Charles L. McGaha was born February 26, 1914, in Cosby and grew up in his grandparents’ home with his young mother. McGaha’s grandfather was a blacksmith, but McGaha worked as a farmer. He decided to join the service at age 23.

By 1941, McGaha was an experienced Army man. He was serving at the Schofield Barracks in Pearl Harbor when on December 7 Japan’s surprise attack brought the United States into World War II. Years later in 1945, Staff Sergeant McGaha was on Luzon with Company G, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division as part of
the campaign to liberate the Philippines. On February 7, while under intense enemy fire, McGaha rescued two wounded comrades in two separate actions and, in the process, was severely wounded by an artillery shell. He did not regroup with his men until they had all reached safety. For these actions, President Harry S. Truman awarded McGaha the Medal of Honor one year later. McGaha made a career as an army officer. He was tragically killed late in life during a robbery of his business in Georgia in 1984.