Montgomery Cunningham Meigs
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army

Montgomery Cunningham Meigs was the son of a U.S. Navy officer, Commander John Forsyth Meigs, and moved many times in his youth. He attended some eight schools, in different places, but still entered West Point when barely seventeen. He even declined a principal appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in order to wait for an uncertain later appointment to the U.S. Military Academy in 1937. During the latter part of his school career he was handicapped by a painful back injury that kept him in a plaster cast for six months and in an iron brace for a year. Still, he graduated 44th in his class of 449 in June 1940.

The short military career of Montgomery C. Meigs is a record of intelligence and gallantry. Upon graduation from West Point, he chose to be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry and first served in the 8th Cavalry at Fort Bliss, TX. In 1941, he was transferred to the 2nd Armored Division and in 1942 to the 7th Armored Division. While in these two divisions, he was seriously and painfully injured in motorcycle accidents; first with a broken neck vertebra and second with a broken knee.

Four years after his graduation from West Point, and after his second discharge from the hospital, Lieutenant Colonel Meigs was given command of the 23rd Tank Battalion, 12th Armored Division. His unit went overseas a year later, in the early autumn of 1944.

The 23rd Tank Battalion went into combat for the first time on 9 December 1944 in Alsace, against the Maginot Line. Throughout that day, Meigs continually exposed himself to heavy mortar and artillery fire and directed the firing and movement of the Battalion on a direct fire mission from the flank against the village of Binning, to support a reinforced infantry battalion that was assaulting frontally. The infantry occupied Binning in the afternoon. Meigs spent the night drawing up his plans and orders for an assault the next morning on a sector of the Maginot Line just north of Rohrbach.

On 10 December, the Battalion was under heavy fire for nine hours. After the battalion took its objective, it was met by well-concealed anti-tank fire. The Battalion's position was consolidated preparatory to another attack the next day. Again, Meigs spent the night, his second without sleep, working on his plans and orders. On the morning of 11 December, LTC Meigs and the lead tanks of his first assault wave got onto a ridge which the Germans had “zeroed in” with well-concealed 88's. Three tanks were hit and disabled. Meigs gave the order to hold up and locate the German gun positions. He proceeded in the direction of Bettwiller, saw a gun flash, fired smoke on the edge of the village, and ordered his tanks to take cover. Immediately afterwards, his tank was hit in the turret by an 88 and he was killed instantly. LTC Meigs was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Medals and Awards

Silver Star Medal
Purple Heart
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal

Silver Star Medal Citation

For "gallantry and extraordinary service" his citation states that "Lieutenant Colonel Meigs’ actions during the three days’ operations under artillery, mortar and small arms fire set an example for all officers and men of his battalion, inspiring them to continue the attack on the Division objective, which was taken on December 12, 1944. Lieutenant Colonel Meigs' courage and utter disregard for his own life in leading his battalion, exemplifies the finest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States."

Family

Meigs was survived by his wife, Elizabeth Griggs Meigs, and his son, Montgomery Cunningham Meigs who was born on 11 January 1945. His son is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1967, and retired in 2002 as a four-star General after serving as Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe. [Honoree Record ID 285].

Burial

Lieutenant Colonel Montgomery Cunningham Meigs is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France in Section C, Row 23, Grave 36.

[Much of the information for this biography was compiled from Cullum Number 11834, USMA.]