John Joseph McVeigh (26 de septiembre de 1921 - 29 de agosto de 1944) fue un soldado del ejército de los Estados Unidos y recibió la más alta condecoración del ejército de los Estados Unidos, la Medalla de Honor , por sus acciones durante la Batalla de Brest en la Segunda Guerra Mundial .
McVeigh nació en 1921. Trabajaba en una empresa antioxidante [2] cuando se unió al ejército en su ciudad natal de Filadelfia en septiembre de 1942, [3] y el 29 de agosto de 1944, se desempeñaba como sargento en la Compañía H, 23. Regimiento de Infantería , 2.ª División de Infantería . Durante un contraataque alemán ese día, cerca de Brest, Francia , dirigió el fuego de su escuadrón y, cuando su posición casi fue invadida, cargó él solo contra los alemanes con su única arma, un cuchillo de trinchera . McVeigh murió en el ataque y, el 6 de abril de 1945, recibió póstumamente la Medalla de Honor.
McVeigh, que tenía 22 años en el momento de su muerte, fue enterrado en el cementerio del Santo Sepulcro , Cheltenham, Pensilvania . [4]
La mención oficial de la Medalla de Honor del sargento McVeigh dice:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Brest, France, on 29 August 1944. Shortly after dusk an enemy counterattack of platoon strength was launched against 1 platoon of Company G, 23d 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 machineguns holding a wide frontage without rifle protection. The enemy drive moved so swiftly that German riflemen were soon almost on top of 1 machinegun position. Sgt. McVeigh, heedless of a tremendous amount of small arms and flak fire directed toward 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-handed charged several of the enemy. In a savage hand-to-hand struggle, Sgt. McVeigh killed 1 German with the 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 pointblank range. Sgt. McVeigh's heroic act allowed the 2 remaining men in his squad to concentrate their machinegun fire on the attacking enemy and then 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 time to reorganize, assume positions on and hold the high ground gained during the day.[5]
