Master Sergeant James was a member of Company C, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in Korea on 5 September 1950 and returned to duty on 7 October 1950. He was listed as Missing in Action while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea, on 28 November 1950. He was presumed dead on 31 December 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

James was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.