| rdfs:comment | - Junior James Spurrier, born James I. Spurrier, Jr., was a United States Army soldier who received America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. James I. Spurrier, Jr. was born on December 14, 1922, in Russell County, Virginia/Russell County, Virginia. In September 1940, he enlisted in the Army. Spurrier filled his name in the wrong blanks, so he became "Junior J. Spurrier" to the Army. 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.
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| abstract | - Junior James Spurrier, born James I. Spurrier, Jr., was a United States Army soldier who received America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. James I. Spurrier, Jr. was born on December 14, 1922, in Russell County, Virginia/Russell County, Virginia. In September 1940, he enlisted in the Army. Spurrier filled his name in the wrong blanks, so he became "Junior J. Spurrier" to the Army. 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 had a very turbulent life after the war. He had a severe problem with alcohol, was discharged from the Army in 1951, and served two jail sentences. He is buried in Mountain Home National Cemetery, Johnson City, Tennessee. On Dec. 02 2011, Spurriers Medal Of Honor was returned to his family after being located by Chief Craig Corkrean, in a safe belonging to his father.
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