Willy F. James, Jr.
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| Willy F. James, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| April 8, 1945 | |
| Place of death | KIA near Lippoldsberg, Germany |
| Allegiance | U.S. Army |
| Years of service | 1942-1945 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Unit | 413th Infantry |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Bronze Star Purple Heart |
Willy F. James, Jr. was a U.S. Army private first class who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during World War II. He was one of seven African-American soldiers who were belatedly awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton on January 13, 1997.
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[edit] Military service
James enlisted in the U.S. Army on September 11, 1942, was assigned to Company G, 413th Infantry Division, 104th Infantry Division near Lippoldsberg, Germany, at the time he earned the Medal. As lead scout during a maneuver to secure a bridgehead, he was pinned down for more than an hour by enemy machine gun fire.
When he was able to return to his platoon, he used his observations to help work out a new assault plan and designated targets from memory in the new attack. He was killed by machine-gun fire while going to the aid of his fatally wounded platoon leader.
PFC James was buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in the Dutch town of Margraten.
[edit] Honors
[edit] Awards & Decorations
Medal of Honor (as of 23 September 1996); Bronze Star Medal (Posthumously); Purple Heart (Posthumously); Army Good Conduct Medal (Posthumously); European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal Posthumously); Combat Infantry Badge.
[edit] Medal of Honor citation
For extraordinary heroism on April 7, 1945, near Lippoldsberg, Germany. As lead scout during a maneuver, Pvt. James was the first to draw enemy fire. He was pinned down for over an hour, during which time he observed enemy positions In detail. Returning to his platoon, he assisted in working out a new plan of maneuver. He then led a squad in the assault, accurately designating targets as he advanced, until he was killed by enemy machine gun fire while going to the aid of his fatally wounded platoon leader.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- This article contains text in the public domain from the U.S. Army.
- Kelly, S.H. "Seven WWII vets to receive Medals of Honor", Army News Service, January 13, 1997. (URL accessed on April 23, 2006).
[edit] External links
- Jim Garamone (January 15, 1997). Army Finally Recognizes WWII Black Heroes. DefenseLINK News. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
Categories: 1945 deaths | Black history in the United States military | American military personnel of World War II | Army Medal of Honor recipients | People from Missouri | Recipients of the Purple Heart medal | United States Army soldiers | American World War II killed in action | African Americans in the United States military
