African American. Alaska Highway. Company F. Born: 24 March 1923, Elbert County, GA. Died: 24 June 1972. Enlisted: 27 June 1941, Ft. Benning, GA. From 27 June 1941 to 2 July 1941, he was attached to the Reception Center, Ft. Benning, GA.
On 3 July 1941, he was assigned to Company A, 8th Engineers Training Battalion, Ft. Belvoir, VA. He received 13 weeks of basic training at Ft. Belvoir. On 4 October 1941 he was sent to Company D, 97th Engineering Regiment, Camp Blanding, FL. On 23 March 1942, he was assigned to Company F, 97th Engineering Regiment, Eglin Field, FL.
On 22 April 1942, he left the United States from Seattle, WA for duty in Alaska. Alaska at that time was a territory. He arrived at Valdez, AK on 29 April 1942. The 97th Engineers built the northern section of the Alaska Highway. In June of 1942 James was promoted to Sergeant.
One year later, June of 1943, Sgt Heard with nine others were tried before a general court-martial for Violation of 66th Article of War, Mutiny, for not obeying an order given to them by their commanding officer on 29 March 1943. He was reduced in rank to a private, found guilty, and sentenced to 10 years confinement and was to be dishonorably discharged.
On 12 May 1944, Major General Danielson restored Private Heard to duty and assigned him to the Army Service Forces Training Center, Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was discharged from the service on 1 January 1946.
Education: grammar school, completed 8th grade. During the time he was in school he worked as a delivery boy for a drugstore. Civilian occupation: He spent his life working as a farm laborer. After leaving school he worked in a laundry for $8 a week. He gave $5 to his mother.
His father, Chris Heard (1894-1974), was a farm laborer and his mother was Sally Mae Arnold Heard (1891-1987). The family was raised in Elberton, GA. Sallie and Chris separated because of his drinking. Some time after 1943 Sallie and her children moved to Ft. Washington, Prince Georges, Maryland and Chris, the father, moved to Virginia.
Serial #34062762