Clifton James passes
Devtun sends us the sad news that Clifton James, the actor most famous for his portrayal of Sheriff JW Pepper in two James Bond movies (Live and Let Die in 1973 and The Man With the Golden Gun in 1974), has passed on to his reward from complications with diabetes. Wiki says that he was a decorated World War II veteran;
James was a decorated World War II veteran, United States Army Combat Infantry Platoon Sergeant Co. “A” 163rd Inf., 41st Div. He served forty-two months in the South Pacific, from January 1942 until August 1945. He spent time in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. His decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts.[
His daughter recounted some of his stories to the UK’s Daily Mail;
In the 1930s, James got work with the Civilian Conservation Corps and then entered World War II in 1942 as a soldier with the U.S. Army in the South Pacific, receiving two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star.
Lynn James said one of the Purple Hearts came when a bullet pierced his helmet and zipped around the inside to come out and split his nose. The second Purple Heart, she said, came from shrapnel that knocked out many of his teeth.
She said her father rarely spoke about the war and never described events leading to his receiving the Silver Star.
‘He lost too many friends,’ she said.
Category: Blue Skies
If anyone has a doubt about his military service, watch this, a cut from Cool Hand Luke. You don’t develop that delivery in acting school.
“…who we after this time, boy, COMMIES ??? !!!…”
Sheriff Pepper to James Bond
“Man with the Golden Gun”. 1975
Rest In Peace, Sheriff…
Oh, that scene with the speedboats!
Don’t worry, sheriff, he’s a spy!
Well, who’s side is he on?
Ok to stereotype white southerners…
No minorities.
White Males, especially Southern types are THE group it’s OK to stereotype and discriminate against in today’s PC world.
Not even Southern women are exempt from the hatred coming from the liberals. I’ve noticed if you have a hyphenated designation, such as African-American, xxxx-American, xxxx-whatever, the libtards pretty much leave you alone. I think all of us in the South, particularly those of us who can claim to have our roots in the South, should begin referring to ourselves as Southern-Conservatives. Maybe then the libtards will give us some respect and leave us alone.
Bwhaaaa. What the hell am I thinking? Nobody in the South is exempt from the scorn of liberals, particularly Northern liberals.
Personally, and I’m serious about this, I consider it a badge of honor to not only live in the South, but to be able to claim my roots are in the South. Couldn’t imagine having my roots anywhere else.
Had six different duty stations in Southern California, from Pendleton to Long Beach to San Diego. Wow, I loved the climate and things to do. Problem with California, though, is Californians live there. It would be a great place w/o the people. Was last there in 72 except to touch down when returning from overseas assignments.
Rest ye well, Warrior. May you have eternal peace.
Thank you for your service, Mr. James. I am humbled by your bravery.
Fair winds and following seas, Mr. James.
Silver Star, Bronze Star, and 2 Purple Hearts….where do we find such men? God grant ye rest Mr. James and give peace to your family at this difficult time. Rest easy soldier, you have earned it.
Rest in Peace Platoon Sergeant.
Rest in Peace, Brother.
I have(had he’s deceased now)who resembles this category. He was a Southerner served in the CCC and was a pre-war Marine. He was part of the Marine Detachment on the USS Enterprise on December 7 and later was with the 1st Marines on Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu. He remained in the Corps post war and retired sfter 20 years. He later served as a deputy sheriff in Georgia and retired from that as well.
He received a Silver Star and Purple heart on Cape Gloucester. He later received a Bronze Star in Korea pinned on by none other than Chesty Puller.
His granddaughter, my cousin shared with me copies of his Silver Star citation as well as the letter of transmittal. Some historical names/signatures included, Forrestal, Vandegrift and Puller.
Truly, a hero. Thank you for sharing.
Another story:
I worked with a guy who I knew was in the Army during the Korean War, but he did not talk about it. I went to his house one day and noticed that he had a shadow box hanging in his living room; in it was a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart along with a couple of other awards. I asked him about his Bronze Star and Purple Heart and he told me he just did something stupid at the wrong time.
I pushed him a bit and this is what he told me about “something stupid at the wrong time:
Seem there was a bunch of them riding in the back of a truck at the beginning of the war when it was strafed. Everyone bailed out of the back of the truck except for a newbie. He froze. My friend then got up and got back into the truck while it was still be strafed and threw the newbie out of the truck. While he was doing this he was hit by some shrapnel from the wooden sides of the truck. His words: “Took a big fucking splinter in my leg.”
He also said something like: “Yes I did something stupid and got back in the truck to throw that fucking out of it. He did not get hurt other than me bouncing him off of Korean dirt. Me I got a big splinter that tried to take my nuts off. Yes I was stupid and in the wrong place.”
I asked him what ended up with the newbie and he told me: “he turned out to be a pretty good guy; except for the one fucking time.”
I asked if the other guy thought what he did was stupid and he said that he never asked him.
Oh he also rides a Harley and I have never seen him in a vest.
We call these men and women that served during that timeframe the Greatest Generation, and it’s the ones like him that don’t ever say boo about what transpired that makes them even greater. I knew a man for many, many long years before I made the discovery that he had been a Batan survivor and had a Purple Heart – and it was by mistake that I discovered it. I respected his wish to stay quiet about it, and he thanked me for my service and my silence. Rest in peace, soldier, your watch is over.
Duane, I understand completely what you were saying. Back years ago when Robert Conrad was starring in Black Sheep Squadron based loosely on Pappy Boyington’s memoir Baa Baa Black Sheep somebody spilled the bean on one of my neighbors growing up. This gentleman and his wife lived around the corner from us. It turns out he had served in VMF-214 under Boyington and had been an ace himself with something like 7 kills. No one had ever said anything about it and if it hadn’t been for the short lived TV show I suspect no one would have.
I’d even cut his grass a time or two as a teenager.
RIP, Clifton James.