A true patriot of Cumberland County has passed away. Lieutenant Colonel James A. Seals of Crossville died today at the age of 102. Seals was a World War II veteran and was one of few remaining survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor. “The Colonel” as he was affectionately referred to by his family and friends, had a book written about his life along with many published articles telling his story. Services will be announced at a later date. Seals was born in a log cabin April 5, 1916, in the Bellview community of Bledsoe County. A decorated veteran, Seals served in both the Marines and the Air Force. After getting his college degree, Seals enlisted in the Marines in 1940. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor during the bombing and a year later was a second lieutenant communications officer during the recapture of Guam. There he received two battlefield promotions and stayed until the end of the war, becoming the communications director for the entire South Pacific. Soon after retiring from the Marines, Seals took a commission to be a captain in the Air Force in 1947. Seals later located to Cumberland County. He will be missed by many. (picture courtesy of The Tennessean)