James Megellas
Encyclopedia
James Megellas is a retired United States Army
officer
who commanded a platoon in Company "H" of the 3rd Battalion
, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
(PIR), 82nd Airborne Division during World War II
. He is "the most-decorated officer in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division," having received a Distinguished Service Cross
, a Silver Star
, and been nominated for the Medal of Honor
.
, and attended Ripon College
in the nearby town of Ripon
. The attack on Pearl Harbor
occurred mid-way through his senior year. He participated in the school's Reserve Officers' Training Corps
program and, upon graduation in May 1942, received a commission as a second lieutenant
in the U.S. Army.
in order to see combat.
He first experienced combat in the mountains outside Naples
, Italy
, near Venafro
, where he was wounded and hospitalized.
In October 1943, while the remainder of the 82nd Airborne departed Italy
to recoup before the invasion of Normandy, the 504th PIR remained behind and took part in Operation Shingle
. On January 22, 1944, the 504th took part in an amphibious assault at Anzio
. The fighting took a heavy toll, Megalles being wounded again, and it wasn't until April before the regiment was withdrawn.
Due to the losses at Anzio, the 504th did not participate in the D-Day Normandy Landings. However, they did parachute into the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden
, the airborne invasion of that country.
Megellas took part in the crossing of the Waal River
near Nijmegen, where the American forces crossed the river in flimsy boats while under heavy machine gun fire. During the day's fighting, Megellas single-handedly attacked a German observation post and machine gun nest. For these actions, he was awarded the U.S. military's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross. Another member of the 504th PIR, Private
John Towle, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
for his part in the battle.
In late December 1944, the regiment was rushed into the Battle of the Bulge
.
On January 28, 1945, First Lieutenant Megellas' platoon was advancing towards Herresbach
, Belgium
. Struggling through heavy snow and freezing cold, they surprised 200 Germans who were advancing out of the town. Catching the Germans largely off-guard, the attack proved to be devastating, with the Americans killing and capturing a large number and causing many others to flee.
However, as they prepared to assault the town, a German Mark V tank took aim at them. Megellas ran towards it, and disabled it with a single grenade. Climbing on top of it, he then dropped another grenade into the tank, eliminating the threat to his men. He then led his men as they cleared and seized the town, and not one of his men was killed or injured. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor shortly afterward, but the account of his actions was not included in the original battle reports, and he was instead awarded the Silver Star.
Throughout the war, Megellas served with Company H, 504 PIR, which he would later come to command. In January 1946, he led his company down Fifth Avenue in New York City
in the Victory Parade.
. He wrote a memoir of his wartime experiences entitled All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe. Megellas currently lives in Colleyville, Texas
.
He was also the first American to be decorated by the Government of the Netherlands when he was awarded the Military Order of Willhelm Orange Lanyard
. Selected by General James Gavin
as the most outstanding officer of the 82nd Airborne Division, it was presented to him by the Dutch Minister of War in Berlin
in 1945.
of Wisconsin introduced bill HR795 in the United States House of Representatives
to request the President to award the Medal of Honor
to Megellas for his actions on January 28, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge. The bill died after no action was taken on it. On July 8, 2008, Senator John Cornyn
introduced a similar bill, S. 3232, into the U.S. Senate.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
who commanded a platoon in Company "H" of the 3rd Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment is an airborne infantry regiment in the United States Army, first formed in 1942 as part of the 82nd Airborne Division.-Organization:...
(PIR), 82nd Airborne Division during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He is "the most-decorated officer in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division," having received a Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
, a Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, and been nominated for the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
.
Early life
Megellas was born in Fond du Lac, WisconsinFond du Lac, Wisconsin
Fond du Lac is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. The name is French for bottom of the lake, for it is located at the bottom of Lake Winnebago. The population was 42,203 at the 2000 census...
, and attended Ripon College
Ripon College (Wisconsin)
Ripon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It offers small class sizes and intensive mentoring to students. Ripon has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa--one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies. Alumni have high rates of success in the workforce as well as acceptance...
in the nearby town of Ripon
Ripon, Wisconsin
Ripon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,828. The City of Ripon's official website claims the city's current population to be 7,701. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon....
. The attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
occurred mid-way through his senior year. He participated in the school's Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
program and, upon graduation in May 1942, received a commission as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the U.S. Army.
World War II
Megellas was originally assigned to the Signal Corps, but grew tired of the required additional schooling and volunteered to become a paratrooperParatrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
in order to see combat.
He first experienced combat in the mountains outside Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, near Venafro
Venafro
Venafro is a comune in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of around 12,000, having expanded quickly in the post-war period.-Geography:...
, where he was wounded and hospitalized.
In October 1943, while the remainder of the 82nd Airborne departed Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to recoup before the invasion of Normandy, the 504th PIR remained behind and took part in Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
. On January 22, 1944, the 504th took part in an amphibious assault at Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
. The fighting took a heavy toll, Megalles being wounded again, and it wasn't until April before the regiment was withdrawn.
Due to the losses at Anzio, the 504th did not participate in the D-Day Normandy Landings. However, they did parachute into the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, the airborne invasion of that country.
Megellas took part in the crossing of the Waal River
Waal (South Holland)
Waal is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Liesveld, and lies about 13 km north of Gorinchem.The statistical area "Waal", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 110....
near Nijmegen, where the American forces crossed the river in flimsy boats while under heavy machine gun fire. During the day's fighting, Megellas single-handedly attacked a German observation post and machine gun nest. For these actions, he was awarded the U.S. military's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross. Another member of the 504th PIR, Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
John Towle, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his part in the battle.
In late December 1944, the regiment was rushed into the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
.
On January 28, 1945, First Lieutenant Megellas' platoon was advancing towards Herresbach
Herresbach
Herresbach is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.-External links:*...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Struggling through heavy snow and freezing cold, they surprised 200 Germans who were advancing out of the town. Catching the Germans largely off-guard, the attack proved to be devastating, with the Americans killing and capturing a large number and causing many others to flee.
However, as they prepared to assault the town, a German Mark V tank took aim at them. Megellas ran towards it, and disabled it with a single grenade. Climbing on top of it, he then dropped another grenade into the tank, eliminating the threat to his men. He then led his men as they cleared and seized the town, and not one of his men was killed or injured. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor shortly afterward, but the account of his actions was not included in the original battle reports, and he was instead awarded the Silver Star.
Throughout the war, Megellas served with Company H, 504 PIR, which he would later come to command. In January 1946, he led his company down Fifth Avenue in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the Victory Parade.
Post-war life
In 1946, Megellas left the active Army with the rank of Captain, and served for a further 16 years in the Army Reserve. He retired as a Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
. He wrote a memoir of his wartime experiences entitled All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe. Megellas currently lives in Colleyville, Texas
Colleyville, Texas
Colleyville is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Located roughly from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the population was 22,807 at the 2010 census. Emerging from a number of small, rural settlements along the Cotton Belt Route, Colleyville was established in the...
.
Medals and decorations
Distinguished Service CrossDistinguished Service Cross (United States)The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...- Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit CitationThe Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...
with one Oak Leaf Cluster 
Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
(with one oak leaf clusters)
Purple HeartPurple HeartThe Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
Medal with oak leaf cluster- Belgium FourragèreFourragèreThe fourragère is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, that is shaped as a braided cord. The award has been firstly adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.- History :...
- 6 Campaign Stars
- Master ParachutistParachutist Badge (United States)The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" or "Snow Cone", is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces awarded to members of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy...
He was also the first American to be decorated by the Government of the Netherlands when he was awarded the Military Order of Willhelm Orange Lanyard
Order of William
The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William , is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Order's motto is Voor Moed, Beleid en Trouw...
. Selected by General James Gavin
James M. Gavin
James Maurice "Jumpin' Jim" Gavin was a prominent Lieutenant General in the United States Army during World War II...
as the most outstanding officer of the 82nd Airborne Division, it was presented to him by the Dutch Minister of War in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1945.
Medal of Honor
On January 31, 2007, Congressman Tom PetriTom Petri
Thomas Evert Petri is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1979. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes most of the east-central part of the state.-Early life, education, and early career:...
of Wisconsin introduced bill HR795 in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
to request the President to award the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
to Megellas for his actions on January 28, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge. The bill died after no action was taken on it. On July 8, 2008, Senator John Cornyn
John Cornyn
John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
introduced a similar bill, S. 3232, into the U.S. Senate.
External links
- James' Official website
- H.R. 795: Text of Legislation
- S.3232: Text of Legislation
- 'All The Way To Berlin' - Random House
- Interview on All the Way to Berlin at the Pritzker Military LibraryPritzker Military LibraryThe Pritzker Military Library is a research library for the study of military history in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded in 2003 by COL James N. Pritzker, IL ARNG to be a non-partisan institution for the study of "the citizen soldier as an essential element for the preservation of...