Cpl Arthur Roland Ballard

Our Hometown Heroes

Arthur Roland Ballard

Never Thought He Would See France

Born in Griffin and growing up in nearby Milner, Arthur Roland Ballard never thought he would see France. It was a country he would only read about in books. But the young man would serve in France in World War 1. And would later die in the, “war to end all wars.”

Born February 20, 1897, Ballard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 19. He would reach the rank of Corporal. His first duty assignment was onboard the USS Rhode Island. He would land in France in June, 1918. Four short months later, October 3, 1918, he would be killed in brutal action in Argonne.

Ballard, for some reason, was not listed on the World War I Monument, forgotten until now. This changed during the Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30, 2016 as Ballard and other, “Lost and Forgotten,” World War I soldiers were honored with individual plaques and their names on the Veterans Memorial Park “Doughboy” statue. Thanks to efforts of Griffin Archivist Cynthia Barton, the Veterans Military Affairs and Honor our KIA committees, Cpl. Ballard is now remembered as one of Griffin-Spalding’s Hometown Heroes.

An individual plaque honoring Arthur Roland Ballard will be installed in Griffin’s Historic District sponsored by Petro South.