I-40 In Cocke County To Be Named For Local Hero

State and local dignitaries will be getting together to honor a Cocke County hero. Charles McGaha, who was born in Cosby, was in the US Army and was present when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. McGaha also fought in the Guadalcanal Campaign and the Solomon Islands. On February 7, 1945,during the Battle of Luzon, McGaha’s platoon and another were pinned down in a roadside ditch by heavy fire from five Japanese tanks, supported by 10 machine guns and a platoon of riflemen. Without hesitation, McGaha crossed the road under a hail of bullets to move a wounded man to safety. He suffered a deep arm wound, but still returned to his post. He returned and found his platoon leader seriously wounded, he assumed command and rallied his men. Once more he braved enemy fire to aid a wounded soldier. A shell exploded in their midst, wounding him again and killing two, but McGaha carried the remaining man to cover and moved out in front deliberately to draw the enemy fire while the protected forces withdrew to safety. For his efforts, Charles McGaha was awarded the Medal Of Honor. Mr. McGaha died in 1984 at the age of 70 in Columbus after he was stabbed in an attempted robbery. He is buried in Union Cemetery in Newport.

On November 3, Veterans In Focus along with Senator Steve Southerland and Representative Jeremy Faison, will be dedicating Interstate 40’s 440 Exit as the Major Charles McGaha Memorial Interchange and Interstate 40 from the Tennessee/North Carolina State Line to the Cocke/Jefferson County Line as the Master Sergeant Charles McGaha Medal of Honor Highway. Governor Bill Lee signed legislation earlier this year to officially name I-40 in Cocke County after its only Medal of Honor recipient.