Remember...
James Theodore Noss
1945-1966
"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."
G.K. Chesterton
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Remember...James Theodore Noss
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| James Theodore Noss was born on June 29, 1945, in Bruceton Mills, Preston County, West Virginia. His father was Earl Richard Noss and his mother was Nellie Guthrie Noss. He was the youngest of seven children. His siblings were Earl Richard Noss Jr., Naomi Virginia Noss, Robert Edwin Noss, John Frederick Noss, Wayne Eugene Noss, and Shirley Noss. James was never married and never had any children. He attended Bruceton High School and graduated in 1963. After high school and before enlisting, James got a job in Baltimore at the Owens Yacht Company. He was raised in the Brethren church and was said to enjoy hunting and fishing. |  |
When he was growing up, James's parents owned a 59-acre farm on which their house was located. (Personal information summarized from Dorothy Bonafield Snyder, "James Theodore Noss," Not To Be Forgotten: Prestonians Who Died in Vietnam, 1965-1970, [Dover, DE: 2001].) The land was first settled in 1769 and was known as Morton's Hill. Bruceton Mills has always had a small population, even now. The Great Depression had swept the country not long before James was born, and everyone was trying to find the new normal. In the U.S., racial tensions were high and the world was recovering from the Second World War. As James grew older, the beginnings of the Civil Rights movement blossomed.
In the United States' attempt to stop the global spread of communism, the Vietnam War began. It lasted from November 1, 1955, to April 30, 1975. The U.S. declared war after North Vietnamese boats attacked U.S. destroyers in 1964. The U.S. relied heavily on the Selective Service (the draft) to staff its military needs. By the end of the decade, more than 500,000 American military personnel had been sent and stationed in Vietnam. The U.S. vacated Vietnam on March 29, 1973. There were more than 58,220 Americans killed along with 1.1 million North Vietnamese soldiers and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldier casualties. ("Vietnam War," History.com website, 29 October 2009, updated 12 January 2023, accessed 1 February 2023, https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history.)
James Theodore Noss was drafted into the Army and reported to duty in late 1965, going through basic braining, combat medical training, and airborne training for his noncombatant role (meeting the guidelines for his church). His rank was private first class and his military occupation specialty (MOS) was 91A1P-medical corpsman (airborne qualified). His tour in Vietnam began on May 18, 1966, when he was 20 years old. He was assigned to HHC, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV). ("James Theodore Noss," Fold3 website, accessed 1 February 2023, https://www.fold3.com/image/48064217?rec=48293167&terms=james,noss.) The unit was in service from 1963-2005. Upon James's arrival in Vietnam, his assigned unit was part of Operation Hardihood (a joint operation with the Australian military) and was later involved in Operation Yorktown. These operations revealed the mission of his unit to conduct air assaults and to destroy foreign threatening elements. (Additional information regarding James's service can be found in the Coffelt Database of Vietnam Casualties, accessed here 1 February 2023, http://www.coffeltdatabase.org/detreq2.php. Search for James T. Noss.)
Pfc. Noss and the rest of his company came in contact with the Viet Cong several times. On July 3, 1966, Pfc. Noss was tending to a wounded fellow soldier, when he was struck in the chest and killed. A friend and medic wrote his parents telling them that "Jim died as a man" and that he did so to protect his family.
Military marker and family marker for James T. Noss in Shady Grove Union Cemetery. Find A Grave photos courtesy of Charles Mattes |
James was buried with military honors and was awarded many medals posthumously, including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, the Republic of Vietnam Service Medal, the Marksmanship Badge, and the Parachute Badge. ("James Theodore Noss," The Virtual Wall website, updated 15 August 2019, accessed 1 February 2023, https://www.virtualwall.org/dn/NossJT01a.htm.) He is memorialized on the West Virginia Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., on Panel 08E-Row 128. He is buried at Shady Grove Cemetery in Preston County, West Virginia. |
Article prepared by by Abagail Thaxton and Benjamin Thaxton, George Washington High School JROTC
November 2022
West Virginia Archives and History welcomes any additional information that can be provided about these veterans, including photographs, family names, letters and other relevant personal history.
