July 17, 1922 - August 9, 2012

After graduation from Hamlet High School in Hamlet, N.C., in June 1940, Joseph Beam enrolled in Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, VA. Where he completed three years as an honor cadet and was called into the Army from the enlisted reserve corp. He completed flight training at Ellington Field, TX and was commissioned 2nd Lt. receiving the Wings of Aerial Navigator.

Joseph was assigned to Boeing B-17s and completed a combat tour in Italy where he performed by Squadron Leads and Group Leads where he received decorations of Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and additional clusters and eight battle stars.

After being discharged from the Army in 1945 he entered N.C. State University, graduated in 1947 with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and joined ALCOA as an engineer. He then joined J.P. Stevens, Inc. where he remained until he received an involuntary recall to active duty from the Inactive Reserve to Korea.

Joseph was given eight weeks refresher training and was assigned to North American B26 which was a low level fighter bomber and sent to Pusan, Korea where he completed a 55 mission combat tour in "Night Intruders" and received an additional Air Medal and Battle Star. He returned to the U.S. and was assigned to troop carrier command where he was given the opportunity to return to civilian life if he so requested. Several months later he was given the opportunity to resign his commission honorably, which he did after 12 years in service with a final rank of 1st Lt.
His service records and personal memories are archived with the Marshall Foundation's War Memories Project: http://www.marshallfoundation.org/pdfs/memories_joseph-d-beam-jr.pdf