James D. Beans

James Dale Beans (born December 21, 1934) is a retired officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is most noted for his service as the assistant chief of staff for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer, Intelligence and Interoperability Department and as director, Intelligence Division, Headquarters Marine Corps. He is the son of Brigadier General Fred D. Beans.

Early career James D. Beans was born on December 21, 1934, at Annapolis, Maryland, as the son of Marine officer, Fred D. Beans and Elizabeth Stehle. He spent his early years in Peking and Shanghai, China, where his father was stationed with 6th Marines, before his family returned to the United States and settled in Annapolis. Upon the graduation from the high school, Beans entered the Severn School, a preparatory school for the Naval Academy, where he spent one year, before he was admitted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in June 1953.

Beans was subsequently transferred to the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company as Supply and Service Platoon Commander, and later, as the Pathfinder Platoon Commander. While in this capacity, Beans was promoted to first lieutenant on December 7, 1958, and to captain on May 1, 1962. He served with 2nd Reconnaissance Company until December 1962, when he assumed duty as commanding officer, Marine Detachment aboard the cruiser USS Little Rock.

Following the promotion to major on January 1, 1967, Beans was sent back to South Vietnam and appointed operations officer, 4th Marine Regiment at Phu Bai under Colonel William L. Dick. The Fourth Marines participated as the part of 3rd Marine Division under Major General Bruno Hochmuth in Operations Prairie, Prairie IV, Kingfisher or Kentucky. On November 14, 1967, General Hochmuth and five others were riding in a helicopter on an inspection tour near the city of Huế, when his helicopter exploded and crashed soon after it took off. Colonel Dick and Beans learned of the crash around 1400 on November 14 and both reached the crash site quickly by their own helicopter.

Dick and Beans spotted the General Hochmuth's Huey Helicopter upside down in a rice paddy filled to the brim by the heavy rains which had been falling for several weeks. They reached the wreckage, where there were flames on the water's surface around the aircraft. Accompanied by the regimental sergeant major, who tried to extinguish the fire, Dick and Beans commenced diving beneath the surface, groping through the water for possible survivors.

Three of the lead tanks successfully breached the bridgehead defenses, rapidly crossed the bridge and penetrated the 9th Battalion's Command Post area on the South bank of the Song O'Khe River. A fierce close-quarter enemy tank versus Marine infantrymen battle ensued. Beans calmly responded to this critical situation by calling for and receiving close air support aircraft which isolated the enemy tanks and permitted their destruction. He then moved to an exposed observation position where he directed intensely accurate air strikes on the remainder of the enemy tanks and infantry.