Grothman urges Medal of Honor for World War II hero,
101-year-old James Megellas
The following article appeared on January 4, 2019, via the Fond Du Lac Reporter (fdlreporter.com). It was reprinted with permission from Taima Kern, Editor, and written by Sharon Roznik/Fond du Lac Reporter/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. The article features Lt. Col. James "Maggie" Megellas (Delta Omega/Ripon 1942).
FOND DU LAC - Through the years, several government officials have authored bills requesting the Medal of Honor for Fond du Lac's native son and World War II veteran James "Maggie" Megellas.
There's even a website "Medals for Maggie" encouraging visitors to read the stories of his heroics, sign petitions and urge their representatives to put pressure on Congress. Hundreds of letters have been written to the White House on his behalf.
The latest urging comes from U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) who introduced legislation Thursday requesting President Donald Trump award Megellas with the United States’ highest military honor for the courage he showed during the Battle of the Bulge.
Megellas served with the Army's 82nd Airborne during World War II, and is recognized as the most decorated officer in the history of the division. Among other honors, his heroic actions earned him two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Cross.
Supporters say the retired lieutenant colonel deserves the military's top honor for using two grenades to single-handedly take out a German tank.
The incident occurred during a fierce firefight in Herresbach, Belgium in Jan. 28, 1945. As an enemy German Mark V tank bore down on the troops, who were outnumbered 10 to one, Megellas leaped into action. He disabled the tank with one grenade, then scrambled on top and threw a second grenade into the crew compartment.
He then led his platoon to secure Herresbach for advancing Allied forces. Under Megellas’ command, his platoon did not suffer a single casualty that day.
As he approaches his 102nd birthday on March 11, Megellas said in a phone interview Friday with USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin from his home in Texas that he feels good, but at the same time he feels like "the last man standing."
"Everything I ever was came from Fond du Lac," he said. "Now I am the only one left as far as kids I went to high school with, my college group, and the men I served with. Everyone I wrote about in my book — they are all gone."
Megellas's hometown of Fond du Lac has given their war hero many accolades through the decades. In August 2012, his documentary "Maggie's War" was played to a packed house at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts. Megellas was welcomed back home in 2013 for a book signing of his published autobiography "All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War with Europe." In August 2014, the American Legion Post was renamed the "James 'Maggie' Megellas Fond du Lac County Veterans Memorial Building. In June 2016 the post office was named after him, signed into law by former President Barack Obama. Last year, he returned to Fond du Lac to celebrate his 101st birthday.
"I'm still here and I appreciate the people who are still out there working on it (the medal) on my behalf," Megellas said.
Grothmann says Megellas deserves the nation’s highest award.
“I hope that my colleagues can come together in a bipartisan manner to recognize that Mr. Megellas is a true American hero who deserves to be awarded the Medal of Honor.”
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