Henderson County -- June 7, 2026: Three local veterans organizations—the Western NC Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Hedrick-Rhodes VFW Post 5206, and the VFW Post 5206 Auxiliary—have joined forces to honor the extraordinary life and military career of the late Colonel Joseph Clemons. A permanent tribute has been unveiled at the Hedrick-Rhodes Veterans Center, located at 900 N. Main Street, Hendersonville.
Colonel Clemons, a Hendersonville resident for two decades before his passing in 2018, is a highly decorated West Point graduate (Class of 1951) whose heroic actions shaped military history and Hollywood lore.
During the Korean War, Clemons' leadership at the famous battle of Pork Chop Hill earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star, the nation’s second and third highest awards for valor. His exploits caught the attention of renowned military historian S.L.A. Marshall, whose writings were turned into a book and subsequent screenplay. Hollywood icon Gregory Peck eventually bought the rights, producing and starring as Clemons in the acclaimed 1959 feature film Pork Chop Hill. The U.S. Army assigned Clemons to serve as the film's technical advisor, where he personally taught Peck how to handle a rifle, throw grenades, and authentically portray a frontline rifle company commander.
Clemons' legacy of leadership extended into the Vietnam War, where he served as a brigade commander in the 23rd Infantry Division. Among his battalion commanders was a young Lieutenant Colonel, Norman Schwarzkopf—the future four-star general who would command Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
In his 1992 best-selling autobiography, It Doesn’t Take a Hero, General Schwarzkopf credited Clemons with saving his career. When a visiting general threatened to relieve Schwarzkopf over his battlefield tactics, Clemons interceded, absorbing the general’s wrath to protect his subordinate.
The new permanent display in Hendersonville stands outside the VFW office inside the Veterans Center. Curated with the help of Clemons' daughter, Sue Shultis, who donated the historic artifacts, the exhibit features:
The actual sweater worn by Colonel Clemons during the Korean War.
The jungle fatigues he wore during the Vietnam War, complete with his earned military medals.
An informational poster detailing his life and career.
A QR code linking directly to Clemons' digital shadowbox on the VFW Wall of Honor.
Local community members can view additional photographs and a comprehensive digital record of his service by visiting the Henderson County Wall of Honor on the county's official website.
Organization: Hedrick-Rhodes VFW Post 5206 / Western NC MOAA
Location: Hedrick-Rhodes Veterans Center, 900 N. Main Street, Hendersonville, NC
Website:Henderson County Wall of Honor