James McEachin

McEachin served in the United States Army before, and then during, the Korean War. Serving in King Company, 9th Infantry Regiment (United States), 2nd Infantry Division, he was wounded (nearly fatally) in an ambush and nearly left for dead. McEachin was one of only two soldiers to survive the ambush. He was awarded both the Purple Heart and Silver Star in 2005 by California Congressman David Dreier after McEachin participated in a Veterans History Project interview for Dreier’s office and Drier’s staff, Carlos Cortez, discovered McEachin had no copies of his own military records. Dreier’s staff quickly traced the records and notified McEachin of the Silver Star commendation, then awarded him all seven of his medals of valor shortly thereafter, fifty years after his service.