James Tyler was born on August 28, 1919, in Noel, Virginia. He enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on January 12, 1942, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Luke Field, Arizona, on July 26, 1942. After completing P-39 Airacobra training, he joined the 4th Fighter Squadron of the 52nd Fighter Group in North Africa in December 1942. Lt Tyler was credited with destroying 2 enemy aircraft in aerial combat while flying British Spitfires, and then downed 6 more plus 1 damaged after the squadron converted to the P-51 Mustang in April 1944. Maj Tyler returned to the U.S. in October 1944 and served at Bartow Field, Florida, until the end of the war. After the war, Col Tyler served as an exchange pilot with the Royal Air Force in England and then commanded the 2nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at McGuire AFB, New Jersey, in the early 1950's. From 1954 to 1957 he served on the faculty of Air University at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and then served as director of operations for the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing at Naha AB, Okinawa, from October 1957 to July 1958. Col Tyler was chief of the Plans, Programs, and Requirements Division with Headquarters 313th Air Division at Kadena AB, Okinawa, from July 1958 to August 1960, followed by service as chief of the inspection team in the Office of the Inspector General for the 26th Air Division at Hancock Field, New York, from August 1960 to June 1962. His next assignment was on the staff with Headquarters 26th Air Division at Stewart AFB, New York, from June 1962 to March 1965, followed by service as director of operations for Air Force Iceland at Keflavik, Iceland, from March 1965 to March 1966. He served as chief of the Operations and Training Division for the 33rd Air Division at Fort Lee AFS, Virginia, from March to October 1966, and then was station commander for Fort Lee AFS from October 1966 until his retirement from the Air Force on October 1, 1969. James Tyler died on December 9, 2006, and was buried at the Waverly Cemetery in Waverly, Virginia.