World War II vet among those at ceremony here

James McKeel

A graduate of Rector High School, McKeel attended Draughan's Business College in Memphis, gaining valuable experience in bookkeeping, and then secured a job as a local mail carrier. His skills in those two areas allowed his draft status to be deferred until 1945.

By the time he was deployed to the Philippines, the atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima, effectively ending the war.

He served with Army 42nd engineers in Manila, making repairs to areas which had suffered heavy damage during the fighting. Because of his background in truck driving and experience with bookkeeping and accounting, McKeel performed a number of different duties while in service.

He began driving a truck, taking equipment to and from work sites. He then went to the motor pool, where he oversaw nightly duties. From there, he went to work as a clerk in the headquarters office.

After several months of service, McKeel received his orders to return to his life back home. However there was still adventure ahead. He served as an MP guarding military prisoners on a ship back to the United States. The ship spent six days in the wake of a typhoon, resulting in damage which McKeel later found was just beneath the area where he stayed. In fact, the ship had taken on six feet of water during the intense storm. Had just one more foot of water entered the ship, repair crews at the dock told McKeel, the boat would have broken in half.

McKeel has had an active life and has seen many changes take place in Rector and the surrounding area.

"I was born in the horse and buggy days," McKeel said with a smile. "There were hardly any cars in Clay County back in those days."

McKeel recalls being a member of the first class to complete grades 7 through 12 in the "new" Rector high school building, which used to stand at Fifth and Pine Streets.

At RHS, he was a standout athlete, playing baseball and basketball. He never played football because, during the fall, his family had contracts to haul cotton for Rector's five gins.

He played semi-professional baseball in Rector, facing top talent from across the country.

He began work for the United Postal service in 1940 and, after 34 years of service, retired in 1974. In 1960, McKeel was elected as president of the Arkansas Rural Letter Carriers Association. During his time in that position, he lobbied in Washington and had the opportunity to meet with President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

McKeel says he has lived his life by the Golden Rule.

"I have always tried to treat people how I want to be treated," he said. "It's something that has served me well in my life. I've been able to make friends everywhere I've been."

McKeel has always had strong religious beliefs. He became a preacher in 1956 and has spoken at church services throughout this area, as well as in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky. He was active as a preacher until 1979.

Today, McKeel remains connected with his many friends and family. He enjoys spending time reading from his vast collection of books, as well as the internet.

"I've always been active," McKeel said. "It's just the way I am. There are so many things that interest me. I've been lucky to have so much time to pursue them."