About
Vietnam War (1955-1975)
James Henry McNeilly was born in the Village of Scotia in Schenectady County, New York, on November 1, 1948. After graduating from Scotia-Glenville High School in 1966, he started working as a crane operator for General Electric in the City of Schenectady.
On May 16, 1968, James enlisted in the United States Army. He was a specialist five serving with the 1018th Army Reserve Supply and Services Company, 1st Logistical Command. On June 22, 1969, while delivering jet fuel to combat units, James's convoy was ambushed by a North Vietnamese force while in Quang Ngai, Vietnam. The North Vietnamese force was firing automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at the convoy. James provided protective fire for the convoy by driving his gun jeep into the ambush area. He fired his grenade launcher when enemy fire disabled his truck, halting the attack and saving the lives of his fellow soldiers until he was killed. He is buried in the Park Cemetery in Scotia, New York.
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry