He spent most of his life working for the government. After his combat service, he was became a spokesperson for the Defense Department in the Public Affairs Department (PAD) in the 1970s, when the Vietnam War was still brewing. He also became vice commander of the Military Airlift Command (MAC) in Vietnam and the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) because of his work at the PAD.
To give a sense of what fueled James' ambition, the author James McGovern conducted a number of interviews with people close to the airman's life, including "Chappie's" mother Lillie James, who worked to imbue her son with a strong sense of self, growing up in the segregated South of Pensacola, Florida. It was from her that James learned that individuals should be judged upon their accomplishments and performance, not upon their skin color. James always believed that if he worked hard, and was the best flyer in the air, then his promotion and awards would not be questioned. He believed hard work could overcome prejudice.
Although James is most famous for his fourth star and his unique role as a prominent black spokesperson for the military during a time when the American government was under increasing fire at home because of the disproportionate number of African-Americans serving in Vietnam, perhaps the most memorable and defining...
In 1967 when James was the commander of the American airbase located in Libya. After Colonel Khadafy assumed power the Libyan leader demanded that the United States turn over the base to his control. James became the chief negotiator with the new, hostile regime. He had to protect his troops without inciting a military or public relations firestorm.
James was in a difficult position in Libya. The United States, because of its support for Israel, was extremely unpopular in the region. Also, much of the international community had turned against the U.S. because of the Vietnam War. Khadafy tried to bait the Americans into a show-down by trying to storm the base, and at one point James and Khadafy, both armed, had a face-to-face encounter that fortunately did not result in an international incident. James' cool management of the base was a decisive factor in his promotion to Brigadier General by President Richard Nixon.
Perhaps James' greatest legacy is to the African-American men and women who serve in the armed forces today. He is often presented as a model of uncompromising patriotism, but his patriotism was not won at the expense of his dignity or ambition. James died of a heart attack in 1977, after retiring because of his poor health, but his legacy lives on.
