James Mehl was born on February 26, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in July 1947, and was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy on June 1, 1951. His first assignment was aboard the heavy cruiser USS Salem (CA-139) from June 1951 to March 1952, followed by pilot training at NAS Pensacola, Florida, from April 1952 until he received his wings on August 12, 1953. His next assignment was with VF-153 at Moffett Field, California, where he flew F9F-6/8 Cougar and FJ-3 Fury fighters from November 1953 to December 1956. LT Mehl served as an instructor in the Department of Seamanship and Navigation at the U.S. Naval Academy from December 1956 to August 1959, and then served as an A4D-1/2 Skyhawk pilot with VA-66 at NAS Oceana, Virginia, from August 1959 to March 1962. His next assignment was as Attack Assistant in the Air Warfare Department on the staff of Commander Operational Test & Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR) at Norfolk, Virginia, from April 1962 to July 1964, followed by U.S. Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, from August 1964 to June 1966. CDR Mehl attended A-4 Skyhawk refresher training at VA-125 from June to October 1966, and then served as Executive Officer with VA-93 at NAS Lemoore, California, from October 1966 to January 1967, and deployed with VA-93 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19) flying combat missions in Southeast Asia from January 1967 until he was forced to eject from his stricken A-4 over North Vietnam on May 30, 1967. After spending 2,106 days in captivity, CAPT Mehl was released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at St Alban's Naval Hospital in New York City, and then attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., receiving his Master's Degree from George Washington University in 1974. His final assignment was at Naval Air Systems Command in Washington, D.C., where he retired from the Navy on January 1, 1979. James Mehl Flew West on August 29, 2017, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His widow, Mary Rose Doyle Mehl (1926-2017) died 2 weeks after him and they are buried together.

His Silver Star Citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on 30 May 1967, as a Pilot in Attack Squadron NINETY-THREE, embarked in U.S.S. HANCOCK (CVA-19), during operations against enemy forces in Southeast Asia. As leader of a four-aircraft group tasked with suppressing surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) during a nineteen-aircraft strike against the Phu Ly railroad yards and transshipment area in North Vietnam, Captain Mehl led his group in a bold and courageous attack on a complex of SAM sites south of Hanoi. Although three SAMs were directed at his aircraft, and despite an ordnance malfunction which posed a difficult problem for him, he continued a relentless attack against the SAM sites. When his plane was struck by the second missile directed at his aircraft, he successfully evaded the third SAM and prepared to retire from the target area. However, structural damage to his plane was severe and he was forced to eject. By his courageous actions, he contributed greatly to the success of the strike and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.