James "Maggie" Megellas, 82 Airborne Division in WWII (Full Interview)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Lt. Col. James "Maggie" Megellas, H Company, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division is a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, a crucial fight on the Western Front of the Second World War. Maggie discusses his experience in combat during one of the coldest winters in the Ardennes region, including a battle at the Belgian town of Herresbach. Maggie's heroic actions at Herresbach would save the lives of many of his men and he would go on to win his second Silver Star. Megellas is the most decorated officer in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division.
Recorded on November 7, 2014.
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My grandfather was 82nd airborne 504th as well. He fought in the North Africa campaign, italy, and normandy. Was a pow and made it back. Ty for your service
My father did as well. He belonged to the 504th, his discharge papers list all these battles as described by the Lt. Col. Dad was never a POW, but followed this same path as far as I can tell. He never wanted to discuss the war with the owmen of the family.
@@kayvinci8457 that is awesome.
Yea my grandfather was caught 2 different times and made it. He escaped the second time after living with a family in italy there was a few other soldiers as well there. Lived with them for nearly 2 years than got on a boat and floated out from the adratic sea somehow managed to get found by the british I believe. I remember watchin patton with him too for the first time. When it showed him in the jeep comin up off the beach he got up n yelled "that sumamabitch we got your ass off that beach" 😂🤣
What an honor to hear this hero. Thank you.
I own some of his military regalia. His family did his estate sale after he passed. I paid $150 for an 82nd airborne flag signed by him and other troopers. Incredible.
JH: Incrediblly sad IMO. Too bad there wasnt enough interest in the family to keep belongings like that around. Or its possible there arent any remaining descendants? Either way, still sad.
@@repetemyname842 on the positive side hopefully it allowed die hard fanatics to have some treasures for generations
@@ert-wert : True.
To me that's a priceless find.Great job,and great find !
I used to work at a type of dump for just wood and scrap metals, i had brass belt buckles from the british and medals come into the scrap metal pile one day and i had to keep them. No way i could let that get melted down into a soda can
What a courageous, American hero!! Thank you for your great service and sacrifice!!!🇺🇸👏💯
Maggie was one of the old breed!. Absolutely inspiring for me, to listen to his story of his life. He's a real Trooper!
Just read a book called “the old breed”... good stuff
@@benyoung552
The old breed
By Eugene Sledge.
Check.our Robert Leckeys book also.
"My helmet for a pillow"
@@crusader4273Yo man... Even MORE accurate: "With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa"... 😎💪👊⚔️
This channel has absolutely incredible interviews what a blessing to his this man’s story god bless thank you for your service
my mouth was open all the way in astonishment as i listened to this heroic gentleman. There is not a hope in hell that i can measure up to guys like this so the best thing for me is to pay attention when heroes like him speak.
This guy was born in Fond du Lac, my hometown. Makes me proud as hell.
Also I forgot his book was amazing.
I read to book, too. Maggie was a straight up killer.
Whats the name?
@@rejuvinatez347 All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe.
@@jimbo8deuce Hell Yeah he was
All respect to you,Sir.
Having seen the documentary on The History Channel many years ago I recognized Maggie at a book signing in the Dallas Fort Worth airport about twenty yers ago where he was signing "All the Way to Berlin". He was a true gentlemen and he even took the time later to answer my letters, which I have inside of his signed book to this day. His story is absolutely amazing. Its not often you get to meet a true American hero. Good bless and thank you for your service.
amazing story been wanting to find a good 82nd story my grandfather was in the 82nd was trained as an artillery trooper, never got the chance to meet him but always hear small stories he told to my uncle his son my moms brother proud to be a grandson of an American patriot. Rip Grandpa Walter Collins
I had the privilege of meeting him and he signed his book( All the way to Berlin) for me. Even in old age he had a very commanding presence!
Wow, what an absolute privilege and honor to meet and have him sign his book for you! A real Treasure, just as Col. Megellas continues to be.
So glad they interviewed Maggie for this program & made it available here. One of my prized possessions is an autographed copy of his book "All The Way To Berlin." If you haven't read it you need to. Hearing him describe his participation at Anzio, Waal River crossing & Herresbach in this interview is incredible but reading his in depth descriptions of those actions in his book is just phenomenal. The epitome of courage!
I also have a copy of his signed book. It's one of the best books from a "ground level and day to day" point of view. If the people think the stories in this interview amazing, they definitely need to read the book.
I know I read that book but I think I read it while I was in Airborne School.
