INTRODUCTION
My dear friend, Captain James McCormick, called me and asked if I would write an introduction to his new book, Battle-Tested Faith. I was humbled, and agreed on the spot. But I didn’t realize, until after I perused a raw manuscript, what the hell I was getting into.
I believe life is just a highlight reel. Snapshots of memories. A Eulogy is not 82 years long. After absorbing this wonderful book, I was overwhelmed. Completely and utterly overwhelmed.
Being half-Canadian, I tend to cry a lot! To this day, I can’t watch Field of Dreams without, yes, crying at the end. The Fatherhood thing. That said, McCormick’s book was one where I had to stop reading at times, take a quiet moment to absorb what I just read, and weep. The children of Iraq. Returning from war homeless and alone. Friends dying.
And then, out of nowhere, the story jumps off the page – and smashes you right in the face.
Oddly, I have difficulty even writing this introduction. There is just so much to share about this man, and the messages in this book. From the hardscrabble upbringing in rural West Virginia, to the blood and guts and violence and gore of war. The highlight reel and snapshots found on each page careen through my brain like an old, noisy pinball machine.
I guess I just cannot believe this man is not dead. There were scores of close calls (and closer) where clearly the Devil did not have his way. God won the day again, and kept him alive.
One of my favorite core beliefs is “By the Grace of God Go I” – and James McCormick raises his own hand to the ceiling on that one.
From being all shot to hell and still battling on, to losing his cherished grandmother and being unable to travel home, to watching his closest friends die before his eyes – in a puff of smoke or at the hand of an enemy bullet. And more times than once, realizing he was about to die.
The reader discovers that his late “Granny” guided him through the mayhem. Her Godly whispers of hope and encouragement when he was at his very lowest, are indeed invitations to weep.
I will not take time here to list the awards and accomplishments of this Generation-X US Veteran. He is one of the most public “ex-soldiers” you will meet, and the internet has endless accolades and stories. Start with the three Purple Hearts and go from there. (My YouTube Channel alone contains 128 videos and dozens of full shows featuring Captain McCormick).
And, write this down – a long overdue Medal of Honor will soon be placed around the neck of Captain James McCormick by President Trump.
Also, other than personal friends with household names like Trump and Bush, I won’t even pen the endless list of military friends, contacts, mentors, and most importantly, the guys he fought alongside during two separate wars. I cannot believe the brotherly relationships this man has nurtured in his lifetime, and yes, sometimes lost. There is page-turning joy and heartbreak throughout.
From Generals to Colonels, down the ranks to E-Nothings, this man is loved, and this man loves. To name one would mean naming all. Every single one.
Captain James McCormick sees his beloved military brothers and sisters as ONE – a team, and equally valuable in the continued mission of service to the greatest country in the history of Mankind.
(I would challenge AI wonks to list every name in the book, and McCormick would have a fascinating story about each one. Maybe for a future show, perhaps?).
The highlight reel rockets through my brain when reflecting on story after story from inside the bowels of military battles. James describes, from first-hand smash-mouth experience, the viscous truth about warfare. I felt like mortars were raining down on my head as I was reading.
From any book, there are “forever takeaways”. What I will always remember about Captain McCormick’s book are four things:
1. His beloved 518th Gun Truck Company – Formed from scratch, and pieced together with added armor and firepower, the 518th was a war machine wreaking havoc and death, while protecting American supply convoys and troops. Painted like Zebras and swooping in like vipers, McCormick’s gun trucks struck morbid fear in the heart of the enemy. Clearly, the 518th was McCormick’s baby, and the stories contained in this book confirm his love for his mission, and his amazing team of warriors.
2. His grandmother, Granny – Of all the loved ones surrounding him through his life, his grandmother touches his heart in the deepest of ways. He references Granny as a sort of whispering angel, encouraging him to keep going during the darkest times. James believes Granny is watching over him to this day.
3. November 12, 2005 – The day he married his soulmate, Heather. After a war-torn life, the touching story of James finding Heather in church was like a Norman Rockwell tale with a happy ending. The shy, old-fashioned courtship that followed is so touching, it is clear that this wonderful woman changed this man forever. James will be the first to say that Heather McCormick made the difference in his life, where he finally found peace, and love. She was a safe haven for a tormented soldier, and they cherish each other every day.
4. My favorite quote – When McCormick was confronted by a General, who subtly questioned the level of violence used against the enemy that day:
“Well, sir, with all due respect, there ain’t a son of a bitch out here laying in the dirt that didn’t need killing today”.
(The General quipped that Army James should have been one of his US Marines!)
You will see James McCormick today doing what he has always done – fighting for his fellow soldiers. The Vietnam Veterans of America, former National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, speaking and broadcasting the gospel of God and Country, and countless other self-assigned duties.
This is a man who was born for Selfless Service.
He will always take a midnight phone call from a hurting military veteran. I have told him on many occasions, he is one of the most tireless and devoted men I have ever known in my life. And anyone who knows him, knows exactly what I’m talking about.
Through all the uncertainty of today’s crazy world, there is one thing of which I am 100% certain:
Captain James McCormick will never die.
He will be with us forever.
Greg Meakin
Arizona City AZ
July 2025
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Greg Meakin is an author and radio guy living in Arizona. He spent forty years in the auto industry in Seattle. His military family served in the US Air Force, Canadian and British Armies, and served in WWI and WWII. He serves his country every day, through the pen, and the microphone.
gregmeakin.com
YouTube @Greg Meakin
gregmeakin2020@gmail.com.