Jake McNiece
Jake McNiece | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | "McNasty" |
Born | 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division | May 24, 1919
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Bronze Star (4) Purple Heart (2) Legion of Honour |
James Elbert "Jake" McNiece (May 24, 1919 – January 21, 2013) was a US Army paratrooper in World War II. Private McNiece was a member of the Filthy Thirteen, an elite demolition unit whose exploits inspired the 1965 novel and 1967 film The Dirty Dozen.[1]
Early life
James McNiece was born on May 24, 1919, in
Military career
McNiece enlisted for military service on September 1, 1942. He was assigned to the demolition saboteur section of what was then the
McNiece's deliberate disobedience and disrespect during training prevented him from being promoted past Private when most Paratroopers were promoted to Private First Class after 30 days. McNiece would act as section sergeant and first sergeant through various missions. His first sergeant and company commanders knew he was the man the regiment could count on during combat.[4] His escapades are documented in his words in The Filthy Thirteen, Fighting With the Filthy Thirteen, and War Paint; The Filthy Thirteen Jump Into Normandy.
McNiece went on to make a total of four wartime combat jumps, the first as part of the
After World War II
In 1949, McNiece returned to live in Ponca City. He began a 28-year career with the United States Postal Service. His first wife Rosita died in 1952 and, a year later, he married Martha Beam Wonders. They had two sons and a daughter and remained married until his death.[1]
Last years
In 1997, historian Richard E. Killblane, also from Ponca City, began recording Jake's oral history of his escapades during the war and wrote The Filthy Thirteen, which Casemate Publishers published in 2003. This made Jake an instant celebrity among World War II airborne fans and he toured the United States and Europe educating and entertaining younger generations with his accounts of the war. In 2012, McNiece was awarded the French Legion of Honour Chevalier class. He died on January 21, 2013, at the age of 93.[6][7]
Military Awards
- Combat Infantryman Badge
- Parachutist Badge with four combat jump stars
- Pathfinder Badge
- Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" and three oak leaf clusters
- Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster
- Good Conduct Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- campaign stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army of Occupation Medal with "Germany" clasp
- Chevalier of the Legion of Honor(France)
- Five Overseas service bars
Other honors
McNiece was an inductee in the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame, and an honorary colonel of the
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "James Elbert McNiece obituary" (PDF). The Ponca City News. 23 January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
- ^ "Jake McNiece and the 'Filthy Thirteen' – Part One". SOFREP.com. May 27, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ a b "World War II vet is Filthy Thirteen's last man". WSBT.com. November 9, 2010. Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ^ Richard E. Killblane and Brian Miller, War Paint; The Filthy Thirteen Jump Into Normandy, Victory Press, 2013
- ^ Jerome Preisler, First to Jump; How the Band of Brothers was Aided by the Brave Paratroopers of the Pathfinder Company, Berkley, 2014
- ^ a b "'Dirty Dozen' hero from Oklahoma has died". Stars and Stripes. January 22, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
- ^ "Oklahoma World War II veteran receives France's highest decoration". Stars and Stripes. September 27, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
- ^ "WWII War Hero Jake McNiece, Last of The Filthy Thirteen Dies". Country Courier Magazine. January 25, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
- ^ "Ponca City High School to induct first Hall of Fame class". The Oklahoman. July 25, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
Bibliography
- Womer, Jack N.; DeVito, Stephen C (2012). Fighting With the Filthy Thirteen, the World War II Story of Jack Womer: Ranger and Paratrooper. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 9781612001005.
- Richard Killblane; Jake McNiece (2003). The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirty Dozen. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 9781932033120.
- Richard Killblane; Brian Miller (2013). War Paint: The Filthy Thirteen Jump into Normandy and Beyond. Victory Press. ISBN 978-0-615-67993-8.
- Richard Killblane; Jake McNiece (2006). The Filthy Thirteen: From the Dustbowl to Hitler's Eagle's Nest - The True Story of the 101st Airborne's Most Legendary Squad of Combat Paratroopers. Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1932033465.
- Jerome Preisler (2014). First to Jump; How the Band of Brothers Was Aided by Brave Paratroopers of the Pathfinder Company. Berkley. ISBN 978-0425265970.
- E.M. Nathanson (2001). The Dirty Dozen. Cassel. ISBN 9780304359288.
- Maurin Picard (2016). Des héros ordinaires; Au coeur de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Perrin. ISBN 9782262051372.
External links
- Jake McNiece at IMDb
- Jake McNiece at libertyjumpteam.org
- Jake McNiece at usairborne.be