Douglas Leo Casteel was born Oct. 5, 1920. He was the son of John and Ethel (Hagood) Casteel and lived in Athens.

Casteel registered for the draft in February 1942. He was 21 years old and, by then, had married Thelma Callahan, and the couple lived at Route 1, Athens, where they owned a farm. His enlistment papers from Aug. 22, 1942, state that he completed four years of high school and worked as a mail carrier.

Casteel enlisted in the United States Army at Ft, McClellan and earned the rank of Corporal and served in the Infantry in World War II. He had a short visit home before heading to the war in Europe.

The Alabama Courier — Oct. 19, 1944, reported, “Cpl. and Mrs. Douglas Casteel and little daughter, Shirley Ann, left Sunday morning for Gulf Port, Miss. After spending a 12 day furlough here.”

Less than 6 months later, The Alabama Courier — March 29, 1945, reported that Cpl. Casteel was listed as missing in the “Mediterranean area” after an incident March 13, 1945.

Five months later The Alabama Courier — Aug. 2, 1945, reported, “Cpl. Douglas L. Casteel, husband of Mrs. Thelma M. Casteel, Athens route one, was killed in action March 13, his wife was informed last Saturday.”

According to records, Cpl. Casteel is believed to have drowned as a result of a boat collision. His body was never found. Casteel is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie Saint Martin, France.