A Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing combat leader, flight instructor, tactical officer at West Point, Pershing Missile commander, and section, company, and battalion commander, LTC James A. Scott III did it all. 

He graduated from the United States Military Academy with the Class of 1961 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery. Airborne and Ranger-qualified, he completed flight school at Fort Rucker in 1963. 

Among the Army's youngest and most decorated aviators at the time, he was selected as the AAAA Army Aviation of the Year in 1966 for his exploits flying the O-1 Bird Dog during hundreds of missions at tree-top level in South Vietnam.

During his second tour in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, he was wounded on an air assault operation during the TET Offensive. After his aircraft was struck multiple times, he flew back to his base camp, re-armed, re-fueled and returned to engage enemy ground forces until he was forced to successfully executive an emergency landing without anti-torque control. For his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Less than two months later, after recovering from his wounds, he earned the Silver Star for gallantry as lead gunship and fire team leader while deliberately drawing enemy fire by placing his aircraft between enemy positions and a medical evacuation aircraft and ultimately evacuating wounded with his own gunship. His additional combat awards include two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 28 Air Medals, 2 Bronze Stars, and 2 Purple Hearts.

He served three years as a company tactical officer at West Point and later culminated his career in 1980 as commander of 6th Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade at the U.S. Army Aviation Center.

Renowned for personal integrity and moral courage, his inspirational leadership led to many further contributions.

Following his 2019 induction into the Georgia Veterans Hall of Fame for Valor, he succumbed to an almost three-decade struggle with Agent Orange related complications in 2022.