave marker at Burnt Mountain Church in Pickens County where his parents and other family members are buried.

“Glenn was not the first Mealer from Gilmer County to die during his service and be interred in Europe,” she said. “His uncle, (Army Pvt.) Elijah Mealer, age 25, was killed in World War I in France and is buried at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery.”

Vic Davis, 91, remembers the aftermath of Glenn Mealer’s death in the spring of 1945.

“His family was really affected, of course, and the whole community was tore up about it,” he said.

According to the Honor States website, Mealer was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart, Marksmanship Badge, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.