Wilmington, NC, Heroes-- Part 2

SGT. 1ST CLASS EUGENE ASHLEY, JR. (1930-1968)

Born in Wilmington. An Army Green Beret. Received a posthumous Medal of Honor after he personally led five assaults on North Vietnamese to rescue a besieged detachment of fellow Green Berets and was fatally wounded. Wilmington's Ashley High School named for him.


WILLIAM WING LONG (1818-1886)

Nicknamed "Old Blizzards." An Indian fighter, Confederate general. Born in Wilmington but moved to Florida. Fought in the Mexican War.

Quarreled with Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. In 1863 transferred to Mississippi where he supervised and commanded Fort Pemperton. Later, he was at the battles of Franklin and Nashville.

After the war he went to Egypt and was in their army until returning to the US.

Tarheel Heroes. --Cooter