In 1942, James Lathem Ables was the only letter man on the Brownwood High School football team. After he graduated in 1943, he became an Air Force cadet, and served in the Air Force during the final days of WWII. After the war, he went to college at the University of Texas, graduating in 1949. He then went to work in Washington DC as an administrative assistant for Representative O. C. Fisher.
In 1950, the young officer was called back to active duty. He wanted to be where the action was, so he chose to join the Marines. He went to Korea in command of a rifle platoon with the 1st Marine Division.
Latham was killed in action while fighting the enemy in Korea on April 29, 1951.
Second Lieutenant Ables was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. -Freda