Decorated Surf City Marine dies in Iraq

Dave Brooks

William C. James spent his childhood searching for his calling, and

when he decided to join the Marine Corp. after graduating from

Huntington Beach High, he felt like he finally found a match.

Friends and neighbors said James took an immediate liking to the

discipline and honor of military life and planed to make a career for

himself in the service. Sadly his life ended Nov. 10 during heavy

fighting in Iraq. He was 24 years old.

Officials with the Camp Pendleton Marine Base said James died

fighting alongside two other American soldiers. The circumstances

surrounding James’ death have not been made public, but the al-Anbar

province where he was killed is known as the Sunni Triangle and

includes Fallouja, a city where the U.S. military is wrapping up a

bloody offensive to retake the city from insurgents.

James was a highly decorated soldier who friends said eagerly

planned to make a career out of his service with the Marines. His

achievements include the Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal for

exemplary service beyond the normal call of duty. He was a rifleman

assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine

Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Neighbors described James as a polite man who generally kept to

himself. A California native, James and his family eventually moved

to North Carolina and then Huntington Beach during his senior year of

high school.

Former Neighbor Jeff McMullens who used to live next door to James

on Constitution Drive in Huntington Beach, said James was friendly

but generally shy.

“He didn’t say to much, but I always thought he was a good kid,”

McMullens said. “I knew him because he bred a Rottweiler that I later

bought.”

James graduated from Huntington Beach High School in 1998, but

felt lost and decided to follow in his families’ footsteps and enlist

in the Marine Corps. His grandfather was a former merchant marine,

McMullens said, and his father was enlisted in the Army during the

Vietnam War.

“I think he really found something that he enjoyed in the

Marines,” McMullens said. “He planned to make a career out of his

service.”

His parents, C.J. and William James Sr., moved to Oceanside after

their son left for the military.

“This is a really difficult time for our family, I have lost my

only son,” said C.J. James, who added that she was too distraught to

go into the details of James’ life. James is also survived by his two

sisters Lynn and Leah, and his brother Shy.

A private service will be held for James on Saturday.