Legionnaire honored to kick off Music City GP weekend

The most unique characteristic of the 11-turn, 2.17-mile Big Machine Music City Grand Prix street course is the Korean War Veterans Bridge. It’s a 1,660-foot, clear arch span bridge that crosses over the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville, Tenn.

On any given day, 17,000 travelers cross this bridge to drive to and from the bustling business district of one of the most exciting cities in the country. The bridge was constructed in 2004 as a lasting memorial to the veterans who fought in the Korean War.

James Markham of Mount Juliet, Tenn., was one of those veterans.

On Friday morning, the 90-year-old American Legion member went across the bridge in a pace car driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Dario Franchitti.

Prior to his lap, Markham spent 30 minutes talking to his favorite race driver, Jimmie Johnson, who drives the No. 48 American Legion Honda as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie after winning a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series championships.

“I’m very honored to be part of the opening ceremonies for this race,” Markham said. “Jimmie is my favorite driver, and that was really great. I’ve always loved it to see him on top.

“Getting in that Pace Car was great. I went over that bridge at 120 miles an hour. Just think of these guys in the race cars going over that bridge at 200 miles an hour. They are really going to be moving on. This track has some really sharp turns on the course. It’s going to be quite a show.”

Markham entered the Air Force in 1951 and was stationed at Tachikawa Air Base Japan from August 1951 to January 1953 before returning to Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.

His duties were to support troop movement using a C-54 aircraft in and out of Korea.

Markham has been a member of the American Legion for 66 years and has served in multiple positions to include department commander from 1992 to 1993 and Tennessee’s National Executive Committeeman from 2000 to 2002. He is a member of American Legion Post 88 in Donelson, Tenn.

“I go there a few times a week to have lunch and whatever, and I got up on Wednesday and made the announcement that I was going to be at the race and be honored as a Korean War veteran,” Markham said. “I feel honored. I appreciate anyone who appreciate the veterans. They are the ones we owe our freedom to.”

During active duty, Markham was fortunate to miss the disaster that struck Tachikawa in June 1953 when a U.S. Air Force C-124 Globemaster II transport experienced an engine failure on takeoff, crashing shortly after. The accident claimed the lives of 129 people and was the deadliest air disaster in history at the time. 

Markham left active duty and joined the Air Force Reserve for five years.

“I joined The American Legion after that and I enjoy my fellowship with other Legion members,” Markham said. “That’s one of the main things of The American Legion is the camaraderie of other veterans because they understand you and you understand them. They are the ones that know what it was like to be in the service, and that is important later in life.

“It’s terrible that so many veterans are committing suicide and I think it’s important that The American Legion has this program to help prevent that. And having Jimmie Johnson as a spokesman, that’s advertisement for new members, and we need it.”

The American Legion member used to attend stock car races at the Nashville Fairgrounds and also has been to races at Bristol Motor Speedway. He believes the Nashville residents will take to the much different form of racing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, now that it is racing on the streets of Music City.

Markham has been to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on many occasions for Indianapolis 500 time trials but has never been to the track on race day. He vividly remembers watching Parnelli Jones drive the STP Turbine on pole day in 1967.

“He would be around the first turn before you heard the wind noise,” Markham recalled. “That’s all you heard. I went back a few years ago and saw that car in the museum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I enjoyed seeing that car again.”

Johnson has enjoyed his role in his first year representing The American Legion and getting to know many of the members. Friday morning, he met with Markham and enjoyed his time sharing stories.

“I met with Jim, and he sure doesn’t look 90,” Johnson said. “To have his charisma, health, his perspective … I had a great time, and we had a bunch of laughs. He’s a great man.”

Johnson has learned a lot about military veterans, even though he has never served. “I have a crazy line of work myself, and there is a respect that I instantly have for what they do, and I think it’s the same when they see me driving a race car,” he said. “That risk factor that comes from both occupations is a shared respect.

“It’s a huge honor representing The Legion. Everybody I have met from The American Legion has been first class, on top of the fact they served our country. We are trying to raise the awareness of many important causes and part of a group that knows the importance to honor those that served. It has been a great affiliation to me. It has opened my eyes even more to the great work that The American Legion does.”