James Clarence Junge was born on June 9, 1948, in Long Beach, California, the son of Clarence H. and Katherine Clare (Rielly) Junge. When he was 12 years old, he and a friend went missing near their home in Altadena and were believed lost. They were found six hours later by the Altadena Mountaineers Sheriff’s Rescue Squad in Eaton Canyon.

Junge may have attended Malaga Cove School in Palos Verdes Estates in the early 1960s. Little else is known about his youth or school activities. His home of record at the time of his death was Torrance, California.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army, beginning his service on June 24, 1970. Assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 54th Signal Battalion, I Field Force, his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was Radio Relay Carrier Attendant, responsible for establishing and maintaining communication links. He also held the MOS designation of Multichannel Transmission Systems Technician.

Late in the evening of August 12, 1970, Sergeant Junge was in the billets at his base camp at Nha Trang Air Base, Military Region 2, Khanh Hoa Province, South Vietnam, when he accidentally fell from a second flight of stairs. He sustained a cerebral and brainstem contusion and a skull fracture. Transferred to the 483rd U.S. Air Force Hospital at Cam Ranh Bay, he passed away six hours later, on August 13, 1970.

Sergeant Junge’s decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Unmarried at the time of his death, he was preceded in death by his parents and survived by his brother, Jon Junge. A requiem Mass was held for him at St. Bartholomew Church, followed by burial at All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach.