Pvt. Joe Pete McKeehan

HVHS Class of 1946


Joe Pete McKeehan was born on 24 December 1925 to Henry Louis McKeehan and Amanda Florence Dugger. He was married to Virginia Evelyn Dugger.

Private First Class McKeehan was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea. Buried at McKeehan Cemetery, Elizabethton, TN.


Joe McKeehan is buried in the McKeehan Cemetary, row 4, grave 7.

The Elizabethton Star, March 9, 1952

The body of PFC Joe P. McKeehan, who was killed in action in Korea on January 7, 1951, while serving with Company “F”, 38th Infantry, will arrive in Johnson City on Tuesday,, March 11, on Southern Train Number 41.

PFC McKeehan, age 26, first served in the Infantry from January 8, 1949 to January 23, 1950 at Fort Lewis, Washington. He was then placed in the reserves until September 23, 1950 when he was called to active duty. He was shipped to Korea November 9, 1950. PFC McKeehan received his education in the public schools of Carter County and was a graduate of Happy Valley High School. Before entering the service, he was employed by NARC in the Coning Department. When the body arrives, accompanied by a military escort, it will be taken to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry McKeehan, Route 4, Elizabethton, Tuesday afternoon. Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Virginia Dugger McKeehan, one daughter, Jo ann; his parents; five brothers, John, Haynes, Paul, Taylor and Roy, all of Route 4; four sisters, Mrs. Retta Douglass, rs. Guy Saunders, Mrs. J.B. Ford, all of Route 4, and Mrs. LeRoy Kyte of Portsmouth,Va. 


*All information for this individual was gathered from the East Tn Veterans Memorial webpage, honorstates.com, abmc.gov, find a grave webpage, and family contributions.