Thanks for the recommendation. About to buy it now.
Thank you sir for your service 🇺🇸
This man is a national treasure. God bless him and protect him, as he did during battle.👍🇺🇲
💔✝️
Men like these I admire and follow by example. The humility, simplicity, directness of doing what was necessary in life and death circumstances is so rare. Thank you for you service and sacrifice and sharing your amazing life. God bless all US military service people past and present.
Thank You for your service sir
Thanks!
My father jumped with the 82nd here. His code to my mom was the first letter in every paragraph which spelled out W-A-A-L. He was also an infantry lieutenant.
Ah, he was trying to tell her he was near the waal river. Very neat.
Man charged a tank and dropped a grenade inside! This man is the real life master chief.
98 years old and still speaks so well and clear. Also with a full head of hair! Wow 👏
hair?
Gorgeous head of hair. He must have been quite the handsome fellow in his day. He still is in this video. Beauty and brains!
Thank you for your service to pur grateful nation & grateful American people,Colonel.
Many thanks to our veterans. That can't be stressed enough!!
Also thank you to those who produce this kind of footage.
One suggestion is to honor the story of the interview with maybe 30 minutes of editing.
Thank You Colonel Megellas. I'm always in awe.
How casual this man says “we were throwing grenades at each other” made pretty real for me. What a legend...
No doubt everyone's reviewed the taping process of the interview, where in the last 1/3, the clip microphone got caught under the lapel. None the less, it was a superb story, thanks for uploading!
Down to earth! Thank you for your service 💐🇺🇸
I just got done reading his book today actually. Kids of today. Take a good long hard look at a real life hero! There will never be another generation like these men. Thank you sir for your sacrifice and my freedom! These guys have up their innocence so we can enjoy the liberties we do today!
What an intelligent leader of men. The US was fortunate to have his kind in the Army.
RIP Maggie 🙏
As a navy brat in 1969, my father was a Master Chief at the Navy commissary at the Charleston SC Naval Base . I would bag groceries there after school and on Saturday's . General Mark Clark retired to Charleston and would shop there . I bagged and carried his order out several times .
Dude just casually goes "we were throwing hand grenades at each other"
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your service, Sir! RIP
Yesterday, the operation Market Garden was celebrated again. With veterans. The river he talks about is called/ written Waal. A big river, like the Rhine. It is a continuation of the Rhine.
James "Maggie" Megellas. God bless. Thank you for your bravery and everyone who served with you.
How far we have fallen from men like this. I’m a veteran and don’t see a hint of what we need to defend our way of life in the younger generation. The truth hurts.
Great person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We need more like him today.
Wow - what service! And still sharp as a tack, thankfully - what a great account.
Too bad the recording crew was not capable of keeping his microphone organized; a great disservice to the man and to the listeners of this recording.
I had a pastor who had a sermon titled knocked down but not knocked out. It started with" theres germans thought i was dead aint around to talk about it". Greatest generation fact
True American hero, amazing!
An American hero. Why he hasn't already been awarded the Medal of Honor is incomprehensible and a travesty.
Stupid comment....just because he has won lesser medals does not qualify him for thr MOH......whose worth is gradually lessening because too many have been handed out already.
Usually that's for people who die or by feat of will alone survived a death sentence.
easing up to a tank inconspicuously to disable it and then throwing a grenade to eliminate the crew would sound like a MOH worthy scenario.
You have have the respect and love of this American Sir forever and always to the end of my time on this earth.
Truly a Greek Hero. R.I.P.
Wish I could meet all these men u have interviewed and to shake their hand. Respect to them all for what they done and went through.
Love the videos. I really need captioning to understand everything. Thank You.
ThankYou Sir 🇺🇸
Great stories and great interviewing.
“Oh you know, got shot thru the arm, the arm went limp, loss lots of blood, just a stuff like that.” Different breed that’s for sure. Brushes it off like a paper cut.
He is a recipient of the Militaire Willemsorde (Dutch equivalent of the Medal of Honour)
I’m watching this from my home in Kenosha Wisconsin
Thanks for posting!
My dad's five brothers served in WW2, his dad fretted horribly, aunties said. Of the seven brothers only two lived past 70 years old.
Two younger brothers served, Korea and Vietnam.
Two brothers served in the paratroopers, 82nd and 101st. Neither seriously injured, but talked little about it.
One did say, "on the front line, you can't say no, to an order! But they can't order you into a suicidal actions."
