Los Angeles, May 27 -- Veteran actor James McEachin has passed away.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, James, who wrote and produced songs for Otis Redding before turning to acting to portray cops in his own NBC Mystery Movie series and in 18 of the popular Perry Mason telefilms, died on January 11 and was interred last month at Los Angeles National Cemetery.

James McEachin was born on May 20, 1930, in Rennert, North Carolina, and raised in Hackensack, New Jersey. At 17, he joined the U.S. Army in August 1947.

McEachin spent more than two years in Japan as part of his first three-year term, then re-enlisted for another three years. As a member of the 2nd Infantry Division, he was wounded in an ambush and left for dead before being rescued...