James “Sneaky” White enlisted in the Marine Corps and served as a machine gunner from 1960 to 1964, before reenlisting to work in Marine Aviation. In 1966, he deployed to Vietnam with HMM-262 and earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism while inserting a Marine Recon team. Following the tour he transferred to the Army to become a pilot, but an administrative error deposited him in a rifle company destined for Vietnam. Afer three months in the jungle, White was pulled from the unit and redirected back to the United States to complete the aviation program. He graduated from training and returned to Vietnam for a third time, flying combat missions in support of Special Forces and MACV-SOG, where would earn a Silver Star.
