James Megellas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Megellas
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James Megellas in 2009
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| Nickname(s) | Maggie |
| Born | March 11, 1917 Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | April 2, 2020 (aged 103) Colleyville, Texas, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1962 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant colonel |
| Unit | H Company, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II • Operation Shingle • Operation Market Garden • Battle of the Bulge |
| Awards |  Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star (2) Bronze Star (2) with "V" Purple Heart (2) |
James Megellas (born March 11, 1917 – died April 2, 2020) was a brave United States Army officer. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. During World War II, he was a leader in a rifle company. Many people consider him one of the most decorated officers in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for his amazing bravery. He also earned three other awards for his courage.
In his hometown of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, a park, a post office, and a building for veterans are named after him.
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Early Life
James Megellas was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on March 11, 1917. His family was Greek-American. He went to Ripon College in Ripon. While he was in college, the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. This event led the United States into World War II.
James was part of his school's Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. This program trains college students to become military officers. After he graduated in May 1942, he became a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
World War II Hero
James Megellas first joined the Signal Corps. This part of the army deals with communications. But he wanted to be in combat. So, he volunteered to become a paratrooper. Paratroopers are soldiers who jump out of airplanes into battle.
He joined H Company, 3rd Battalion, of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. This unit was part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division.
First Battles
James first saw combat in the mountains near Naples, Italy. He was wounded there and had to go to the hospital. In October 1943, most of the 82nd Airborne Division left Italy. They needed to rest before the invasion of Normandy. But James's unit, the 504th PIR, stayed behind.
They took part in a big attack called Operation Shingle. On January 22, 1944, the 504th landed on the beaches at Anzio, Italy. The fighting was very tough. James was wounded again during these battles. His unit was finally pulled out in April. Because of their heavy losses at Anzio, the 504th did not join the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Fighting in Holland and Belgium
Later, James and his unit parachuted into the Netherlands. This was part of Operation Market Garden, a large airborne invasion.
James took part in a very dangerous mission. His unit had to cross the Waal River near Nijmegen. They crossed in small, weak boats while under heavy machine gun fire from the enemy.
On September 30, in Holland, James showed amazing bravery. He attacked a German observation post and a machine gun nest all by himself. For his extraordinary heroism that day, he received the Distinguished Service Cross. This is the second-highest award for bravery in the U.S. military.
On December 20, near Cheneux, Belgium, James rescued one of his wounded men. He also helped defeat the enemy at the base of a hill. For this, he was awarded the Silver Star.
Battle of the Bulge
In late December, James's unit was sent to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. This was a huge battle fought in heavy snow and freezing cold. On January 28, 1945, James's platoon was moving towards Herresbach, Belgium. They were struggling through the deep snow.
Suddenly, they surprised about 200 German soldiers. The Germans were caught off guard. James's attack was very effective. His men killed and captured many Germans, and others ran away.
As they got ready to attack the town, a German Mark V tank aimed at them. James bravely ran towards the tank. He disabled it with a single grenade. Then, he climbed on top of the tank and dropped another grenade inside. This stopped the tank and protected his men. He then led his men as they cleared and took control of the town. Amazingly, none of his men were killed or injured during this fight.
After this battle, James was recommended for the Medal of Honor. This is the highest military award. However, he received another Silver Star instead. The story of him stopping the German tank was not mentioned in the award papers.
Throughout the war, James Megellas served with Company H, 504th PIR. He later became the commander of this company. In January 1946, he led his rifle company down Fifth Avenue in New York City. This was part of the Victory Parade celebrating the end of the war.
After the War
In 1946, James Megellas left the active Army as a captain. He continued to serve in the Army Reserve for 16 more years. He retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
After his military service, he worked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from 1946 to 1978. This government agency helps other countries. He also served in the Vietnam War.
James wrote a book about his wartime experiences called All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe. He even tried to become a politician, running for a government position in Wisconsin in 1958 and 1960. He also helped run his hometown by serving on the Fond du Lac city council until 1961.
In 1977, an actor named John Ratzenberger played James Megellas in the movie A Bridge Too Far. James lived in Colleyville, Texas. He turned 100 years old in March 2017. He passed away on April 2, 2020, just 22 days after his 103rd birthday.
Military Awards
James Megellas received many military awards for his bravery and service:
- Distinguished Service Cross
- Silver Star (with one oak leaf cluster, meaning he received it twice)
- Bronze Star (with one oak leaf cluster and a "V" device for valor, meaning he received it twice for bravery)
- Purple Heart (with one oak leaf cluster, meaning he was wounded twice)
- Presidential Unit Citation (with one oak leaf cluster)
- American Defense Service Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with one silver and one bronze star)
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army of Occupation Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal (with two bronze stars)
- Armed Forces Reserve Medal
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Belgian fourragère
He also received other special honors:
- Order of Saint Maurice in 2008.
- Dallas Military Ball's Meritorious Service Award in 2009.
- DAR Medal of Honor in 2010.
- He was the first American to be honored by the Government of the Netherlands. He received the Military Order of William Orange Lanyard. General James Gavin chose him as the most outstanding officer of the 82nd Airborne Division. The Dutch Minister of War gave him this award in Berlin in 1945.
Medal of Honor Effort
Because of his incredible bravery during the Battle of the Bulge, there were efforts to award James Megellas the Medal of Honor. This would have upgraded his Silver Star to the highest military honor. In 2013, and again in 2017, members of Congress introduced bills to ask the President to give him this award. However, these bills did not pass through Congress.
See also
