James Ira Spurrier Jr., also known as Junior J. Spurrier (December 14, 1922 – February 25, 1984), in Castlewood, Virginia. Due to the financial stress of the Great Depression, his family moved many times before finally settling in Bluefield, where Spurrier found work with the Civilian Conservation Corps. After his mother passed away in 1940, he enlisted in the Army in Richmond, Virginia. When filling out his enlistment papers, he accidentally wrote his name in the wrong boxes, which changed his name to “Junior J. Spurrier.”

On April 20, 1942, Spurrier was sent to the Pacific Theater. He was injured in New Guinea and sent back to the United States to recover—first to Camp Carson, Colorado, and later to San Francisco. Once he was healed, he joined Company G, 134^th Infantry Regiment, 35^th Infantry Division on July 19, 1944, as a replacement private. Just one week later, he was promoted to staff sergeant and served as a messenger and scout.

Weeks later, Spurrier was sent to fight in the European Theater. On September 16, 1944, he led a daring attack on a heavily defended German position near Lay-Saint-Christophe, France. Fighting from an American tank destroyer, Spurrier shot and killed more than 12 German soldiers and forced 22 others to surrender. For his heroic actions that day, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and for the wounds he received in battle, he earned the Purple Heart.

On November 13, 1944, Spurrier nearly singlehandedly captured Achain, France, from the Germans. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Spurrier earned his second Purple Heart on December 9, 1944, before returning to the United States. Sadly, his younger brother George, while serving overseas, was killed in action on July 28, 1944.

After the war, Spurrier had a hard time adjusting to civilian life. He often got into trouble with the police and struggled with alcoholism. After serving three jail sentences, he decided to change his life. He gave up drinking, opened a radio and television repair business, and eventually retired in Tennessee.

On July 2, 2006, the Mercer County War Museum was dedicated in his honor. For a long time, many of Spurrier’s medals were thought to be lost forever. However, they were later found by the police chief of Granville (Monongalia County) in an old safe that had once belonged to Spurrier’s father.