"Learning of his death was the saddest day of our lives, but his memory lingers on."
Herbert Hunt (brother)
John Warden Hunt was born of May 14, 1922, in Elkview, West Virginia. He was one of nine sons born to Chauncy M. and Buna Stalnaker Hunt and had a twin brother, Don. The Hunt family lived on a 255-acre farm on Bullskin Branch located four miles from Elkview. John and his siblings worked hard at the many chores they had after school and then studied by kerosene lamps and a wood fire.
The Hunt family, 1936
John and Don Hunt on graduation, 1941
John graduated from Elkview High School in 1941, where he was a member of the National Honor Society, and was awarded a working scholarship to West Virginia University. On November 8, 1942, he married Jean Louise Townsend and announced the marriage to his parents in a postcard in which he said "there are two of us now."
John was drafted and entered the service on May 12, 1943. Wanting to join the Air Force like twin brother Don, he started training to fly but an ear problem at high altitude forced him to drop out. He was transferred to the 109th Infantry, Company A, and after training at Ft. Meade, Maryland, shipped out for Europe on September 12, 1944.
John and Jean Louise Hunt
In December 1944, John was moved to the Battle of the Bulge area. He was wounded on February 2, 1945, in France, and died on February 7. First buried at Salers, his body was later returned to the United States aboard the US Transport Carroll Victory. On October 31, 1948, after a funeral service at Trinity Methodist Church, he was reburied in the Stalnaker Cemetery in Glenville.
Information and photographs provided by Herbert Hunt.
Honor...
West Virginia Archives and History welcomes any additional information that can be
provided about these veterans, including photographs, family names, letters and other relevant
personal history.