Olen, 82nd was ordered to setup his machine gun, under fire. He told the new line Capt. "If I do that I'll be killed!"
That Capt. Got another new guy to do it, who was shredded to pieces. The Captain, shocked stepped back, and the top of his head was blown off. My Uncle, had been fighting over 2yrs front lines, that Capt. 2 mo.s
(Olen, only told this story, as a survival lesson for his little brothers, one served in Korea, the other Vietnam.)
I have been a daredevil. At age 65 I am still one in my track ready BMW M3. Scuba diving,, cross country horse racing and more. But jumping out of a perfectly good flying airplane was never appealing to me. Mad respect.
Yay you.
This man is a badass. Awesome
Incredible.
All these different interviews on you tube should always start by handing the interviewee a bottle of water...Nice job, great interview
A great man, with great stories that needed more time, damn shame the interviewer kept cutting him short and blabbing through this great mans tails, respect to you Maggie.
kim mccracken he wrote a book which you can purchase on amazon, well worth the money and a fantastic read! Sadly, lt megellas died about a month ago😫😢
Ethan Franklin that’s real shitty such a great man
The interviewer actually does a great job. He is friendly, polite, and allows Maggie plenty of time to answer. Maggie's an old crank and he's entitled to be after such a badass career, but that's not the fault of the interviewer.
Hopped on a tank and killed the crew with a grenade. Badass
Deserves the Medal of Honor.
Correct list of ANZIO Beach was 7,000 Allied KIA and 36,000 wounded, missing or captured
Thanks for sharing 👌
As mentioned late in the interview, his story was the subject of an excellent documentary "Maggie's War." It was on Amazon Prime for awhile.
It's still there.
AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY!!
you'd think a soldier who was as decorated as Col. Megellas, would have an A-List actor portraying him in "A Bridge Too Far". To have Cliff Clavin portraying him is an insult. LOL
Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Airborne. God Bless.
🇺🇸 God Bless our Veterans 🇺🇲
You tube should have more respect to interrupt these important stories with ads. Save them for something that doesn't matter.
Awesome interview. MoH... "They're still working on it". Sounds like par for the course with military and government bureaucracy, heh.
The Wobbelen story is something everyone should study, so good to hear Mr. Megellas lay it out straight as to why WW2 needed to be fought.
Yes, we had to protect Communist Russia and the Bolshevik J 00s from Hitler. How did that work out?
Love this gentleman. The woman helping is rude dont clean while interviewing a 98 yr old hero!
Nice 👍
They made me laugh comparing the Greek immigrant in America story. MY Greek grandfather ran a restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina and MY father did not speak english when he started school as a little boy. And yes with the mangling of the last name. It's such a familiar experience
My Uncle, Eugene Varner, was in the 17th Airborne. Fought in the Buldge, jumped into Germany (Operation Varsity), and won a Silver Star in March, 1945, near Vulfen, Germany.
He took me to a Greek restaurant, in 1973, and told me, ‘order the Spinach Pie’
It was so good! I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, but it was downtown Milwaukee.
Uncle Gene was , and is, my hero. One badass Man! 😊✌️
Definitely Medal of Honor soldier.
According to Band of Brothers, Easy Company of the 101st. won the war single-handedly..
Enjoyed the stories of your experiences, I am also from Wisconsin ( Green Bay) and was in " Division" B co. 1/325 PIR a few years after you! 1986 - 1990
Do u no a Donnie Williams
My 1st Cousin 2x Removed James Omas Eads served with James Megellas
LOVE GREECE...
In Mr. Megellas' book, "All the way to Berlin" he has no love lost for General Montgomery and Market Garden
@Peeky Blinder
You mean desert.
Colonel Majestic Magellas! Eagles ⭐
The greatest generation
Why is the sound so bad?
Racine. How I Miss You
Dont think a water bottle is going to ruin the shot..whats ruining the interview is trying to make it perfect...Stopping the man in mid sentence,...Come on
"Waal River..." The mighty VA-AHL
I don't like the interruptions. I'll watch/listen to these Hero's speak. Rather hear their whole encounters of these wars straight from them, than small segments.
That's intense realities that these brains had to physically encounter that are being left out because of these small segments. I appropriate all of this, and i thank you. I just wanted to hear more of these men's stories.
⁷⁷⁷
Great story. Too bad the about the audio problems. Stuff happens. I’ve been there.
