Spurrier, James, SFC

James I. Spurrier, Jr. was born in Castlewood, Virginia. In September 1940, he enlisted in the Army. James filled his name in the wrong blanks, so he became "Junior J. Spurrier" to the Army.

Sent overseas on April 20, 1942, he first served in the infantry in the Pacific Theater. Injured in New Guinea in late 1943, he was returned to the United States for medical treatment, first to Camp Carson, Colorado, then to San Francisco, California. Deemed fit for duty, Spurrier was sent overseas again in June 1944 at his own request. He was eventually assigned to Company G of the 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, as a replacement private on July 19, 1944.

Near Lay St. Christopher, France, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross. He had spearheaded an assault on a stubbornly defended hill position. On a tank destroyer, he used a .50-caliber machine gun to kill over 12 Germans and captured 22 others. He climbed down to personally blow up bunkers with rifle fire and grenades.

On November 13, 1944, while serving as a Staff Sergeant with Company G, 134th Infantry, 35th Infantry Division, Spurrier fought Germans in Achain, Moselle, France. Repeatedly, Spurrier wandered into the command post with prisoners, replenished his ammo, then slipped out the door. Junior J. Spurrier earned the Medal of Honor for nearly single-handedly capturing the village of Achain that day. He received the Medal of Honor on March 6, 1945 from Lt. Gen. William Hood Simpson.

Spurrier was noted as an extraordinarily brave and independent prankster who often clashed with his commanders, and went absent without leave several times during his service.

Discharged after World War II, he attempted to go into business and had a brief stint as a pitcher with the Galax Leafs of the Class D Blue Ridge League before re-enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1947. He was elevated to the rank of technical sergeant and placed on recruiting duty.

He had a severe problem with alcohol, and was demoted to the rank of private in 1950; Spurrier deserted his post during the Korean War and the Army gave him a general discharge in 1951 rather than court-martial him.

Spurrier had a turbulent and remarkable life after the military. He had a difficult time adjusting to civilian life, possibly due to posttraumatic stress disorder, and had several run-ins with the law in Virginia and Maryland.

He eventually served three jail sentences, including one for attempted murder, being released for the last time in 1969.

Spurrier became a teetotaler, ran a radio and television repair business, and retired to a cabin in eastern Tennessee, where he died in relative obscurity on February 25, 1984, at the age of 61. 
 

Spurrier was known as the One Man Army and the Sgt. York of World War II for his valor in combat in Europe. He received both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor among several medals. Tony Whitlow president of the museum board of directors called Spurrier, a super hero whose exploits have no equal.

-Audie Murphy received one more medal than Junior did, and it was the Good Conduct Medal.- Remarks made by his commanding officers who characterized his composure under fire, his intelligence and the fact that he was the meanest, toughest and orneriest soldier in the war.