Maury City unveils monument honoring five veteran brothers

MAURY CITY, Tenn. — Hundreds converged on the Maury City park for the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the Jurnett family, who had five brothers serve in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield in the 1990s.

Their mother said it’s been an emotional journey to this point.

“I’m excited. It’s different from what it was before. I cried every day when they went before. I appreciate everything everybody has done,” their mother Minnie Pearl Jurnett said.

Tommy, William, Terry, Kenneth and Keith Jurnett grew up in Crockett County, and they’re the only family since World War II to have five sons serve in active duty at the same time.

“I came back home, driving a new car. I was clean and cut, I looked good in our uniform. Then later on, another brother came in two years later. Then another brother came in three years later. Then about 10 years later, another brother came in. Then finally Keith came in, my youngest brother,” Tommy Jurnett said.

Now, thanks to the fundraising efforts throughout the county, the stone monument will note their service.

“People in Crockett County as a whole–people in Maury City–they all pulled together and donated money and raised it in just a few days,” said Maury City Mayor Rayce Castellaw.

During the dedication, Tommy still remembers what he told his mom when the family learned all the brothers would be overseas.

“They’ll be alright. They’re well-fighting soldiers, I know them. They work hard, I know they’ll be alright. I said, ‘I’ll be joining them, and I won’t come back until they all come back,'” Tommy said.