
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, August 16, 1994                   TAG: 9408160087
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

VIETNAM VETERAN'S VALOR REWARDED - 27 YEARS LATE

QUANTICO - A Vietnam veteran whose bravery in rescuing other soldiers was depicted in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo knew he was in line to receive the Purple Heart for his valor during the Tet offensive.

But Jim Beals figured his medal had been lost in the shuffle.

After a 27-year wait, the 45-year-old truck driver from Stafford County received the Purple Heart with Gold Star at Quantico on Saturday from Lt. Gen. George R. Christmas, a deputy chief of staff at Marine Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Beals said the ceremony at the Iwo Jima Memorial overwhelmed him.

``I never thought I would get it,'' Beals said. ``I always thought I'd have to be satisfied with my form that said I earned it, and that was it.''

Beals was wounded in February and April of 1968 during the Tet offensive.

During the war, he was among a group of Marines who took over an American tank, loaded it with wounded and headed to a medical aid station 15 minutes away. Photographer John Olson's picture of Beals holding an IV bottle over a wounded comrade during the trip won the Pulitzer and would later fill two pages of Life Magazine.

Beals' wife, Diane, said her husband, like many other Vietnam veterans, sought solace in drugs and alcohol during the war. He remained addicted until three years ago, she said.

``This sort of closes that chapter in his life,'' she said. ``He's had a lot of problems from Vietnam, nightmares and everything, and he's finally gotten past that.''

Diane Beals said that when her husband began to recover, he also began thinking about getting his medal.

The Third Tradition Motorcycle Club was her husband's biggest support in recovery, Diane Beals said. Patty Bodell, the wife of another club member, had worked for Christmas. And when the general was visiting Quantico earlier this year, Bodell set up a meeting between Christmas and Beals.

Christmas said Beals' medal was long overdue.

``Jim Beals represents Americans who served their country, went willingly to a war that an awful lot of people avoided,'' Christmas said.

``Jim and many of his fellow veterans came home, unfortunately, to an America that didn't welcome them, that didn't recognize them for their tremendous heroism.''

by CNB