I knew Jim a little back in high school. We didn't have a lot of long winded conversations about life and what it was all about, but who did? What I remember most about him was that unwavering eye contact. When you talked to Jim he was in the moment and there and actually listening. ( Whether he cared to respond or not.)
I think that ability of his to look at the world without blinking probably served him well in the war. Maybe even allowed him to survive. There weren't a lot of heroes back when Jim was drafted. But he clearly was one of them.
Some thirty years or so after high school I had the chance to talk with him at one of the Cosgrove reunions. He was still Jim and he still didn't blink, but he was obviously content with life and happy. He was interested in how I was doing and that pleased me no end. Jim was always a kind man.