Damn, let this Patriot tell his story! Less introduction reading from a script and more story from this soldier! God Bless Maggie**=
Everyone knows about the 101st at Bastogne, but feww know about the hard fighting the 82nd did in the Battle of the Bulge! What a brave man !! God bless him and all those who fought in WWII to defeat Nazi Socialist Fascists and the Empire of Japan!
Very true. My dad was in the 509th PIB.
I believe the 82nd gets overlooked a lot in favour of the 101st. The Band of Brothers series has a lot to do with it. The 101 fought with bravery and skill, but so did the 82nd .
After being in the 82nd in 84-85,I know that after the deadly cluster fucks of all the combat jumps the 101st. and the 82nd. made,there were an awful lot of 82nd guys serving in 101st. units and 101st.guys serving in 82nd units, more probably from pilot errors, and fear,than most people know. There were 82nd guys in Bastone'(sp).
These interviews should be at least four hours long
@14:02 ~ Kringles ~
A rich looking pastry. Bad news for me because I'm doing Keto diet, which is extreme low carbs. No Kringles for me.
@32:10 ~ Attacking a tank~
I can't imagine the courage it would take to attack a tank. I wouldn't be able to do that. Most people could not do that.
LETT IT BE KNOWN THANK YOUS.
jeezus those stupid breaks for commercials.....or what.
My Neighbor And Friend John Downes Was In The 82nd Airborne 508th Jumped Into Normandy, Was Wounded, Send To England 🇬🇧 To Recover, That September 17,1944 He Jumped Into Market Garden Ended Up Fighting At The Battle Of The Bulge. John Was A Recipient Of the Purple Heart And Numerous Madals, John Downes Was A Quiet Stand Up Man Who Kept To Himself, A Patriot,🗽 He Was A New York City 🔥 Firefighter 👨🏼🚒 🚒 After Forty Two Year's He Retired A Battalion Chief. It Was A Pleasure Knowing Jack Downes One Of The Greatest Generation, Like My Grandparents ,Parents , Uncles, Aunt's And Neighbor's.They Fought The Great Depression And World War Two. ✝️ God Bless Their Souls 🙏🏼 I Was Blessed To Be In Their Company, And Loved Them, God Help Our Republic.Of The United States Of America. 🇺🇸 Sincere Patriot ⚔Semper Fi. 🇺🇸
great but the audio is horrible
Love the videos but the stupid narrator pausing for commercials shows total disrespect to these veterans. It's unbelievably rude. How can the narrator not gauge how rude such interruptions are? You can see it in the faces of all of these vets when their stories are interrupted for a stupid commercial break. Just let the stories be told and do your commercials in post-editing; it's not like this is a live video. And, the stupid waste of 10 minutes for commercials, ended up ruining the last 10 minutes when the mic fell of his jacket. The videos are fascinating but GOOD GRIEF why would you rush a man with so much to tell and box it into an artificially short and commercial break-ridden boondoggle? Just put this man on video for as long as he wants to talk UNINTERRUPTED. Preserve it and cut and edit it later.
Kindly note that when "Maggie" deliberately took time to speak about the liberation of the "death camp", he said that it held politcal prisoners and other kinds of inmates and And AND Jews...
Much is made about the holocaust- yes many and most were Jewish but they were not the ONLY ones incarcerated😢
Who wrote the summary? 506th?
great story. when the Russians and Germans took Poland they were buddies too. i have seen pictures of them like they were brothers.
germens should hav not let hitler convince them too attack russia
Please can anyone list his medals especially the large medallion on his mid chest. Thanks
US Army Airborne Master Parachutist
Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge
Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster (2nd award)
Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster (2nd award)
Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster (2nd award)
Presidential Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster (2nd award)
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Belgian fourragère
6 campaign stars
Order of Saint Maurice in 2008.
Dallas Military Ball's Meritorious Service Award in 2009.
DAR Medal of Honor in 2010
He was also the first American to be decorated by the Government of the Netherlands when he was awarded the Military Order of William 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.
Thanks Jeff
@@jeffrobdine Should have been Medal of Honor! If the Operation had been a success, maybe it would have been. Maybe Trump will change it, before the election. I've seen write-ups of lesser feats that got the Medal. And as an officer! Not a grunt?
@@peterzenewicz329 Right on "hang tough"
The man I seen who deserved a Medal of Honor who never got it was Col David Hackworth , he was nominated three times, never got it because he had a big mouth.
Known as the Patton of Vietnam
Greek warrior!!
James is so interesting
Its like you where their in market gardens , what an interesting interview tyvm
What a man