Jim Callaghan was born on February 18, 1938, in Evergreen Park, Illinois. He was commissioned a 2d Lt through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Detroit on June 5, 1959, and then attended Pilot training Malden AB, Missouri, and Laredo AFB, Texas, where he was awarded his pilot wings in July 1960. Lt Callaghan served as a Flight Instructor with he 3640th Pilot Training Squadron at Laredo AFB, Texas, from July 1960 to July 1963, and he then served with the 6th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field 9, Florida, from July 1963 to January 1964. During this time he flew the various Air Commando aircraft of the squadron, including the B-26 Invader, T-28 Trojan, and A-1 Skyraider. He also completed Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, during this assignment. Capt Callaghan next served as a pilot with the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron at Eglin Auxiliary Field 9 from January to August 1964, flying the C-46 Commando, C-47 Dakota, U-10 Courier, and C-123 Provider. He served as Aide-de-camp to the Commander of the U.S. Air Force Special Air Warfare Center at Eglin AFB from August 1964 to March 1966, and then attended F-100 Super Sabre Combat Crew Training at Luke AFB, Arizona, from April to October 1966. Capt Callaghan next served as an O-1 Bird Dog Forward Air Controller and Air Liaison Officer with the 173rd Airborne Brigade at Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, from October 1966 to January 1967, followed by service as a Forward Air Controller and Air Liaison Officer with the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron at Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, from January to February 1967. While serving as Air Liaison Officer, Capt Callaghan made a combat jump in Vietnam in February 1967. He served as Assistant Chief of Stan/Eval with the 504th Tactical Air Support Group at Bien Hoa AB from March to October 1967, and then served as an Operations Staff Officer with Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon from October 1967 to August 1970. Lt Col Callaghan attended Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island, from August 1970 to July 1971, and then served as an Air Operations Staff Officer with Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon from July 1971 to December 1974. He next attended F-4 Phantom II Combat Crew Training at Luke AFB, Arizona, from December 1974 to June 1975, followed by service as Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations of the 59th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hahn AB, West Germany, from June 1975 to July 1976. Col Callaghan served as Director of Combat Employment, United States Air Forces in Europe Readiness Center, at Ramstein AB, West Germany, from August 1976 to April 1977, and then as Deputy Commander and then Commander of Operations for the 86th Tactical Fighter Group at Ramstein AB, West Germany, from April 1977 to June 1978. Col Callaghan attended the National War College from June 1978 to June 1979, and then served as Chief of the Joint Operations Division with the Operations Directorate of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon from June 1979 to June 1981. Brigadier General Callaghan next served as Deputy Director for Regional Plans and Policy and Director of the Ground Launched Cruise Missile Planning Group with the Directorate of Plans at Headquarters U.S. Air Force at the Pentagon from July 1981 to June 1983, followed by service as Commander of the Air Force Institute of Technology and as Commandant of the Defense Institute of Security Assistance Management at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, from June 1983 to July 1986. Major General Callaghan served as Commander of U.S. Air Forces Korea, United Nations Command Air Component, and Commander of the 314th Air Division at Osan AB, South Korea, from July 1986 to July 1988. During this time the 314th Air Division was inactivated, and he was assigned as Chief of Staff of the United Nations Command and the Republic of Korea/U.S. Combined Forces Command in Seoul, South Korea. His next assignment was as Director, Plans and Policy, with Headquarters U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, West Germany, from July 1988 to December 1990, and he was there when the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989. Lieutenant General Callaghan's final assignment was as Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, and as Deputy Commander in Chief, United States Air Forces Southern Europe, in Naples, Italy, from December 1990 until his retirement from the Air Force on January 1, 1993. Jim Callaghan Flew West on February 14, 2001.

His Silver Star Citation reads:

Captain James T. Callaghan distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as Forward Air Controller directing fighter aircraft strikes near Long Thanh in Bien Hoa Province, Republic of Vietnam on 16 December 1966. On that date, Captain Callaghan was flying his O-1 "Bird Dog" aircraft in support of friendly ground forces under attack by a numerically superior hostile force. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Captain Callaghan made low, repeated passes over known automatic weapons positions to raw their hostile fire away from the regrouping friendlies. Flying through intense hostile fire until he was dangerously low on fuel, Captain Callaghan successfully disrupted the attack and enabled the friendly forces to regroup for evacuation. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Captain Callaghan has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.