Note: This article is first in a series to honor Madison residents who died in military service during World War II. These men are memorialized at the Wall of Heroes in Captain Jesse Ollie Wikle Jr. Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Madison.

MADISON – World War II stretched across every continent on the planet.

“It was a conflict that had many of the nations of the world banding together to defeat not one but two threats to humanity between 1939 to 1945,” Richard L. Blanton Jr. said. Blanton serves as Historian of Madison American Legion, Post 229.

“The Second War, or what most people refer to as World War II, would arguably be called the most destructive war in human history,” Blanton said. “In the City of Madison and the country around it, thousands of her sons and daughters flocked to the colors.”

“Most (military personnel) came home safely; some suffered the scars of war seen and unseen,” Blanton said. “Sadly, a few paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

Private First Class Paul Jones Ennis was among soldiers who died in World War II. Ennis was drafted into the U.S. Army in March 1942 and assigned to Company C, 702nd Tank Destroyer Battalion.

Ennis was stationed at Camp Hood, Coryell County, Texas. He was critically injured by a .45-caliber automatic pistol during a training accident in February 1943 in Camp Hood’s Area D-1.

He was born on March 29, 1908 in Limestone County to parents James Marvin Ennis and Florence Emma Sturdivant. Paul Ennis had a twin, Luke Hayes Ennis.

Other brothers were James B. Ennis, Frank Ennis, John H. Ennis and Homer Hurley Ennis, all of Madison, and Henry ‘Harry’ Sergeant Ennis of Phenix City. His sisters were Mrs. Mitchell Franklin, Mrs. Hezzie Landers, Mrs. C. M. McCurley and Mrs. Charles Schrimsher, all of Madison.

Paul Jones Ennis was buried in Old Madison Cemetery on Mill Road in February 1943.

Another World War II soldier, Private First Class James Floyd Ivy was inducted into the U.S. Army in November 1942. Ivy was assigned to 378th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division.  

Ivy was killed in action during fighting in Lorraine, France in November 1944.  He had been overseas since August 1943.

Ivy was survived by his wife, the former Margaret Westmoreland, and 17-month-old son, James ‘Jimmy’ Ivy, of Rome, Ga. PFC Ivy had two brothers — Sgt. Clifton C. Ivy overseas in the Army and Vernon Ivy who still lived at home — and four sisters.

His parents were Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Ivy of New Hope. Ivy attended Madison schools and Auburn University. He worked as a plant foreman at Redstone Arsenal.

Ivy is interred in Lorraine American Cemetery at Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France.