Alexander "Sandy" Bonnyman
The Man with Perseverance.Bonnyman, who was raised in Knoxville, decided to join the Marines in July of 1942. While he was in the marines, he led a flame thrower assault on an entrenched Japanese force. The asault eventually broke the enemy lines after days of murderous battle. The battle was gruesome, but he never gave up on his men or the battle. Bonnyman was killed in the process. Bonnyman leaves a legacy as the Pellissippi Parkway Bridge, Marine unit, and a Navy ship are all named in his honor. They presented the Medal of Honor to his teen-aged daughter in 1943.
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Article discussing Bonnyman:
http://wate.com/2015/09/25/fallen-marines-remains-return-home-to-knoxville-72-years-later/
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I’ve gotten hundreds of letters, interviews, and documents. I have mined as much as I can to learn as much as I can. I dare say I know him as well as I can know him for never having met him,
-Clay Bonnyman Evans(grandson)