FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Junior Spurrier ~ 17 January 2022

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Junior J. Spurrier

Info from here.

           

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, Kentucky. 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, Spurrier's Medal Of Honor was returned to his family after being located by Chief Craig Corkrean, in a safe belonging to his father.

Staff Sergeant Spurrier's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy at Achain, France, on 13 November 1944. At 2 p.m., Company G attacked the village of Achain from the east. S/Sgt. Spurrier armed with a BAR passed around the village and advanced alone. Attacking from the west, he immediately killed 3 Germans. From this time until dark, S/Sgt. Spurrier, using at different times his BAR and Ml rifle, American and German rocket launchers, a German automatic pistol, and handgrenades, continued his solitary attack against the enemy regardless of all types of small-arms and automatic-weapons fire. As a result of his heroic actions he killed an officer and 24 enlisted men and captured 2 officers and 2 enlisted men. His valor has shed fresh honor on the U.S. Armed Forces.

 

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

 

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Monday,
January 17, 2022

Brave Your Storm

Read: Hebrews 12:1–3, 12–13

[Fix your] eyes on Jesus, . . . so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2–3

It was the evening of April 3, 1968, and a fierce thunderstorm was lashing through Memphis, Tennessee. Weary and feeling ill, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hadn’t intended to give his planned speech in support of the striking sanitation workers at a church hall. But he was surprised by an urgent phone call saying a large crowd had braved the weather to hear him. So he went to the hall and spoke for forty minutes, delivering what some say was his greatest speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.”

The next day, King was killed by an assassin’s bullet, but his speech still inspires oppressed people with the hope of “the promised land.” Likewise, early followers of Jesus were uplifted by a stirring message. The book of Hebrews, written to encourage Jewish believers facing threats for their faith in Christ, offers firm spiritual encouragement to not lose hope. As it urges, “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees” (12:12). As Jews, they would recognize that appeal as originally coming from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 35:3).

But now, as Christ’s disciples, we’re called to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2). When we do so, we “will not grow weary and lose heart” (v. 3).

Certainly, squalls and storms await us in this life. But in Jesus, we outlast life’s tempests by standing in Him. — Patricia Raybon

How do you respond to life’s spiritual storms? As you look to Jesus and His promises, how does He encourage you?

Jesus, You calm every spiritual storm. When tempests rage, speak peace to my soul as I put my hope in You.

Bible in a year: Genesis 41–42; Matthew 12:1–23

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Hall of Heroes: Junior Spurrier ~

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[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[lightman]

Thank you for keeping this hero’s story before us.

How sad that he did not receive help with the PTSD. Of course back in those days guys were told to “suck it up”...no excuse, none whatsoever.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

All rested and ready to take on the new week?

Has the bad weather hit yet? Hope it’s not as bad as expected.

We had 8” of snow yesterday evening...everything is flocked again.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...hope you and Penny are warming up some. Do you have snow with your cold? Hope you don’t have to contend with both.

[left that other site]

So far, it’s been a dry, windy, deep freeze. Penny and i suit up, we go outside, she does her business, and we run inside again.

Not much into walks these days.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, lightman...we must remember what they did for our freedoms.

And it IS sad that he didn’t get the help he needed.

Is your wood stove doing a good job? Lots of plowing for you? Or did the bad stuff get by you?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Walking is not fun in bad conditions. Stay warm and safe!

[lightman]

Wood stove has had a workout.

Yesterday and today were brutally cold, low this morning was 8 and the high will be only in the upper 20’s...probably around midnight “thanks” to the snow and sleet storm that has dropped 3 inches.

Snow has changed over to sleet so the cleanup might be done entirely by blade...morning will tell.

[left that other site]

Will Do!

[mylife]

they still do.

[mylife]

9 deg here this AM, brrrr...

[mylife]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tPIq5UOpOg

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

I see you had a nice day up there after yesterday’s snow.

We spent a lot of the day in a warm wedge in the storm and it saved our bacon. Had all the rain we got today been snow, we’d have had over 10 inches. Rain changed over to snow for a little while, rained again for a long while, then snowed again. We ended up with about two inches on the ground and everything is flocked.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sleet??? YUCKY!! Good luck with cleanup. Stay safe and warm.

We got about 8” of snow, my driveway has been plowed, and I don’t have to go anywhere til Thursday. Hopefully the plows will get to our cul-de-sac by then.

[The Mayor]

Snow is just starting, 12 to 20” expected. Yuk

[luvie]

HONORING: Junior James Spurrier,
born James I. Spurrier, Jr.,
Born December 14, 1922
United States Army
Medal of Honor recipient
for actions in World War II.
Thanks to him and all our troops
For keeping America strong and free!