James B. Vaught

Who they were

James Benjamin Vaught was a United States Army Lieutenant General who fought in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. In South Korea he served as a company commander in the 24th Infantry Division. In 1967, in South Vietnam, on his first tour he served as the commanding officer of the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry. He also played a major role in numerous United States Special Forces operations. He was the overall commander of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed rescue mission of U.S. hostages in Iran in 1980.

Early life

Educated at: The Citadel.

Early life and military career Vaught grew up in Conway, South Carolina . A multi-generational native of the state, he has been identified as a direct descendant of Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion . However, this is in dispute, as there are no known direct descendants of Marion. He graduated from high school in 1943 and was then enrolled at The Citadel military college in Charleston . During this time, with World War II being fought by Allied forces in two theaters,

Path and career

Later life After Vietnam, Vaught continued his career with the Army and was eventually promoted to Major General , serving at The Pentagon as Director of Operations and Mobilization for the Army. He served his final tour of duty as the Commanding General of the Combined US/South Korean forces. He resided in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina after his retirement in 1985. Operation Eagle Claw Perhaps his most notable role was during Operation Eagle Claw , the infamous failed rescue mission of hostages in Iran,

Death Authorities found his body in a pond in Horry County, South Carolina . While Vaught died of asphyxia due to drowning, the coroner stated that his body also showed signs of cardiac disease. He was 86. [ 1 ] ^ Associated, The. "Coroner: Body of retired general found in SC pond | WCNC.com Charlotte" . Wcnc.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-27 . Retrieved 2013-09-23 .

Why this date

James B. Vaught appears on our September 20 calendar for 2013 as a death entry.