COL John K ELAM to TAPs

            Col. John Kirk Elam, Jr.

Born 11 September 1922, Dennison, Texas

Enlisted U. S. Army: 15 September 1942; 2LT U. S. Army, 2 August 1944; Awards: (1) Air Medal, (2) Distinguished Flying Cross, (3) three Oak Leaf Clusters

Died: 4 April 1996; interred Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas; Colonel U. S. Army: World War II, Korea, Vietnam

Aside from heredity, Col. Elam’s premature white hair may have been the result of his combat experiences in World War II. From the awards he received that are listed in the 1966 U. S. Army Register, it appears obvious that he served as a field artillery forward observer during the war. Although forward observer parties on the ground were always needed, the majority of artillery strikes during World War II were directed using aerial observation. Whether on the ground or in the air, it was a hazardous job, and many of the lieutenants and captains who directed artillery fire from the air received awards like the Air Medal and other medals consistent with those that Col. Elam received.