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James Rester was born in Poplarville, Mississippi in November of 1938. In 1955, while attending high school, James joined the Mississippi National Guard. Upon graduation, in 1956, at age 17, he was sent to Fort Jackson South Carolina for his basic training. By 1960, James requested a release from the National Guard to go on active duty in the US Army. His request was honored and James was sent to Fort Polk Louisiana, attaining the rank of E-4, to train in transportation as a parts and vehicle maintenance specialist.
James married shortly after graduating from high school, in 1957, and began a family. Over the years, as his military career evolved, he and his wife produced four daughters and one son. The family moved numerous times over the next thirteen years. His first assignment was Fort Richardson Alaska, just outside of Anchorage. His job was maintenance of 450-500 military vehicles. He recalls being in Alaska during the “Good Friday Earthquake” in April of 1964, which created havoc and extensive damage to Anchorage and Fort Richardson.
While stationed in Alaska, a full colonel took James under his wing because he was pleased with James’s attitude and ability to get things done. James oversaw the clean up and restoration of order of his transportation unit after the earthquake, managing to insure his motor pool passed inspection, which had been problematic in the past. The colonel told James that he would help him with his future because of this splendid work. About the same time, James had a great deal of exposure to helicopters being used around the post. He managed to catch a ride on a H21, known as an “old flying banana”. From that point forward he was hooked and decided he wanted to put in for flight school.
James approached the colonel to ask how he should proceed to have a chance to learn to fly helicopters. The colonel explained that his only chance of accomplishing this would be to go to Officers Candidate School, and after being commissioned as an officer then applying for flight training. Hesitantly, James took his advice, believing he would not likely be accepted to OCS. The colonel told him when he went before the board to walk directly to the man sitting in the middle seat of the panel he would face and just answer his questions and explain why he wanted to become an officer, and he would do fine. On the appointed day, James reported to the building, walked into the room, and to the man in middle of the panel, who was none other than his mentor, the colonel. Needless to say, James was accepted to OCS.
In July of 1964, James Rester reported to Fort Benning Georgia to begin a new chapter in his life. For six months, he and his class of 212 candidates worked 24/7 while his wife and children returned home to Mississippi. After the grueling training, James was among the 151 men that graduated as 2nd Lieutenant Infantry officers. It was at this time that the US Army was adopting the airmobile concept of airborne infantry soldiers being delivered to the battlefield and supplied by helicopters as opposed to jumping from airplanes. In January of 1965, James was joined by his family to attend his graduation.
2nd Lt. Rester was returned to Fort Polk Louisiana for advanced infantry training. There, James spent one year, initially as an Executive Officer then was promoted to Commanding Officer of his training unit. He earned the Army Commendation Medal for Outstanding Performance. Finally, James was in a position to apply for helicopter flight training, and was accepted in December of 1965. He reported to Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells Texas for his initial three months of training and then to Fort Rucker in Alabama for another three months of advanced flight training. As a fully trained helicopter pilot, James was now ready for assignment in Vietnam, to utilize his skills in combat. In October of 1966, James bade his family good bye, and they returned to Mississippi and he headed for Saigon, Vietnam.
Once “in country”, from Saigon, James was immediately transported to Bien Hoa Air Base located about 16 miles northeast of the city. He arrived there about 2 PM and received his first flight briefing at 7 PM. That night, he flew his first combat mission, serving as co pilot on a gun ship protecting troop ships delivering combat soldiers to a designated landing zone. His company consisted of 4 all armed helicopter platoons flying in country. James spent 6 months in Vietnam before receiving a 30--day leave and then returned to serve his final 6 months combat tour.
While in country, he flew missions carrying Special Forces into Cambodia who were attempting to cut off the supply line down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. He conducted many “Lightning Bug” missions in which 3 helicopters would fly along a river or canal at night. One chopper would fly very low, about 100 feet above the water, one at about 400 feet, shining bright lights down, and then one at about 800 feet acting as the control ship, looking for watercraft carrying guns and ammo to the enemy armies. James recalls flying probably 100 of these missions and on one occasion destroying as many as 26 sampans smuggling supplies to the enemy.
James’s most harrowing experience occurred on a mission that he had carried Special Forces troops into Cambodia. After dropping off the troops in a landing zone, his Huey was shot down. He recalls struggling to exit the downed aircraft, hanging upside down. Eventually, he and his other three crewmembers extricated themselves from the Huey and began escape and evade maneuvers for the next 48 hours. They got to within a half of a mile of the arranged pick up area when they encountered Viet Cong who were searching for them. A brief firefight ensued and the 4 men managed to get to a river where they hid in the water for the next 8 hours. Finally, 12 hours after the encounter with the enemy, their rescuers managed to pick up James and his crew!
During his time in country, James lived in an old hotel at the air base in Bien Hoa. However, he would often spend 16 hours a day in his helicopter, catching a few minutes of sleep with the motor running. During his 12-month tour in Vietnam, James was awarded two purple hearts for injuries he sustained during firefights. He also received an Army Aviator Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, an Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters, one awarded for Valor, and a Distinguished Flying Cross.
James returned home in November of 1967. At Fort Wolters in Texas, he served as a flight instructor and taught survival skills. In October of 1969, James received orders to return to Vietnam as an infantry company commander. Fortunately, he was allowed to decline this assignment and take his discharge from active duty. He did choose to maintain his reserve commission as a Captain.
For the next 26 years, James Rester used his pilot skills, working for the oil industry, flying workers and supplies to the off shore oil rigs along the Gulf Coast. In 1974, he moved his family to Bacliff Texas and flew out of Galveston. In 1978, the family once again moved to Danbury Texas. James retired in November of 1996. In 2007, James lost his wife of 50 years. He received a sympathy card from a lady who had worked for James’s company a decade earlier and eventually they met, developed a relationship, and married. In October of 2012, James and his wife bought a small track of land in Colorado County and moved here and built a house, where they lived and he joined our VVA 1127 shortly after it was chartered.
James became highly regarded as a true hero among our members, especially those members who were combat infantry soldiers. They fully understood the risk taken and lives saved by the Huey gunship helicopter crews who served in Vietnam. James passed away at age 86 on May 25, 2025. The next day, May 26, 2025, our Memorial Day ceremony was dedicated to his memory.
