Hometown Heroes – Cecil W. “Mutt” Hartley

Calhoun County Museum wishes to recognize Hampton resident Cecil W. “Mutt” Hartley for his WWII service. Most people know Mr. Hartley as a retired Firefighter from the Pine Bluff Arsenal, husband of Beth Talbot and father of Vickie, Susan, Bill, and Tom. But before that he was a Coxswain in the US Navy. Mutt attended Rison High School and enlisted in the Navy in 1943. He served in the Pacific Theater of operations as a Coxswain (Pilot) on a small landing craft used to transfer invading troops and equipment from a ship to the beach. His boat was one of the similar boats designed and built by Andrew Higgins of New Orleans. The Landing Craft Medium (LCM) was a twin 250 hp diesel, 50 ft long boat capable of carrying a tank or 100 troops. 

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