Pine Apple soldier was mortally wounded in Korea 73 years ago

This coming Sunday – July 16 – will mark 73 years from the day that U.S. Army Private First Class James Clarence Stanford was mortally wounded in Korea, becoming one of at least three Wilcox County soldiers who lost their lives during the Korean War.

Stanford, a 19-year-old native of Pine Apple, was serving as a member of Co. D, 19^th Infantry Battalion, 24^th Infantry Division when he was killed in action on July 16, 1950 while fighting the enemy near the Kum River in Taejon, Korea. Reports of Stanford’s death first appeared on the front page of the Oct. 4, 1951 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, more than a year after his death. According to that story, the U.S. Department of Defense had announced that Stanford, who had previously been reported missing in action in July 1950, had indeed been killed.

Records reflect that Stanford ran communications lines for his unit and that he also served as a messenger. On the battlefield, these were highly dangerous jobs, and the mortality rates among the men doing these jobs were high in the days before reliable wireless communications.

Stanford’s remains were recovered by the Army and returned home for burial. According to the Oct. 11, 1951 edition of The Progressive Era, his funeral was held on Oct. 5, 1951 at the Friendship Baptist Church in Pine Apple with the Rev. E.W. Roark of Camden conducting the funeral. Stanford was buried across the road from the church in the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery.

Stanford was the son of John Walter Stanford and Karlene Latham Stanford. John Stanford was also a veteran. During World War I, he served in the U.S. Army’s 81^st Infantry Division. Stanford was also survived by two brothers, Thomas and Frank, who also lived in Pine Apple.

As mentioned earlier, Stanford was one of at least three Wilcox County soldiers killed during the Korean War. According to records at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, the other two Wilcox County service members killed in Korea were Army Pfc. James Phillip Westry and Army Pvt. William Edward Watson.

Watson was killed in action on Sept. 4, 1951 while serving with the 17^th Infantry Regiment, 7^th Infantry Division in North Korea. Born on March 8, 1930 to Alco and Ada Watson, he was buried in the Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery at Ackerville. He was 21 years old at the time of his death.

Westry was mortally wounded on March 19, 1953 while serving with the 461^st Infantry Battalion (Heavy Mortars) in North Korea. Born on Nov. 23, 1932, Westry was buried in the Tates Chapel AME Church cemetery at Coy. He was just 20 years old at the time of his death.

In the end, if anyone in the reading audience knows of any other Korean War fatalities from Wilcox County, please let me know. Also, if you have any more information about the soldiers mentioned above, please pass it along to me. The Korean War is often called the “Forgotten War,” so let’s do our part to keep the memories of these men alive for future generations.