Nov 2017: James Ronnie Dacus
US Army, Vietnam, 1969-1974

Born on December 9, 1949, James Ronnie Dacus graduated from Brighton High School in 1967. On August 26, 1969 he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He attended Basic Training at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky and Advanced Training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana. He arrived in Vietnam on February 1st, 1970 at 5:30 a.m. in 85 degree weather. He joined the 50th Infantry Regiment after completing Jungle Warfare School in Vietnam. On April 1st, 1970, he was wounded for the first time in Le Hong Fong; he suffered a concussion and a perforated eardrum. He was wounded a second time in Le Hong Fong on November 2, 1970 when a bullet from a machine gun ambush shattered his right thigh. He spent 19 month recuperating at the Navy Hospital in Millington, Tennessee. He was granted a permanent “Chapter 64” medical retirement from the Army in 1974. For his service to our country he received the following medals: Vietnam Campaign Medal with one star, the Vietnam Service Medal, Two Purple Hearts, the Air Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Expert Marksman Badge for both rifle and machine guns.

Following his retirement from the Army he worked as a meat cutter for Seessel’s and Naifeh’s grocery stores, then from 1980 to 1982 he was a reserve Police Officer for the City of Munford. From 1983 to 1990 he worked as a Captain for the Tipton County Sheriff’s Department. After retiring from the Sheriff’s Department he returned to his previous career as a meat cutter. Then he retired from work permanently in 1999. He has two daughters, one who lives across the street from him in Brighton, and one who lives in Memphis. He has three grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and another great-grandchild on the way.

Ronnie is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. He was nominated for Veteran of the Month by City of Munford Police Chief Jim Harger.