Soldier behind 'Dirty Dozen' gets French Legion of Honor
By MICHAEL MCNUTT NewsOK.com on Sep 27, 2012, at 2:33 AM Updated on 11/08/12 at 11:01 AM
French Consul General Frederic Bontems presents Jake McNiece, 93, of Ponca City with the Legion of Honor at a ceremony Wednesday at the Oklahoma Capitol, joined by Grant Moak, (center) honorary consul in Oklahoma City. Courtesy
Local
The Regents will consider architectural firms to provide construction of storm-hardened shelters in the housing area on the Norman campus.
Her biological father from Oklahoma and her adoptive parents from South Carolina spent several hours Monday and Tuesday on the sixth floor of the state's Kerr office building, where the Court of Civil Appeals meets in Tulsa.
OKLAHOMA CITY - James "Jake" McNiece, the leader of World War II's "Dirty Dozen," accepted France's most prestigious decoration Wednesday, nearly 70 years after he led a squad of paratroopers behind enemy lines to support the D-Day invasion.
McNiece, a retired Ponca City postal worker, led a group of rough men nicknamed "The Filthy 13," who were the inspiration for the movie "The Dirty Dozen." Before the June 6, 1944, invasion, McNiece led 18 paratroopers to destroy two bridges and control a third. Sixteen of his men were killed during the 36-day mission.
"I want to extend my thanks and my appreciation to the French ally we had and the great service they were in World War II," said McNiece, 93. "It was an honor to serve with them."
He thanked the French government for giving him the medal of the Legion of Honor, which made him a knight in the French Order of the Legion of Honor.
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mmcnutt@opubco.com
Local
The Regents will consider architectural firms to provide construction of storm-hardened shelters in the housing area on the Norman campus.
Her biological father from Oklahoma and her adoptive parents from South Carolina spent several hours Monday and Tuesday on the sixth floor of the state's Kerr office building, where the Court of Civil Appeals meets in Tulsa.
