Flying with Honor: The Story of Navy Veteran Jim McCann
Jim McCann has called the Marietta Country Club home since 1991, when he and his late wife, Anne, built their house on the third hole tee box. Today, at 84, Jim reflects on a life marked by service, family, and faith—always with humility and gratitude for the opportunities he’s been given.
Jim’s life has been filled with love and family. After nearly 49 years of marriage to Anne, who passed away in 2016, Jim found companionship again with Johnnie Gabriel-McCann, whom he married in 2018. His blended family is large and close-knit. Jim’s three children—Todd, Kevin, and Leslie—have built their own families and careers, many of them continuing Jim’s passion for aviation. Todd, a pilot, and his wife, Lisa, a nurse, live in Tennessee, while Kevin and his wife, April, make their home north of Atlanta. Leslie and her husband, Slade, live south of the city, where both pursued their degrees at Auburn University. Between them all, Jim is blessed with eight grandchildren, each carving their own path. Through Johnnie, he also has two step-children, adding even more joy to the family circle.
Jim’s military story began in the mid-1960s, a time when the Vietnam War was escalating and many young Americans faced the call to serve. His father had enlisted in the Navy at the end of World War II, and several of Jim’s peers were entering the service. At the time, Jim was teaching math, but he felt a strong pull to contribute. “I knew I was going to serve in some capacity,” he recalled. That conviction led him to commission as a U.S. Navy officer in 1964, where he pursued the path of aviator.
Stationed in Coronado, California, just outside San Diego, Jim flew the S-2 Tracker as a Lieutenant aboard the USS Hornet. The aircraft carrier became both his workplace and his proving ground during deployments in the Pacific Theater. From Hawaii and Guam to Japan, Singapore, and the Gulf of Tonkin, Jim and his squadron played a role in supporting America’s military objectives during the Vietnam War. His role required precision and courage, none more so than when landing his aircraft on the moving deck of the Hornet in all conditions. “I always look back and wonder how in the world I was able to land an airplane aboard this moving ship during the day or night and in the calm or stormy seas,” he reflected years later. That memory remains one of the defining aspects of his military career.
Jim’s service was recognized through numerous commendations, including four Air Medals, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon, alongside campaign and service medals from his time in Vietnam. Yet, he speaks of his time in the Navy not in terms of accolades, but in the values it instilled. “Character is king,” he often says. Those words, learned through the demands of service, became the foundation for his career and the guiding principle he sought to pass down to his children.
After completing his military service in 1969, Jim transitioned seamlessly into a civilian career that echoed his love for aviation. Delta Air Lines offered him a position, and what began as a new chapter turned into a remarkable 32-year career, culminating in his retirement as a Captain of the MD-11 in 2001. Along the way, Jim also founded JHM Builders, a residential construction company that allowed him to channel his discipline and leadership into building homes for others. Both careers, he believes, were only possible because of the foundation laid in the Navy.
Life outside of work was equally full. Jim spent many years enjoying golf, fishing trips to the Gulf, and volunteer work through his church, often building homes for those in need alongside his friend Vic Tobler. Though his pace has slowed with age, he looks back fondly on those experiences as part of a life well-lived.
Jim’s pride in his service remains steadfast. He hopes that more young people will consider serving their country, not for glory, but for the growth and grounding that come from such responsibility. When he returned to the USS Hornet in 2017, now a museum in Alameda, California, he was overcome with emotion as he walked the decks where he had once flown missions. It was a reminder of how far he had come—and how much those years had shaped him.
Today, surrounded by family and faith, Jim remains humble about his contributions. “I don’t pretend to have done more than what I’ve written here,” he shares. “I am just a humble servant of God who was fortunate to have many amazing people and experiences throughout my life.”
Jim’s life has been filled with love and family. After nearly 49 years of marriage to Anne, who passed away in 2016, Jim found companionship again with Johnnie Gabriel-McCann, whom he married in 2018. His blended family is large and close-knit. Jim’s three children—Todd, Kevin, and Leslie—have built their own families and careers, many of them continuing Jim’s passion for aviation. Todd, a pilot, and his wife, Lisa, a nurse, live in Tennessee, while Kevin and his wife, April, make their home north of Atlanta. Leslie and her husband, Slade, live south of the city, where both pursued their degrees at Auburn University. Between them all, Jim is blessed with eight grandchildren, each carving their own path. Through Johnnie, he also has two step-children, adding even more joy to the family circle.
Jim’s military story began in the mid-1960s, a time when the Vietnam War was escalating and many young Americans faced the call to serve. His father had enlisted in the Navy at the end of World War II, and several of Jim’s peers were entering the service. At the time, Jim was teaching math, but he felt a strong pull to contribute. “I knew I was going to serve in some capacity,” he recalled. That conviction led him to commission as a U.S. Navy officer in 1964, where he pursued the path of aviator.
Stationed in Coronado, California, just outside San Diego, Jim flew the S-2 Tracker as a Lieutenant aboard the USS Hornet. The aircraft carrier became both his workplace and his proving ground during deployments in the Pacific Theater. From Hawaii and Guam to Japan, Singapore, and the Gulf of Tonkin, Jim and his squadron played a role in supporting America’s military objectives during the Vietnam War. His role required precision and courage, none more so than when landing his aircraft on the moving deck of the Hornet in all conditions. “I always look back and wonder how in the world I was able to land an airplane aboard this moving ship during the day or night and in the calm or stormy seas,” he reflected years later. That memory remains one of the defining aspects of his military career.
Jim’s service was recognized through numerous commendations, including four Air Medals, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon, alongside campaign and service medals from his time in Vietnam. Yet, he speaks of his time in the Navy not in terms of accolades, but in the values it instilled. “Character is king,” he often says. Those words, learned through the demands of service, became the foundation for his career and the guiding principle he sought to pass down to his children.
After completing his military service in 1969, Jim transitioned seamlessly into a civilian career that echoed his love for aviation. Delta Air Lines offered him a position, and what began as a new chapter turned into a remarkable 32-year career, culminating in his retirement as a Captain of the MD-11 in 2001. Along the way, Jim also founded JHM Builders, a residential construction company that allowed him to channel his discipline and leadership into building homes for others. Both careers, he believes, were only possible because of the foundation laid in the Navy.
Life outside of work was equally full. Jim spent many years enjoying golf, fishing trips to the Gulf, and volunteer work through his church, often building homes for those in need alongside his friend Vic Tobler. Though his pace has slowed with age, he looks back fondly on those experiences as part of a life well-lived.
Jim’s pride in his service remains steadfast. He hopes that more young people will consider serving their country, not for glory, but for the growth and grounding that come from such responsibility. When he returned to the USS Hornet in 2017, now a museum in Alameda, California, he was overcome with emotion as he walked the decks where he had once flown missions. It was a reminder of how far he had come—and how much those years had shaped him.
Today, surrounded by family and faith, Jim remains humble about his contributions. “I don’t pretend to have done more than what I’ve written here,” he shares. “I am just a humble servant of God who was fortunate to have many amazing people and experiences throughout my life.”