Henry Grady Gatlin, Jr. – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps

From a contemporary press report:

H. Grady Gatlin Jr., 78, a Bethesda resident and decorated World War II veteran who had a long career as an aviation lawyer in Washington, died of congestive heart failure December 7, 1999 at Suburban Hospital.

Mr. Gatlin, a former lawyer for the Civil Aeronautics Board, spent the bulk of his career with the Air Transport Association of America, which represents airlines and express cargo carriers.

He worked at the association from 1954 to 1980, then spent 10 years in private practice before retiring in 1990.

The son of a Navy chaplain, he was born in Honolulu. Mr. Gatlin served as an infantry officer with the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific during World War II and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for operations as division aerial observer over Saipan.

Mr. Gatlin also survived the sinking of the sea carrier escort USS Bismarck during the Iwo Jima campaign.

After the war he received undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He also was a pilot in the Marine Corps Reserve and retired in 1963 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

He was a member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, Phi Kappa Sigma social fraternity, the Graebner chapter of American First Day Cover Society, the Washington Chapter of Civil War Roundtable and the Survivors of the USS Bismarck Sea Association.

His wife, Jane Elizabeth Gilmore Gatlin, died in 1997. Survivors include a daughter, Nancy Gatlin Johnsen of Hartsville, S.C.; a son, Henry G. Gatlin III of Great Falls; a sister, Marguerite Young of Gaithersburg; and four grandchildren.

GATLIN, H. GRADY, JR., LtCol, USMC (Ret.)

On Tuesday, December 7, 1999, of Bethesda, MD, beloved husband of the late Jane Elizabeth Gilmore Gatlin; father of Nancy Gatlin Johnsen and Henry G. Gatlin, III; grandfather of Leland and Stephen Johnsen and William and Katherine Gatlin. Col. Gatlin is also survived by his sister, Marguerite Young, and his nephew, George S. Young, Jr. Service will be held at Bethesda United Methodist Church, 8300 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda, MD 20814, on Monday, December 13, 1999, at 11 a.m. Interment, with full military honors, in Arlington National Cemetery at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethesda United Methodist Church at the above address.

GATLIN, HENRY GRADY JR
LTCOL   US MARINE CORPS

• VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 04/17/1942 – 05/31/1981
• DATE OF BIRTH: 06/21/1921
• DATE OF DEATH: 12/07/1999
• DATE OF INTERMENT: 12/13/1999
• BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 4249-A
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

GATLIN, JANE E

• DATE OF BIRTH: 06/11/1923
• DATE OF DEATH: 09/26/1997
• DATE OF INTERMENT: 09/30/1997
• BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 4249-B
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
• WIFE OF GATLIN, HENRY GRADY JR LTCOL US MARINE CORPS

Michael Robert Patterson

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