Watha James Eddins

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Bill and Ronnie McWilliams on January 21, 2014:

Dear Jim, Well, our good friend, though you have crossed over to the other side of the river, there is not a doubt in our minds that you can read this letter, hear and feel the message. When we were cadets, I knew you only by sight, because Company D was in the 1st Battalion, First Regiment, and I was in Company K, 3rd Battalion, "another world" in our era of four years of flanker-runt living. Saw you competing in fencing a couple of times, somewhat of an alien athletic endeavor in the small towns of Texas, New Mexico and Colorado where I grew up. We probably played against one another in intramurals, but if we did I certainly don't recall us tangling on either of the intramural fields, rings or courts. To make matters a bit more difficult, on graduation you went into the Army and Ronnie and I hit the trail to the Air Force. And by dang, to our delight we ran right smack into you and Adrian in Korea, when you were the executive officer to the Chief of Staff of US Forces/Eighth US Army, at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul, Republic of Korea. We arrived in June 1979 and some time later we learned you, Woody Black, and Roy Dunaway were in the ROK. Small world after all. What a thoughtful gentleman, professional soldier and classmate you proved to be. Absolutely wonderful. Always positive. Loved your work and duty, and as you recall, the little monthly rotating dinner club a group of us put together on an ad hoc basis, sure gave us great times when -- due to the assassination of the President of the Republic of Korea, the coup that followed, and Kim Il Sung's activities up north, things were a bit tense in "The Land of the Morning Calm." Above all, though, you were steady as a rock. Getting ready to come home in 1981 was when we learned of Adrian's serious illness and we learned first hand the devastating loss you felt when you came to visit us in Thousand Oaks, CA in 1986, after she had passed away. She was a great lady. Roy Thorsen joined us for a bite to eat at our home. We were greatly pained for you that day because of your sadness. But as always, you recovered, and the last we knew you had met Ann and joy had returned to your life and your family. Our last meeting was by phone and a follow-up letter. You had read my first book, A Return to Glory, and called to compliment and encourage more work. You told me of your post-graduate degree in history, and how the schooling and degree had excited you about researching and writing history, and you expressed your intent and determination to get back to it in spite of your illness. Well, as always, in the life you lived you led, encouraged, motivated and inspired -- always the mark of a great soldier. You did it. You did it all, and you did it well. God loves you for sure. Grip Hands, Jim -- we shall be together again one day. Bill and Ronnie McWilliams

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