James Clark Judkins, Jr.

Since Surry County was formed from James City County in 1652, many men and women have served our country in the armed services. In honor of Veterans’ Day and all of the many Surry veterans, we are sharing the stories in November of some of these brave residents! Let’s begin with Bacon’s Castle native James Clark Judkins, Jr., known as Jim Clark, or Jim, who served in the U.S. Army all over the world! 

As a youngster, Jim Clark Judkins, Jr. lived in Bacon’s Castle on the dairy farm owned by his parents, Jim Clark, Sr., and Jacqueline Judkins. After beginning college at the University of Richmond, he enlisted in the Army in 1967 and reported to Ft. Jackson, SC. From there, he went to Office Candidates’ School at Fort Benning, GA, and on to Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division. He was wounded in 1969, and due to the severity of his wounds, he was flown back to Ft. Lee, VA. 

He and Selinda Ward were married in 1969 after he came home, and his first assignment after Vietnam was to be Panama, but Jim was not sure if he was going to stay in the Army and had a desire to join the Virginia State Police. He decided to visit the Pentagon to see if he could transfer from the Infantry Branch to the Military Police Corps, as any time with them would go towards retirement if he left the Army and joined the State Police. He was allowed to transfer, and was off to Ft. Gordon, GA, to be assigned to a MP Company. 

In 1971, the military sent Judkins to the University of Nebraska at Omaha to finish his college degree as part of the Bootstrap program. This program was started after Vietnam as the military decided its officers should be college graduates. Just before he graduated, he decided he was going to make the Army his career and that he wanted to transfer back to the Infantry branch. Once again, he was allowed to transfer back to the Infantry and assigned to Ft. Benning, GA for an advanced Infantry course.

After he completed training, he was selected to go to Pathfinder School and Ranger School, prior to going to Korea.  The Pathfinders were sent in to find the way for the soldiers, which was not an easy course, and their motto was “First in, last out” because of the nature of their job. Such jobs as clearing landing zones, operating landing sites, and then shutting down the site when everyone left, were difficult examples of the Pathfinders workload.  Ranger School was a very tedious and dangerous course, also. This rough training took place at Ft. Benning, in the mountains of North GA, and in the swamps of Florida, with preparation that included living in swamp areas and being deprived of daily necessities! Like many recruits, Judkins lost a lot of weight during this training, just as he had in Vietnam. 

Following this extensive training, Judkins, now a Captain, was deployed to Korea to Camp Casey in 1973, where he had a very memorable experience. His Commanding Officer was none other than Lt. Colonel Colin Powell! Powell obtained a staff job at the Pentagon after returning from Korea, and continued the course to become a 4 Star General. At one point in Korea, the military was allowed to bring their families, but hepatitis was rampant, and Judkins and his wife decided she would just visit and not bring their 3-year-old daughter. Even today, Selinda remembers the first time she met Powell. He asked Captain Judkins what parts of Korea he had shown his wife. He replied that he had taken her to the Chinese tunnel, a place of interest in Korea. 

Colonel Powell, replied with amazement, “You brought your wife clear around the world and only showed her the Chinese Tunnel? Take her to Seoul to go shopping!” Unfortunately, she never did get to shop in Seoul, only going through the city as she went to and from the airport!  Judkins never worked under Col. Powell again, but they were later assigned to a couple of posts at the same time and enjoyed seeing each other at military functions. 

While in Korea, Judkins received a call from the Criminal Investigative Division (CID), asking him to join their group, because of his MP background. They were recruiting officers to put in the field. He accepted and was off to apprentice school at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.  Also during this time, his wife was pregnant.  Jim had repeatedly told her he wanted a boy, and his son was to be born in Virginia. On top of that, he wanted him to be born on the 4th of July!!! Surprisingly, James Clark Judkins, III, all 9 pounds, 3 ounces of this baby BOY, was born on the 4th of July in Richmond, Virginia! He got his 3 wishes! 

After his son was born, the family transferred to Ft. Carson, Colorado. However, the plan for officers to be in the field changed when a new General decided to bring them back to the office. Back to the Pentagon to request the change he went, and was allowed to become a member of the Infantry again. He remained stationed on post to the 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, the first place they were able to stay for more than 18 months!  Leaving Colorado, a place the entire family loved, was tough as they headed back to Omaha, where he served as a special advisor to the National Guard Unit there, staying about 2 ½ years! 

The next move was an overseas assignment! He was off to Israel for work with the UN, working for 12 months on special teams in Lebanon. His family was there just 9 months when the 1982 Lebanon War occurred! Lebanon was attacking Israel so the families of the servicemen were given a choice to either move to Tel Aviv or go home. Worried about the safety of the city, Judkin’s family returned to the U. S.  His time in Israel was over not long afterwards, and Judkins returned to the states, also. 

The next stage of Judkin’s life was an assignment to Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he received his Master’s Degree and prepared to become a Lt. Colonel. He was then sent to Ft. Bragg in Fayetteville, NC, staying 3 years with Special Forces. On the first day of his special forces training, the younger candidates questioned him because of his age, a bit older to just be going into special forces. They were sure he was a “plant” put there to spy or report on them! He convinced them he was legitimate! He was successful in the school and continued his military journey with SOCOM, Special Operations Command, whose mission is to defend the United States and its interests. He continued at Ft. Bragg with the 5th Special Forces, which was then moved to Ft Campbell, Kentucky. Judkins was left behind at Bragg to coordinate the exit of the unit from NC to KY. 

Lt. Col. Judkins was then transferred to Washington, D. C., and continued to serve his country on several dangerous assignments, both before he retired and after his retirement.  His obituary also noted that he served with valor and distinction in the Vietnam War, receiving the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars with Combat Valor devices and two Purple Hearts. He passed away on March 12, 2018. 

Information gathered by Fran Barnes with great appreciation to the primary source material offered by  Selinda (Judkins) Gwaltney and the obituary from  Little’s Funeral Home, Smithfield, VA.