James Marshall Vail

James Marshall Vail died at his home in Palm Beach Gardens less than a week prior to his 90th birthday. Retired from the US Army, Colonel Vail joined in the aftermath of World War II, was a combat veteran of the Korea and Viet Nam, and served with distinction until his retirement in 1975.

Col. Vail was member of a military family and was born in Manila, Philippines, where his father was stationed in the US Army dental corps.

He enlisted in 1946 at Scott Field, Illinois, now Scott Air Force Base. Prior to that he studied at Drury College in Missouri. Because of his age, military school experience and his Army background, he went directly to Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia. There he studied engineering and was commissioned 2nd LT. in June 1947. His father, Colonel Walter Davis Vail, pinned on his new gold bars at the commissioning ceremony.

In March 1951, shortly after his marriage to Billye Reddic in North Augusta, GA he served in Korea. He earned numerous medals and citations for bravery including the Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Korean Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, United Nations Service Medal.

He returned to the US in July 1952 and was stationed at various army bases around the world, including Heidelberg and Berlin, Germany, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He twice served in Viet Nam as a Green Beret.

Col. Vail attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia and the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, then completed the Advanced Management School at Harvard in 1973.

He finished his Army career at Fort Shafter in Honolulu, Hawaii and retired September 1975.

He is survived by two daughters, Kathy Vail Griffith (husband Lee Griffith) and Mimi Vail and five grandchildren: James Stratton (wife Chelsea), Peter Turchan, Paul Stratton, Stephen Turchan and Elizabeth Turchan, and great grandson Cullen James Stratton.

He was predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Billye Reddic Vail, and is survived by his wife of 10 years Shirley Vail.

Interment will be at Bushnell National Cemetery. The family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation and sincerely appreciates the care Colonel Vail received by Trust Bridge Health.