Opie Dobyns
Corporal, United States Army
Three Dobyns brothers died in World War I. They were the sons of William Whitfield Dobyns and Victoria Catherine Ashwell of Bedford County, Virginia. They were:
Corporal Colita “Colear” Ellis Dobyns, born June 26, 1894 Bedford, Virginia. He was married January 10, 1915 to Lola M. Bell Swain. He served in the U.S. Army 38th Infantry Regiment, Company K, 3rd Division and was killed at Belleau, France August 9, 1918. He was buried in the American Cemetery at Belleau, France.
Private First Class Opie Dobyns, born April 23, 1897, Bedford, Virginia. He served in the U.S. Army Company K, 38th Infantry Regiment (same unit as his brother, Colita Dobyns killed 2 months earlier). He was killed October 9, 1918 Belleau, France, and subsequently returned to America and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Private Jesse Lee Dobyns, born March 19, 1896 Bedford County, Virginia. He served in the U.S. Army 6th Ammunition Troop Company E. He died of pneumonia October 24, 1918, at Belleau, France (2 weeks after his brother, Opie Dobyns, had been killed). He was subsequently returned to American and buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
DOBYNS, JESSE L
PVT CO B 6TH AMM TRN 6TH DIV WW
DATE OF DEATH: 10/24/1918
BURIED AT: SECTION EUR (18) SITE 2098
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
DOBYNS, OPIE
CPL K 38TH INF 3RD DIV
DATE OF DEATH: 10/09/1918
BURIED AT: SECTION WHT E (18) SITE 3575
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Colear E. Dobyns
Corporal, U.S. Army
38th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division
Entered the Service from: Virginia
Died: August 9, 1918
Buried at: Plot A Row 12 Grave 47
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery
Belleau, France
NOTE: There is no information why he was not returned to Arlington National Cemetery to rest with his brothers.
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard