COMMENTARY by Arnett Elias Kilpatrick - My father was Elias Kilpatrick, the seventh of Elisha's children.  Elias was born October 6, 1890 in the Liberty Community, Cherokee County and died February 27, 1978 at Niota, McMinn County, Tennessee.  He and Elizabeth Jane Shoemaker were married August 22, 1915.  Elizabeth was born December 25, 1891 and died September 30, 1980. They have seven children: George Alvin (died in infancy), Minnie Velvie (died in infancy), Arnett Elias, Mabel Easter,Vicy Lorene, Ernest Briston and Julia Mae.

I am the third child of Elias and Elizabeth Kilpatrick.  I was born April 28, 1918, in McMinn County, Tennessee.  I graduated from Sweetwater High School, Sweetwater, Monroe County, Tennessee in 1938, attended Hiwassee College, Madisonville, Tennessee in 1939-1941 and graduated from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas in 1955.  I served twenty years in the Air Force, retiring May 31, 1963 as a Lt.  Colonel.  While in the Air Force I flew thirty combat missions over Germany and enemy occupied territory during World War II, including the second and last Shuttle mission from England to Poltava, Russia.  Awards include the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the European- African Mediterranean Combat Medal with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Service Stars and the Air Force Commendation Medal.  Later in my career I was transferred to the Research and Development Command as a Research and Development Administrative Officer working on Project Mercury at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. Upon retiring from the Air Force I went to work for the NASA Johnson Space Center at Houston, Texas where I worked on the Gemini, Apollo, ASTP, and the early part of the Shuttle Space Programs.  I am now fully retired.

My first wife was Ottie Marie Cox of Denton Texas.  My second wife is Joyce Webb, born May 6, 1934 in McMinn County, Tennessee.  I have two children, both by my first wife: Darla Marie and Cheryl Annette.

Darla Marie Kilpatrick was born June 3. 1950 on MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.  She attended the University of Texas and graduated from Texas Women's University on May 15, 1976 as a Registered Nurse.  Upon graduation she was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, with the Oath of Office being administered by her father.  She stayed in the Army for 11 years, receiving the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters.  She now lives at Taylor Lake, Texas where she and her husband, Herbert F. Forsberg, are in the house construction business.  Darla and Herb have two children, Jason and Cody.

Cheryl Annette Kilpatrick was born June 2, 1954 on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.  Cheryl graduated from the University of Texas with a BS degree in Computer Sciences.  She now works for the IRS in Austin, Texas.  She is married to Rodney Brown.  They have one child, Aaron Brown.