Bluefield WWII hero finally on way to be honored by state

Feb. 24—A Bluefield World War II hero may finally be honored by the state with his name on a local bridge.

The House of Delegates House passed House Concurrent Resolution 16 98-0 Thursday and the Senate is likely to follow suit to name the East River Bridge on I-77 the "U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Ira 'Junior' Spurrier Memorial Bridge."

The bridge is located between the East River Mountain Tunnel and the Ingleside Road interchange.

Del. Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer County and House Majority Whip, is the lead sponsor of the bill and Del. Joe Ellington, R-Mercer County, is a co-sponsor.

Gearheart said Thursday the Senate is likely to follow what the House did.

Both state Sens. Chandler Swope, R-6th District, and Mark Maynard, R-6th District, are supporting it.

Swope said the Spurrier case meets all the qualifications for approval.

"I support it," he said. "I am confident there will be no opposition."

The House resolution details how Spurrier became a national hero, saying Spurrier "helped support his siblings and moved often while his family sought job opportunities during the Great Depression. Staff Sgt. Spurrier's family was living in Bluefield, West Virginia's East End when he joined the Army in 1940."

Spurrier was deployed to the Pacific Theater in 1942.

On Sept. 21, 1943, both of Spurrier's hands were wounded in combat during a battle at New Guinea and he returned to the U.S. to recover.

However, he still want to fight in the war and was assigned to the 35th Infantry Division and sent to the European Theater.

"In September 1944, Junior Spurrier earned the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart for his heroic leadership during a one-man assault on a heavily fortified enemy position near Lay-Saint-Christophe, France," the resolution says.

"Staff Sgt. Spurrier earned the Congressional Medal of Honor and similar medals from France and Belgium for his gallantry during Company G's advance on the village of Achain, France. Staff Sgt. Spurrier circled around to the rear of the village by himself and singlehandedly assaulted numerous enemy positions during an intense 24 hour-long battle by using American and captured German weapons and ammunition. He forced the enemy to retreat into a barn filled with hay and barrels of fuel, then set the barn on fire, and killed or captured several Nazi soldiers and one officer. Over the course of these two battles, Staff Sgt. Spurrier accounted for 36 enemy casualties and 32 captured prisoners, earning the nickname 'Task Force Spurrier."'

The resolution recognizes Spurrier's "unbelievable courage and bravery" and he as called a "One Man Army" in the days during the Allied forces push through France on their way to Germany and to end World War II.

When Spurrier returned to Bluefield, he was honored with a parade that drew an estimated 30,000 people.

After that, Spurrier had a brief baseball career, playing for the Galax Leafs, and then reenlisted in the military and served during the Korean War.

In later life, he operated a radio and television repair business and subsequently retired to eastern Tennessee. Staff Sgt. Spurrier passed away on February 25, 1984, and was laid to rest in Mountain Home National Cemetery in Tennessee.

"It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Ira 'Junior' Spurrier and his/her contributions to our state and country,,," the resolution said.

The resolution requests that the state Division of Highways place signs on each side of the bridge with the memorial designation.

A painting of Spurrier being congratulated by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower when he received the Medal of Honor is hanging in the Mercer County Those Who Served War Museum in the Princeton Municipal Building. The medal is also on display.

Also at the museum is a photo of the Bluefield parade honoring him.

The Mercer County Commission already passed a resolution honoring Spurrier.

Commissioner Bill Archer has been pushing for this state honor for a long time and he said he is happy it may finally be done.

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com

Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com