James Herbert Jones

James Herbert "Jimmie Red" Jones (March 14, 1920 – September 1, 2008) was the Arkansas State Auditor from 1956 to 1980 the Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard from 1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1984.

Jones was born in Magnolia, Arkansas, where he grew up and attended high school. He was a standout high school football player, and captain of his team. Jones attended Southern State University, where he played college football, serving there as a team captain as well. He played with Charlie McClendon, who later became the longtime head coach of Louisiana State University. After college, Jones attended the University of Arkansas School of Law, and Keegan's School of Radio and Television in Memphis, Tennessee.

Jones had a varied early work career, working as a store clerk, gas station attendant, and a "roughnecker" and "switcher" in the oil fields, before moving on to his long career in the military and public service. He was a very devoted son to his mother and during his late 1950ss when she was sick in a nursing home in Magnolia would drive each week the three hours from Little Rock to bring her her favorite dinner and sit with her for an hour or two and then make the long drive home to Little Rock. He developed a reputation for honesty and kindness, part of his political success. While he was State Auditor he drove older cars to conserve state funds and was always humble about his duties as a public servant.

Jones first joined the Arkansas National Guard in 1938, but did not enter active service until October 1942. After entering active service he was trained as a bombardier and, at the end of 1943, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He commanded the 93 Bomb Group, and flew thirty combat missions with this group. In 1944 he was promoted to First Lieutenant, and in 1945 he was removed from active duty and put in the Officers Reserve Corps. For his combat service and valor he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Medal, European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, five Bronze Stars and the World War II Victory Medal. He served as Commander of The American Legion Department of Arkansas.

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