Medal of Honor recipient and Cocke County native honored once again

COSBY, Tenn. (WVLT) - As thousands of people travel I-40 through East Tennessee, they’ll now have a new view.

At Exit 440 and all of I-40 that runs through Cocke County, there will be signs naming that part of the highway as the Charles McGaha Memorial Interchange.

“He represents the best of us the courage, service, sacrifice, all of the most noble parts of the human spirit,” said Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis.

McGaha is a World War II veteran who was given the Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman in 1946. He is the only Cocke County native to have ever received that honor.

On the battlefield, McGaha was injured multiple times by explosions but still ran towards the line of fire as he helped others in his platoon escape unharmed. It’s that bravery that led Cocke County residents to call Senator Steve Southerland and Representative Jeremy Faison and ask their local lawmakers to help honor an East Tennessee hero.

“Anybody who’s that brave needs to be remembered,” said Southerland.

Mathis, who is a distant relative of McGaha, was thankful for these highway signs coming to fruition as a way to showcase what the county and region stands for.

“He is indicative of who we are as a culture and county and it’s great to see that represented and that image put forward to tell this is a part of telling the world who we are,” said Mathis.

The dedication ceremony was hosted by Veterans in Focus.

To learn more about McGaha’s story and history of service you can follow this link.