James J. Vallely

James J. Vallely was born 2 July 1929 in Wilmer, California. He died July 22, 2012 in Boulder City, Nevada from cancer. He started school in Mrs. Perkins two-room school house in the town of Orosi in Tulare County, California. His parents, Cliff and Agnes, managed a commercial frog farm there.

The Vallely family moved to Santa Monica, California. Jim graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1947. He worked in small grocery stores during high school for $0.45/hr. Jim attended Santa Monica City College for 1 year then Santa Monica Technical School for 5 years.

In the summer of 1947 Jim started working at North American Aviation as a riveter for $1.05/hr plus $0.06/hr for swing shift. He built door replacement scoops for engine cooling on the F-82 Twin Mustang. The plane was developed as land based support for bomber escorts in an anticipated long war with Japan. Use of the atomic bomb changed those plans.

At the start of the Korean War, Mustangs and carrier-based Corsairs destroyed the North Korean Air Force on the ground, except for jets along the Yalu River. Then Jim was drafted into the Army.

Trade: Journeyman plumber, Santa Monica Local 545, initiated June 1950. 1st place in 4th Year Apprentice Competition, State of California; 3rd place in 5th Year Apprentice Competition.

Military Service: Drafted and reported to Fort Ord in Monterey, California. Tested for IQ and those with the highest IQ's were told to apply for Leadership School, Communications School or Cooks and Bakers School. James applied for Leadership School, but there were no openings and he was assigned to the infantry.

James sailed aboard the troop ship USNS General M. M. Patrick on May 29, 1951 from Seattle, WA, arriving at Camp Drake Yokohama, Japan on June 10, 1951. He described the voyage as "fifteen days of hell." He boarded a train to Sasabo, Japan then a ferry to Pusan, Korea. Returning home, he arrived at Inchon, Korea, April 14, 1952 to await a troop ship to Sasabo, Japan. Jim was Company Clerk at this time and due to excessive celebration forgot to submit his own shipping papers. They were found and barely turned in on time. James arrived in San Francisco on the troop ship General Gordon.

James served as a Corporal in the Combat infantry, "K" Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, in Korea from June 1951 to May 1952. He was awarded a Combat Infantry Badge and two Campaign Ribbons. James was released from active duty in Oct. 1952 and honorably discharged Sep. 1956.

He married his high school sweetheart in 1952. They invested in real estate and they kept busy repairing and remodeling houses, motels and apartments. The family moved from West Los Angeles to Boulder City in August 1968.

Occupations: Plumber, Mechanical Estimator, Real Estate Investor, Stock Investor. Worked in Southern California on the homes of Leo Durosher, Walt Disney, Bob Six (president of Continental Airlines) and Audrey Meadows, Romanoff Restaurant, and the owner of Mission Pak. Worked for Paul Hardeman, Inc. in the construction of hydroelectric dams and missile facilities. Hardeman was the 9th largest contractor in the US and was assassinated at his home in 1984.

Worked for Maecon, Inc. as Project Estimator. From 1975 through 1976 was Project Manager for Santa Fe Engineers, Inc., in Koror, Palau in Micronesia. While there, lived on a houseboat moored in a small secluded bay.

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Interests: Racing inboard hydroplane boats, fishing, cards, building, model trains.

Survived by daughter Diane E. Greene (Tom Casey) of Boulder City, son Robert J. Vallely of Boulder city, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Burial was at the Southern Nevada Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Boulder Highway Mortuary, Henderson, NV.