| Birth: | 1921 | | Death: | Aug. 29, 1944 | 
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during World War II as a Sergeant in Company H, 23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery near Brest, France on August 29, 1944. His citation reads "For conspicuously gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Shortly after dusk an enemy counterattack of platoon strength was launched against 1 platoon of Company G, 23rd Infantry. Since the Company G platoon was not dug in and had just begun to assume defensive positions along a hedge, part of the line sagged momentarily under heavy fire from small arms and 2 flak guns, leaving a section of heavy machine guns holding a wide frontage without rifle protection. The enemy moved so swiftly that German riflemen were soon almost on top of 1 machine gun position. Sgt. McVeigh, heedless of a tremendous amount of small arms and flak fire directed towards him, stood up in full view of the enemy and directed the fire of his squad on the attacking Germans until his position was almost overrun. He then drew his trench knife and single-handedly charged several of the enemy. In a savage hand-to-hand struggle, Sgt. McVeigh killed 1 German with a knife, his only weapon, and was advancing on 3 more of the enemy when he was shot down and killed with small arms fire at point blank range. Sgt. McVeigh's heroic act allowed the 2 remaining men in his squad to concentrate their machinegun fire on the attacking enemy and turn their weapons on the 3 Germans in the road, killing all 3. Fire from this machinegun and the other gun of the section was almost entirely responsible for stopping this enemy assault, and allowed the rifle platoon to which it was attached to reorganize, assume positions on and hold the high ground gained during the day". His Medal was posthumously presented to his family on April 6, 1945.
Search Amazon for John McVeigh | | | Burial:
Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
Cheltenham
Montgomery County
Pennsylvania, USA
Plot: Section 32, Range 21, Lot 13 |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Don Morfe
Record added: Feb 26, 2003
Find A Grave Memorial# 7209221 |
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