january 3, 1925 - janary 23, 2019
rank: Staff Sergeant
Dates of Service: 1943 - 1945
Born to Walter and Bertha Creech of Smithfield NC on Jan. 3, 1925 he spent his youth delivering newspapers and doing whatever odd jobs he could to help his family during the depression years. While caddying for a local lawyer on an otherwise uneventful day on the 9th hole at Holt Lake Golf Course, a worker came running out and announced that Pearl Harbor had just been bombed. Without hesitation and showing his lifelong patriotism and love of country, he enlisted -- joining the Army, 26th Yankee Division and became embroiled in the European theatre. He served as an infantryman in France and Germany, earning marksmanship awards and volunteering for many special combat missions. On one of those missions, he was wounded by enemy schrapnel fire, leading to his capture. He was the only soldier to survive that mission on that Thanksgiving eve patrol. He was held as a POW in Germany for 154 days. During his days as a prisoner of war, he befriended one of his German captors, Heinz Stechow. Jim always told Heinz "the Americans are going to win this war and when we do, you tell them that you befriended me and they will treat you well". He gave Heinz his home address on a small scrap of paper to carry with him as proof. That friendship not only survived his days of captivity, but many years after the war was over, they reconnected and Jim and Joyce went to Bremen, Germany to visit his lifelong friend who had become an accomplished artist. They remained in constant contact until Heinz' passing. One thing you could always count on, when Jim Creech befriended you, it was for a lifetime. Mr. Creech was promoted to SSgt in November, 2007 and was the recipient of 2 Purple Hearts and 2 bronze stars.
