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| PFC Willy James earned the Medal of Honor while serving with the 104th Infantry Division. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10236980 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/538672805408664488/?lp=true |
Willy F. James, Jr. never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Willy was born on March 18, 1920 in Missouri. His parents were named Willy and Lillian. I was not able to find any census records about his family. He was married to Valcenie Jackson and worked as a delivery man for Crown Drug Company.
He enlisted in the army on September 11, 1942. He became a private first class and scout for Company G, 2nd Battalion, 413th Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry Division. The 104th ID arrived in France in late 1944. After advancing across France, it ended up engaged in the Hurtgen Forest were it suffered heavy casualties which continued to rack up through the winter.
A number of infantry units were in need of replacements as 1944 came to a close. General Dwight Eisenhower's deputy John C. H. Lee, came up with the solution to tap into the black soldiers already in theater in service roles. The army asked for volunteers to become infantrymen and over 5,000 blacks signed up. In order to not deplete service units, only 2,500 were taken.
PFC James was one of these volunteers. After six weeks of training he was sent to the 413th IR as part of a full platoon of black soldiers. Surprising many who held prejudicial views, the all black platoons were graded after the war as performing very well.
On April 7, PFC James took great risk to carry out assignments during an attack on Lippoldsberg, Germany that would result in his death within one day. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. Recognizing that African Americans were not correctly recognized for their battlefield contributions in World War II, in 1993 the US Army commissioned a study to see if any awards should be upgraded. PFC James' actions were evaluated to recommend him for the Medal of Honor.
His Medal of Honor citation reads as follows:
On 7 April 1945, Company G, 413th Infantry, fought its way across the Weser River in order to establish a crucial beachhead. The company then launched a fierce attack against the town of Lippoldsberg, possession of which was vital to securing and expanding the important bridgehead.
Private First Class James was first scout of the lead squad in the assault platoon. The mission of the unit was to seize and secure a group of houses on the edge of town, a foothold from which the unit could launch an attack on the rest of the town. Far out in front, Private First Class James was the first to draw enemy fire.
His platoon leader came forward to investigate, but poor visibility made it difficult for Private First Class James to point out enemy positions with any accuracy. Private First Class James volunteered to go forward to fully reconnoiter the enemy situation. Furious crossfire from enemy snipers and machineguns finally pinned down Private First Class James after making his way forward approximately 200 yards across open terrain. Lying in an exposed position for more than an hour, Private First Class James intrepidly observed the enemy's positions which were given away by the fire Private first class James was daringly drawing upon himself. Then, with utter indifference to his personal safety, in a storm of enemy small arms fire, Private First Class James made his way back more than 300 yards across open terrain under enemy observation to his platoon positions, and gave a full, detailed report on the enemy disposition.
The unit worked out a new plan on maneuver based on Private First Class James' information. The gallant soldier volunteered to lead a squad in an assault on the key house in the group that formed the platoon objective. He made his way forward, leading his squad in the assault on the strongly held enemy positions in the building and designating targets accurately and continuously as he moved along. While doing so, Private First Class James saw his platoon leader shot down by enemy snipers. Hastily designating and coolly orienting a leader in his place, Private First Class James instantly went to the aid of his platoon leader, exposing himself recklessly to the incessant enemy fire. As he was making his way across open ground, Private First Class James was killed by a burst from an enemy machine gun.
Private First Class James' extraordinary heroic action in the face of withering enemy fire provided the disposition of enemy troops to his platoon. Inspired to the utmost by Private First Class James' self-sacrifice, the platoon sustained the momentum of the assault and successfully accomplished its mission with a minimum of casualties. Private First Class James contributed very definitely to the success of his battalion in the vitally important combat operation of establishing and expanding a bridgehead over the Weser River.
His fearless, self-assigned actions, far above and beyond the normal call of duty, exemplify the finest traditions of the American combat soldier and reflect with highest credit upon Private First Class James and the Armed Forces of the United States.
Thank you PFC James for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Willy.
Last year on this date I profiled Okinawa fallen Peter Genovese, 193rd Tank Battalion. You can read about Peter here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
PFC James' is listed as dying on April 8, 1945. Perhaps he was mortally wounded on April 7 and died the next day.
His grave is at The Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, Netherlands. His widow never remarried. She received Willy's Medal of Honor from President Bill Clinton in 1997. She died in 2002.
Last year on this date I profiled Okinawa fallen Peter Genovese, 193rd Tank Battalion. You can read about Peter here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
PFC. Willy James was a true Hero! He is a hero that volunteered to be part of an African American Unit- Putting his life on the line at a time when Blacks were not treated fairly! He ended up losing his life in very heroic action1 The Medal of Honor is the highest honor that can be bestowed on you! Thank you PFC James!! You were an Honorable, wonderful, Heroic American and we owe you a great deal!! Rest in peace! All your descendants can be forever proud of you!!!
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