Pictures and stories about two World War II veterans from Montezuma County who died in battle are being sought as part of an effort to honor U.S. soldiers buried in the Netherlands.
Army Air Forces Pvt. John Robert McGregor of Mancos and Army Air Forces Pvt. Donald Alvin McGill of Cortez were killed in action during European Theater Operations on Oct. 14, 1944, and April 17, 1945, respectively, according to Stories Behind the Stars and Fold3.com by Ancestry.
Photos are needed to place on the gravesites of the two fallen soldiers at the Netherland American Cemetery, in Margraten, Netherland, as part of a biannual commemoration ceremony, said Scott Rayl, special projects director for Stories Behind the Stars USA World II Fallen.
The event is held in early May, and while it was recently canceled because of pandemic concerns, the pictures will be needed for future ceremonies, Rayl said.
During the event, pictures are put on all the 8,288 graves of American soldiers buried at the cemetery and with the 1,722 American named on the missing-in-action wall.
“The stories and photos are to make sure U.S. soldiers are not lost to history,” Rayl stated. “I am energized to ... bring the men of Montezuma County home by repatriating their memory and helping our friends honor them in Europe.”
The Montezuma American Legion and VFW Auxiliaries assisted with the research about local veterans for Stories Behind the Stars.
McGregor was born in 1912 in Mancos and enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1944 at Fort Logan, Colorado, according to Stories Behind the Stars biography posted on Fold3.com. He was a part of the 175th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Division, A Company.
The biography states that on Nov. 7, 1944 Private McGregor, 32, was seriously wounded on the battlefield and passed away in the hospital later that same day. Private McGregor was awarded a Purple Heart. June 2, 1912. He was laid to rest in the Netherlands American Cemetery (Block N, Row 9, Grave 2).
McGregor was survived by his parents, Fred and Roselia McGregor; his brothers, William and Sam; his sister, Leona; his wife, Rose Alice McGregor; and his two sons, Richard and Marvin.
According Stories Behind the Stars biography posted on Fold3.com, McGill was born in 1923 in Barnsville, Colorado and worked as a farm laborer in Cortez. He enlisted into the Army Air Forces in April, 1944 at Fort Logan, Colorado.
McGill was a member of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 5th Armored Division. He fought in European Theater Operations from the Netherlands to the Elbe River.
The Stories Behind the Stars biography states:
“They crossed the Roer River on Feb. 25, 1945 and made a drive to the Rhine River. Amid heavy fighting, the Division reached the Elbe River, about 45 miles from Berlin, on April 12, 1945. On April 16, 1945, the 5th moved to Klotze to wipe out the Von Clausewitz Panzer Division and again drove to the Elbe, this time in the vicinity of Dannenberg.”
McGill, age 22, was killed in action on April 17, 1945 in Germany. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his service for his country.
McGill was survived by his father John McGill; his stepmother Evelyn McGill; his brother, John McGill; and his three half-siblings. McGill’s father, John, passed away one month after his son was killed in action. McGill was laid to rest overseas in the Netherlands American Cemetery (Plot C, Row W, Grave 19).
If you have photos and/or stories of McGregor or McGill, contact Scott Rayl at (405) 550-9530 or email at scott.rayl@storiesbehindthestars.org
The backstory of Montezuma VFW Post 5231 was shared by Rayl through the Stories Behind the Stars and Fold3.com with research help from local VFW members.
It was formerly named the John Derrick Halls Post 5231 before the local VFWs consolidated into one under the Montezuma name.
According to the Stories Behind the Stars biography, Halls was born in 1922 in Mancos.
He helped his family farm and worked for Mesa Verde National Park. He went by the nickname “Dickie” and was a star basketball player at Mancos High School.
On Sept. 1, 1942, John Halls enlisted in the U.S. Army in Pueblo. He was known as “Cowboy” by his Army buddies.
According to the Stories Behind the Stars biography, Halls parachuted into Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944 during D-Day. He was part of an assault team on a German artillery battery at Brecourt Manor.
The biography states: “During this assault, men of Easy, Dog, Fox, and HQ Company charged and destroyed four 105 mm howitzers that were currently firing on Causeway #2 – one the few main draws off Utah Beach – where troops of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division were advancing inland. Taking this gun battery was crucial in getting 4th ID reinforcements up to the Airborne positions.”
On approach toward another German howitzer, Halls was struck by a burst of machine-gun fire, according to 1st Lt. Dick Winters’ action report.
HBO’s “Band of Brothers” indicates Halls was killed by a land mine, but this is likely a myth, the biography states, based on other accounts of the battle that support he died from machine-gun fire.
“John D. Halls was with me on D-day. He was killed charging for the third cannon, by an undisclosed machine gun nest. He was a good basketball player and a good soldier,” wrote Lt. Winters in his journal, according to the biography.
Halls was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his actions taken on the Brécourt Manor assault. He is buried at Plot C Row 10 Grave 32, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
