The Heroism of Korean War Veteran James L. Stone

Pine Bluff native, James Lamar Stone, received some of the U.S. Army’s highest honors which include a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. He also received a Medal of Honor for defending a vital military outpost during the Korean War. Image Credit: encyclopediaofarkansas.net James Lamar Stone was born on December 27, 1922, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to State and Idell Stone. Stone and his younger brother, Edward, grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. They also spent some time in Dallas, Texas.  Stone’s history with the military began in the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where he studied chemistry and zoology. In 1947, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree and got a job working at General Electric in Houston. During his time at college, Stone married Jane Dickerson. They went on to have two sons.  In 1948, Stone was called to active duty and sent to training at Fort Ord, California. In March 1951, Stone was deployed to Korea as a First Lieutenant with Company F, Second Battalion, Eighth Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division. For his first nine months of service in Korea, he alternated between Company F and G because of the high rate of casualties for junior officers on the front line. That October,  Stone earned the Silver Star for pulling two wounded soldiers to safety after an attack on an enemy machine gun. On Stone was later deployed to a vital military outpost near Sokkagae, Korea. On November 21, 1951, his platoon of 48 men was attacked by Chinese forces. When the assault stopped, Stone commanded his men to release flares, which lit up the hillside, overflowing with about 80 Chinese soldiers.  With only minutes to prepare for the enemy troops' second attack, Stone stood tall, exposing himself to enemy fire so he could calmly direct his men. When he noticed a flamethrower had malfunctioned after the soldier operating it had been killed, he dodged gunfire to retrieve and repair it, soon passing it to another soldier.  During the second wave of attacks, Stone carried his unit’s last remaining machine gun from position to position, defending his troops from enemy attacks in two different directions.  Through the attacks, he continued to encourage and direct his forces, fighting alongside them even after being shot in his knees and neck.  With Stone’s urging, the platoon repelled attacks for more than three hours but finally had to retreat. Stone stayed behind to cover his retreating forces. The Chinese platoon eventually commandeered the American troop's position. According to his Medal of Honor citation, “his [Stone’s]  voice could still be heard faintly urging his men to carry on until he lost consciousness. Only because of this officer’s driving spirit and heroic action was the platoon emboldened to make its brave but hopeless last ditch stand.”  At the end of the battle, 24 of the 48 platoon members had died, while 16 were wounded. In contrast, 545 of the roughly 800 Chinese soldiers had been killed during the attack.  Stone and six of his platoon members were taken as prisoners of war. Stone spent 22 months in North Korea in a prisoner-of-war camp. Though the prisoners were treated harshly,  they received little food and no medical care. Stone was allowed to write letters to his family so they knew he was alive. In early September 1953, Stone was freed in a prisoner exchange five weeks after the war ended.  Upon the first sight of the American flag flying high on a flag pole after his release, Stone later said it felt “like being reborn.” Stone was surprised when he found out he would be awarded the Medal of Honor, stating, “It should go to the men of my platoon.” Interestingly, it was those same men, the survivors of his platoon, who had recommended him for the medal.  On October 27, 1953, Stone received the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor, from President Dwight D. Eisenhower during a White House ceremony. He was among six other recipients that day. After recovering, Stone remained in the army, serving in Germany and performing a one-year tour of duty as an advisor in Vietnam.  In December 1976, he retired as a colonel after nearly thirty years of service. At the end of his service, Stone had received some of the U.S. military's highest honors, which include a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. In 1980, he moved to Arlington, Texas, where he went into business working in home construction with his son, James L. Stone Jr. Stone was actively involved in the Dallas-Fort Worth Korean War Veterans Association and regularly attended the Veterans Day ceremonies at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. He was also an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Arlington.  On November 9, 2012, at the age of 89, Stone died of prostate cancer in Arlington, Texas. He was buried in Dallas–Fort Worth National Cemetery, where he attended so many Veteran’s Day services.  He was survived by his wife, Mary; two sons; and one stepdaughter. Sources:  www.cmohs.org - James Lamar Stone www.defense.gov - Medal of Honor Monday: Army Col. James L. Stone https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net - James Lamar Stone (1922–2012) www.tshaonline.org - James Lamar Stone: Medal of Honor Recipient and Korean War Hero Written by: Ninfa O. Barnard