Private First Class Otis Fountain, Sr.
United States Army - World War II
©By Larry Hume, VFW Post 8904, Center, Texas
June 26, 2025 - Early Life and Family
Otis Fountain, Sr., was born on March 21, 1920, in Center, Shelby County, Texas, to Grant Fountain, Sr. (1893–1968), a World War I veteran, and Cora Lister Fountain (1896–1950). Growing up in a large family, Otis was one of several siblings, including brothers Theodore, Lewis Henry “Candy,” Hardy, Alvia, Grant Jr., and Victor Hardy, and sister Elnora Fountain Harvey. The 1930 United States Federal Census records Otis at age 9, living with his family on Africa Road in Precinct 1, Shelby County, Texas. As a young boy, he attended school and worked as an unpaid laborer on the family’s general farm, reflecting the rural and agricultural life of his community.
By 1940, at age 20, Otis was still living in Shelby County with his parents and siblings, as documented in the 1940 United States Federal Census. He had completed two years of high school and was working as a laborer, contributing to the household. His early years were shaped by the close-knit ties of his family and the challenges of rural life in Texas during the Great Depression.
Military Service
On July 1, 1941, at age 21, Otis registered for the World War II draft in Center, Texas, listing his mother, Cora, as his next of kin. He was described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 169 pounds, with a dark brown complexion, black hair, and brown eyes. His employer at the time was H.B. Harris. Less than a year later, on May 26, 1942, Otis was inducted into the U.S. Army in Tyler, Texas. Enlisting as a private, he was single but noted as having dependents, likely referring to his family. His education, which included four years of high school, and his civilian occupation as a semiskilled craneman or similar role, prepared him for military service.
Otis served as a Private First Class (PFC) in the U.S. Army during World War II. While specific details of his service are not provided in the records, he served honorably until his discharge on November 3, 1945, at the age of 25. His military service was a significant chapter of his life, reflecting his contribution to the war effort and his resilience during a tumultuous period.
Marriage and Family Life
While stationed in Alexandria, Louisiana, during his military service, Otis met Doris McLain. On January 9, 1943, at the age of 22, he and Doris, then 21, obtained a marriage permit, as noted in the Louisiana Newspapers.com Stories and Events Index. Their marriage marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership. After his discharge from the Army, Otis and Doris relocated to Dayton, Ohio, seeking new opportunities.
By 1946, the couple was listed in the Dayton, Ohio, City Directory, residing at 412 Pontiac Avenue. Otis was employed, though his specific occupation at the time was simply noted as “employee.” The move to Dayton represented a significant transition from rural Texas to an urban industrial environment, likely driven by economic prospects in the post-war period.
The 1950 United States Federal Census provides a snapshot of Otis and Doris’s growing family. Living on Brazil Lane in Harrison, Montgomery County, Ohio, Otis, now 30, was the head of the household and worked as an “Insulation Man” in a factory, though he was noted as unable to work at the time of the census, possibly due to health or employment issues. Doris, his wife, was at home raising their children: daughters Odias Lee and Doris Deloris, and sons Otis Jr. and William Grant. The census also mentions a dwelling valued at $2 rent, indicating modest circumstances. Later records confirm that Otis and Doris had two additional sons, Alfred Henry and Steven Louis, completing their family of six children.
Life in Dayton and Later Years
Otis and his family remained in Dayton, where he built a life centered around his wife, children, and community. His work as an insulation man in a factory reflected the industrial economy of mid-20th-century Dayton, a hub for manufacturing. Despite challenges, such as the period of unemployment noted in 1950, Otis provided for his family and maintained strong ties with his extended family, many of whom also served in the military, including his brothers Alvia, Grant Jr., and Victor, who were World War II and Air Force veterans.
Otis’s connection to his military service was formally recognized after his death. On May 11, 1971, Vivian Taylor of the National Military Home in Montgomery County, Ohio, applied for a veteran headstone on his behalf, ensuring his service was commemorated at the Veterans Administration Center cemetery in Dayton.
Death and Legacy
Tragically, Otis Fountain, Sr., passed away on May 5, 1971, at the age of 51, in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. The Ohio Death Records confirm his death occurred at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, with an autopsy performed to certify the cause. His obituary, published in the Dayton Daily News on May 8, 1971, lists his surviving family, including his wife, Doris, their six children—Otis Jr., William Grant, Alfred Henry, Steven Louis, Odias Lee Battle, and Doris Deloris—and his siblings Lewis, Alvia, Willie, Grant, and Elnora Harvey. The obituary underscores the strong family bonds Otis maintained throughout his life.
Otis Fountain, Sr., lived a life marked by service, resilience, and devotion to his family. Born into a rural Texas community, he served his country during World War II, built a new life in Ohio, and raised a large family with his wife, Doris. His legacy endures through his children, his military service, and the memories of those who knew him. Buried at the Dayton National Cemetery in Dayton, Otis’s headstone stands as a testament to his contributions as a soldier, husband, father, and community member. Day is done, God is nigh.
This biography was compiled by Grok 3, an artificial intelligence developed by xAI, using historical records, including U.S. Census data, Texas marriage records, and military service documents, researched and provided by the user, Larry E. Hume, VFW Post 8904, Center, Texas. For more information on Grok 3, visit https://x.ai/grok.
Sources:
• Year: 1930; Census Place: Precinct 1, Shelby, Texas; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 0002; FHL microfilm: 2342124
• Year: 1940; Census Place: Shelby, Texas; Roll: m-t0627-04136; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 210-6
• National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards For Texas, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 491
• National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 12936; Reel: 59
• Weekly Town Talk; Publication Date: 9 Jan 1943; Publication Place: Alexandria, Louisiana, USA; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/213029651/?article=de20b522-952a-41ed-9ca2-299794c9bd2f&xid=5575&terms=Otis_Fountain
• Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
• National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Harrison, Montgomery, Ohio; Roll: 1998; Page: 4; Enumeration District: 57-54
• Ohio Department of Health; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007
• Dayton Daily News; Publication Date: 8 May 1971; Publication Place: Dayton, Ohio, USA; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/397813277/?article=0daaf01c-fc90-40ec-81cf-d1b5fa24d1c2&focus=0.5071317,0.2838313,0.6214449,0.48358214&xid=3355
• National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, MO, USA; Applications for Headstones and Markers, 7/1/1970-9/30/1985; NAID: 6016127; Record Group Number: 15; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773-2007
