Grady G. Mabry was born on July 29, 1911, in Rome, Georgia. Before entering the military, he worked in a local textile mill and was an active member of the Lindale community.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States’ entry into World War II, Mabry was drafted early, around 1942. He served as a Private First Class in Company F, 366th Infantry Regiment, which was attached to the 92nd Infantry Division—an African-American combat unit serving in the Mediterranean Theater.

On December 26, 1944, during a German counterattack near the Italian village of Sommocolonia, Mabry’s unit came under intense enemy fire. He sustained fatal wounds during the battle, becoming the first African-American from Rome, Georgia, to lose his life in World War II.

His body was returned home to Rome in 1948 and was initially interred at Callier Springs Cemetery. In 1956, his remains were exhumed and reburied at Shadyside Memorial Gardens, where they remain today.

In recognition of his service, sacrifice, and deep local roots, the American Legion Post in Rome, Georgia, proudly bears his name—American Legion Post 506 “Grady Mabry.”