[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2079. Mr. JOHNSON (for himself and Ms. Baldwin) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle F of title V, add the following:
SEC. 553. AUTHORIZATION FOR POSTHUMOUS AWARD OF THE MEDAL OF
HONOR TO JAMES MEGELLAS FOR ACTS OF VALOR
DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE.
(a) Waiver of Time Limitations.--Notwithstanding the time
limitations specified in section 7274 of title 10, United
States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the
awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed
Forces, the President may posthumously award the Medal of
Honor under section 7271 of such title to James Megellas,
formerly of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and of Colleyville,
Texas, until his death on April 2, 2020, for the acts of
valor during World War II described in subsection (b).
(b) Acts of Valor Described.--The acts of valor referred to
in subsection (a) are the actions of James Megellas on
January 28, 1945, in Herresbach, Belgium, during the Battle
of the Bulge when, as a first lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne
Division, he led a surprise and devastating attack on a much
larger advancing enemy force, killing and capturing a large
number and causing others to flee, single-handedly destroying
an attacking German Mark V tank with two hand-held grenades,
and then leading his men in clearing and seizing Herresbach.
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