05/25/2026
Thanks to these local heroes and countless other heroic men and women who lost their lives fighting for our freedom.
Honoring three young men from Indian Land who gave their lives during World War II…you may recognize the roads near The Barn that are named after these heroes.
Private First Class Shelton “Shelley” Hurley Mullis
Shelley was born in Marshville, NC on November 23, 1919 and moved to Indian Land in 1937. He worked at Springs Industries in Fort Mill. He married Erlene Howey in 1941 and had a son, David, in 1943. He entered the Army in December 1943. After his Basic Training, he went to Airborne school, and was assigned to the 502nd Parachute Regiment, 101stAirborne Division. He parachuted into The Netherlands in September during Operation Market Garden. During the Battle of the Bulge, his unit was called to the defense of Bastogne, Belgium, where he was killed in combat on January 10, 1945. The mini-series “Band of Brothers” was the real story of a company in Shelley’s Regiment. Private Mullis is buried at Unity Cemetery in Fort Mill.
***Also note that PFC Shelley Mullis jumped with RAYMOND CASNER - father of Barn founder Kevin- and the 101st Airborne at Operation Market Garden in September 1944.
Private First Class J. Henry Harris
Henry was born on February 15th 1921 on the road that now bears his name. He graduated from Indian Land High School in 1938, and worked for J.A. Jones Construction Company in Charlotte. He joined the Army on December 11th, 1942. He went through Basic Training at Fort Jackson and advanced training in engineering. He was assigned to the 302ndEngineer Battalion of the 27th Infantry Division. His Division fought on Makin and Saipan islands, and then landed on Ie Shima island, just off the Okinawa coast, where he was killed by a gr***de on April 21, 1945 during a morning attack by the enemy. Private Harris’ body was returned in 1949 and was buried at Six Mile Cemetery on Rt. 521 in Indian Land.
Private Charles Reid Pettus
Charles was born on April 15th, 1922 and attended grammar school, then went into work for the Rock Hill Printing and Finishing Company and the Nocture Hosiery Company. He enlisted in the Army on 10 DEC 1942 at Fort Jackson and was assigned to Company M, 306thInfantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division. During the U.S. invasion of the Philippines, he landed on Leyte Island, where he was killed in combat on 21 December 1944. Private Pettus is buried at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church cemetery, off Rt. 160 in Indian Land.
Info above from post on IL page..THANKS to William Jameson for the complete story! https://www.facebook.com/groups/indianlandsouthcarolina/permalink/1908154772903109/?mibextid=SDPelY
