He was born June 11, 1927 in Hazleton, Iowa to the late Raymond and Ruth Hughes. Jim retired as Colonel from the United States Air Force on September 1, 1973. He served 25 years and 2 months in the military during WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War starting out after leaving his high school graduation ceremonies for boot camp in the United States Navy in 1945. He later joined the United States Air Force as an Aviation Cadet where he flew many airplanes as a pilot, test pilot, and instructor. He was a fighter pilot flying the F-105 Thunderchief aircraft and on May 5, 1967 on his 55th combat mission Jim was shot down and taken captive by the North Vietnamese and spent the next 6 years at the Hanoi Hilton P.O.W. Camp. He was released March 4, 1973. Jim has received the Prisoner of War Medal, Bronze Star Medal with V Device, 2 Purple Heart Medals and numerous other service medals. Because of his military service he was inducted into the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame and a Cottage was named in his honor at Wentworth Place. Jim was a member of the First Baptist Church, the Columbia County Republican Committee, the current Executive Director of the Miss Magnolia Pageant, and former owner of Kathy's Dance Arts Studio. He was a past member of PIE as school coordinator, and the past president of the UAMS College of Medicine Parents Club.