Published Friday, December 11, 2009

Cpl. Jeff Blanton road dedication ceremonies moved inside Saturday

By Elizabeth Melville

The Newnan Times-Herald

Saturday's road dedication for the late U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jeff Blanton in Senoia is being moved indoors because of the threat of rain in the forecast.

The 1 p.m. dedication ceremony will be conducted from the Senoia Masonic Lodge in downtown Senoia, according to Blanton's father, Steve.

The highway sign will be installed at Line Creek on Georgia Highway 85 at the Coweta-Fayette county line.

Blanton, 23, of Senoia, was killed on Dec. 12, 2004, in Iraq -- the first Coweta soldier to be killed in the war, according to his father. Saturday will mark the fifth anniversary of his death.

Blanton was wounded by gunfire prior to his death but decided to stay with his men to finish his deployment, according to his father. Blanton was conducting door-to-door sweeps when he was fatally shot by enemy fire.